Since 1851
In an extraordinary accomplishment, one student receives two of the nation’s highest honors offered to high school graduates. Sejal Hathi, senior at Notre Dame San Jose won both the Presidential Scholar and the Principal’s Leadership awards.
Sejal was named a Presidential Scholar from nearly 2.8 million high school seniors from around the country. Along with Sejal, Ruth Burson, Notre Dame social studies teacher, was awarded The Presidential Teacher Recognition Award. Sejal and Ruth are invited to meet with President Obama this summer.
The Principal’s Leadership Award honors our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school senior. Sejal is the national winner from over 3,100 students who were nominated by their high school principals for their leadership, participation in service organizations and clubs, achievements in the arts and sciences and academic record.
This is not the only extraordinary accomplishment Sejal has achieved. At age 15 Sejal founded the international nonprofit organization Girls Helping Girls to empower all girls to become change makers and fulfill their full potential. Today, Girls Helping Girls engages thousands of girls from over 15 different countries. Their members work together on initiatives in four areas from the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals: Eradicating Poverty, Increasing Access to Education, Improving Health and Promoting Peace. Thanks to a grant from Notre Dame, Sejal spent three weeks working with girls in Kolkata, India, one of Girls Helping Girls most impoverished sites.
In her role as founder of the Girls Helping Girls organization, Sejal has spoken before the World Bank, participated in a two hour discussion with his Holiness the Dalai Lama, appeared on CNN, and has spoken to students, service groups and business leaders from around the world.
“Sejal is more than just an exceptionally bright student. She truly embodies the spirit of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur — educating girls in impoverished regions,” said Notre Dame’s Principal Mary Beth Riley.
Sejal will be attending Yale in the fall. For more about Sejal, visit www.ndsj.org/sejal.
Established 1851 in downtown San Jose, Notre Dame High School is the oldest Catholic all-girls high school on the west coast. The school provides a challenging, college-preparatory curriculum, which integrates classroom learning with downtown educational opportunities in culture, science and technology.
