2021 Aspirations in Computing Ceremonies - Boundless Possibilities - Virtual Celebration - Minnesota State ...
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2021 Aspirations in Computing Ceremonies
Winner/Honorable Mention | April 14
Certificate of Distinction | April 24
Rising Star | May 1
Boundless Possibilities – Virtual Celebration
Champion Partner Message Hello MNAiC students, parents, supporters, and partners, In a year that has, in many ways, felt limiting and constricted, it is extraordinary to find that it is also a year where the power of Boundless Possibilities has been proven time and again. Faced with new challenges that also often exposed the depth and severity of long-lived challenges, people like today’s nominees and award win- ners, along with their educators, mentors, and supporters, have seen the opportunity to leverage technology, think outside and beyond the box, and respond to a new way of seeing the world. The theme of Boundless Possibilities has never been more relevant or resonant. Launched in 2012, the Minnesota Aspirations in Computing (MNAiC) year-round program is the brainchild of a partnership between the Minnesota State IT Center of Excellence, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, and a remarkable network of local businesses with a passion for supporting young women as they begin their journeys in technology. Target is grateful to support the next generation of technology leaders, and, personally, I’m so inspired by the passionate, committed, and diverse students in this program. I’m reminded of the power of ideas realized, and I’m extremely optimistic for the future of our industry. Each year MNAiC offers hundreds of students the opportunity to engage with technology professionals while developing their computing and professional skills. Many of them rise to the level of being recognized for their aspirations and achievements. This year the Minnesota community recognizes 33 Rising Star, 43 Certificate of Distinction, and 40 top-tier state and national honorees. These outstanding young women are featured and celebrated at three special events in April and May. A hearty congratulations to each of you. Thank you for gifting the world with your brilliance. I would also like to thank the parents, educators, mentors, and other supporters of the awardees. Seeing talent and providing resources, support, guidance, and patience – it’s an incredible commitment and a wonderful gift. And, finally, to MNAiC founders, volunteers, partners, and sponsors – your investment to support innovation, learning, growth, and advancement for young women in technology is clearly paying dividends, evidenced by the work of these women – thank you. This is a wonderful day…boundless with possibilities! Rachel Whitcomb, Vice President, Target Tech Target Corporation 2
Master of Ceremonies
Jade Denson
Jade is a passionate relationship builder responsible for finding ways to deepen
MnTech’s partnerships with member companies and in the broader community.
Jade’s work involves identifying impactful engagement opportunities for
MnTech members and seeking out ways to collaborate with other Minnesota
organizations who are driving technology and innovation forward. Jade’s role at
MnTech combines her personal and professional values of fostering innovation
and collaboration while keeping people at the forefront. Although originally from
California, Jade graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa and has spent the last
6 years building out her life in Minnesota. She enjoys collecting art, supporting
local artists, and attending events in her community.
NCWIT Collegiate Award
Katelyn France
University of Minnesota – Duluth
Katelyn Jo France is pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry and will begin her Pharmacy
program this fall at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. She is the founder
and CEO of Scientists Making Your Life Easier (SMYLE) LLC, a medtech and
mentorship-focused corporation that produces accessible life-saving medical
equipment while also providing opportunities for networking and assistance for
underserved students who are interested in pursuing STEM projects and careers.
She is currently working with Dr. Jacob Brown of the University of Minnesota - Duluth School of Pharmacy
on a pharmacogenomics project assessing sertraline concentrations in children stratified by their CYP2C19
genotype. She also works as a barista in her hometown of Hinckley and loves all types of coffee. Katelyn
loves needlework and crocheting, as well as hiking near her home along the North Shore of Minnesota. You
can find her on social media as @franceinyapants.
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Certificate of Distinction Honorees
The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) selected 43 Certificate of
Distinction Honorees with strong scores, as evidenced by their outstanding engagement in a variety of
technology and leadership experiences provided by their high school, community partners, and through
online learning experiences.
Special thanks to General Mills for hosting and leading an exclusive learning and
recognition virtual event on April 24 for the 2021 Certificate of Distinction honorees.
Nasteho Abdi, Edison High School, Minneapolis Faduma Mohamed, St. Louis Park High School
Asha Abdi, Higher Ground Academy, St. Paul Maya Moy, Minnetonka High School
Tanvi Adige, Rosemount High School Megan Mulrooney, Spring Lake Park High School
Beatirz Arias, Saint Anthony Village High School Ayub Osman, Patrick Henry High School, Minneapolis
Gwendolyn Brandt, Mounds View High School Julia Osmolski, Burnsville High School
Jennie Cheng, Mounds View High School Preeti Priyadarshini, Edina High School
Clare Dixon, Eagan High School Elena Que, Blaine High School
Erin Doss-Johnson, Rosemount High School Megan Rands, Woodbury High School
Zakia Essa, Burnsville High School Franziska Rinkleff, Century High School, Rochester
Abby Fuglseth, Fertile-Beltrami High School Danyanara Rivera Dorantes, Cristo Rey Jesuit High
Elizabeth Glieden, Edina High School School, Minneapolis
Isabella Graziani, Open World Learning Community, Alexandra Rolli, John Marshall High School, Rochester
St. Paul Lucy Rubin, John Marshall High School, Rochester
Charley Hatterman, Rosemount High School Zabibu Rukia, Coon Rapids High School
Reema Ibrahim, Totino-Grace High School, Fridley Gabrielle Ruth, Rosemount High School
Anisa Ismael, Higher Ground Academy, St. Paul Trisha Samba, Breck School, Golden Valley
Katrina Jackson, North Woods School, Cook Ann Scripture, Century High School, Rochester
Natashia Johannes, St. Louis Park High School Chelsea Stoner, Rosemount High School
Bella Johnson, Rosemount High School Nixie Trierweiler, South High School, Minneapolis
Ria Koppikar, Eastview High School, Apple Valley Salma Urrutia, Anoka High School
Priyanka Kopuru, Eden Prairie High School Noelle Wang, Convent of the Visitation School,
Morgan Madsen, Eagan High School Mendota Heights
Saanvi Malhotra, Eagan High School Leigha Wood, Mounds View High School
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Rising Star Honorees
Chosen by the Minnesota Aspirations committee, these 33 Rising Star Honorees are engaged in a mixture
of technology education and leadership experiences, showing strong promise of future success pursuing a
technology education and career path.
Special thanks to the Minnesota Twins for hosting and leading a learning
and recognition event on May 1 for the 2021 Rising Star honorees.
Fatuma Abdi, Edison High School, Minneapolis Amelie Nickel, Roseville Area High School
Ramani Arunachalam, Rosemount High School Grace Nowling-Morgen, Alexandria Area High School
Sophie Davis, St. Louis Park High School Caroline Person, Spectrum High School, Elk River
Erin De Witt, Rosemount High School Alura Price, MTS Minnesota Connections Academy
Jezabel Dimaze, Spectrum High School, Elk River Rhea Rajvansh, Eastview High School, Apple Valley
Aditi Edpuganti, Wayzata High School Fiona Shand, Edina High School
Natalie Fischer, Spectrum High School, Elk River Emily Springer, Southwest High School, Minneapolis
Kaitlyn Hanley, Rosemount High School Amy Tong, Apple Valley High School
Abrianna Hanson, Lincoln High School, Thief River Falls Kiley Trembath, Spectrum High School, Elk River
Annika Heieie, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School Nalani Vang, Math and Science Academy, Woodbury
Jacqueline Lee, Mounds View High School Ashley Villar, John Marshall High School, Rochester
Calli Maskel, Rosemount High School Aishwarya Vinod, Eastview High School, Apple Valley
Amber McGee, Osseo Senior High School Kaylin Walters, Spectrum High School, Elk River
Wendy Meng, Wayzata High School Asha Ward, Central High School, St. Paul
Samantha Meznarich, Rosemount High School Natalie Whitehead, Waconia High School
Bianca Morcho, South High School, Minneapolis Hiroko Zeleke, Open World Learning Community, St. Paul
Claire Moritz, Spectrum High School, Elk River
Congratulations!
As was the case this awards season, we anticipate that many
Rising Star and Certificate of Distinction honorees will be selected
as top-level state and national honorees next awards season.
Keep IT up!
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2021 Aspirations in Computing Award Honorees
Warsan Abdi
Junior at Rosemount High School
Warsan is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Since taking her first coding class
in middle school, Warsan decided programming is what she wants to do for life.
She enjoys learning new skills and loves to challenge herself. In school she is a
member of the Muslim Student Association and volunteers at her local mosque on
the weekend. During her high school years, she has completed more than 70 hours
of community service. Warsan loves to help people in any way that she can. She
wants to use this opportunity to stand out and make changes within the STEAM
field, especially since there isn’t a lot of black Muslim representation. Warsan is well versed with JavaScript
and spent her first summer in high school programming LED lights using a LilyPad Arduino kit at UCSD.
Warsan loves to work with new people and enjoys environments that take her out of her comfort zone. She is
excited to see where her future in computer science and engineering leads her. Warsan wants to gain more
experience and plans to take advantage of the classes and other opportunities available at her school. She
plans to attend college and major in computer science and technology.
Baraa Al-Jasim
Senior at Blaine High School
Baraa is a State Honorable Mention Recipient. Baraa’s changemaking aspirations
stem from her interest in innovative research. Her interest in programming began
when her father introduced her to computer systems. She learned how to program
to create a functioning robot, which pushed her to independently expand her
knowledge in computing at the International Science and Engineering Fair. She
has been participating in the fair for three years, working on programming a fully
autonomous firefighting robot prototype that is capable of detecting and extinguishing a simulated fire and has
the ability to send a warning email to designated people when it senses the flames. She was fascinated by
the fashioning of complex puzzle-like objects of interlocking moving parts and watching them work in subtle
cycles, playing out the consequences of programming principles built in from the beginning. Her skills have
been recognized and awarded by multiple companies and branches of the armed forces including, the
U.S. Navy, Air Force, Yale Science & Engineering Association, Intel, and the International Science and
Engineering Fair. Baraa plans to further her knowledge in programming by continuing her research on
implementing technology in the field of firefighting. She desires to be a part of something that helps society
by contributing to innovative research now and in the future, developing a smarter future for our world.
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Nicole Alexandru
Senior at John Marshall High School
Nicole is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Throughout her childhood, Nicole
followed in the footsteps of her software engineer parents and was interested in
technology from a young age. She took several IT classes during middle and high
school. After a JavaScript class at a local community college showed Nicole the basics
of website programming, she created a mobile application, OnTop, with two of her
friends. This class nurtured her creativity when designing games and websites, which
she applied through her design and UI work on OnTop. The app served as an online platform for extracurricular
communication and was a semifinalist for the MNCup Competition and a finalist for the EMGirls Competition.
Nicole has also interned at Technovation[MN], a Minnesota non-profit encouraging young women and girls
in technology through workshops, competitions, and more. While working with young children in learning
environments at a local nature center and at a tutoring center, she became curious about the cognitive and
neurological processes involved in learning. Her curiosity sparked questions about how humans learn and how
this understanding applies to artificial intelligence and machine learning, which are technology fields she would
like to explore during college. She is a Senior Captain of her school’s Science Olympiad, President of Model UN,
and participates in Speech, Debate, and Math League. She plans on pursuing a degree in computer science
with a focus on artificial intelligence.
Kaliana Andriamananjara
Senior at Great River Montessori School
Kaliana is a State Winner. In addition to forming, being captain, and working in
design and building for her school’s All Girls Robotics team, Team Athena, for
several years, Kaliana has learned and practiced Python, HTML, Scratch and some
Java programming. She has been involved in robotics since 2012 and has volunteered
at the University of Minnesota neuroscience lab for two years. Kaliana organized her
school’s first Math Club, which allowed students to practice and learn math skills, and
brought in professors of local colleges to talk about STEM areas, such as data analysis, medicine, programming,
and the future of AI technology. She also founded the school’s Equity and Justice Library to allow students easy
and quick access to books specifically surrounding equity and justice. She additionally tutors her fellow students
in science and mathematics, for schoolwork and standardized testing.
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Sophie Bingen
Junior at Maple Grove Senior High
Sophie is a State Winner. She was also a State Honorable Mention recipient in
2020. Her passion for programming was ignited in 8th grade when she first took a
coding class at Macalester College. Since then she has continued to develop her
programming skills through self-study and additional classes at several institutions to
learn Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, C++, and Python. Sophie was accepted to coding
classes at the University of Minnesota where she worked to develop a website
for a social cause. This summer she worked to develop a Python curriculum to teach young girls. At school,
Sophie pursues her passion for STEM by taking Engineering classes as well as high-level math and AP classes.
She dedicates her time after school and on weekends to the high school robotics team, Crimson Robotics.
She started her robotics career in programming where she worked with Java, but she later transferred
to mechanical. In her CAD Education work Sophie developed curriculum to teach CAD to inexperienced
teammates. She also previously mentored a FLL team and worked to organize and attend different robotics
community events. Sophie is a FIRST Deans List nominee. She has been a Girl Scout for 10 years, has earned
the Bronze award, and enjoys volunteering at Girl Scouts and other community events. Sophie plans on
pursuing Biomedical Engineering.
Katya Borisova
Senior at Minnetonka High School
Katya is a State Winner. She is a prominent member of technology and computer
science in her school’s student organizations and in her community. As a member
of FIRST Robotics, she is responsible for the wiring of the different electronic
components and has held the titles of Web Design Lead, Electronics Lead, Operator,
and Captain. Katya is also a member of her school’s Supermileage team where she
assists in designing, 3D modeling, welding, and building a fuel-efficient vehicle.
Within her community, Katya has introduced children to technology and computer science through her
involvement at EPIC Summer Camps, Tech Academy, Code Ninjas, and FLL. In each of these organizations
she served as a role model and taught students LEGO engineering and coding among other STEM-related
topics. Katya is most proud of her current internship at Qrona Technologies where she was initially respon-
sible for data acquisition software development for photocathode quantum efficiency measurements in
LabVIEW and 3D modeling in SOLIDWORKS. Her most recent project is to develop process control software
for a thin film deposition system using RS 232 and 485 serial interfaces in LabVIEW. Katya will attend the
University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering this fall and major in Computer Science. In
addition to her course work, she hopes to gain more experience in computer science through student
organizations, undergraduate research, internships, and similar community involvement.
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Alexis Bunnell
Senior at Burnsville High School
Alexis is a National Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a 2020 State Winner
and 2019 Rising Star. Additionally, she received the 2020 Target TWIST EPIC Award.
Over the past four years, Alexis has grown into a pioneer for women in STEM
within her district. She advanced her coding knowledge by learning visual basic and
developing her own mobile apps and javascript applications in her college level
coding classes. Alexis is extremely passionate about encouraging children, especially
young girls, to find a love for STEM. Annually, she co-coordinates her district wide Family Code Night with her
twin brother which brings in over 100 families. Alexis created her own Congressional App Challenge and
Technovation Teams. In her free-time she is an active volunteer in her community with over 2,000 volunteer
hours. Alexis serves as Executive of Student Council, Vice President of National Honor Society and
Communications Director of Youth Service Advisory Council. She also holds leadership positions in
BurnsvilleStrong, Math League, and Link Crew. Alexis is also the only girl on her school’s varsity tackle
football team. It is clearly evident that she has applied her love of learning and developed a sense of self
to envision a future where her aspirations are truly within reach. Alexis is grateful for the many opportunities
that computer science has brought her and plans to attend the University of Minnesota and study
neuroscience in the honors program.
Elise Buzzell
Sophomore at Henry Sibley High School
Elise is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a Certificate of
Distinction recipient in 2020. Elise’s passion for STEM began at an early age when
she first participated in engineering challenges through Odyssey of the Mind. She
continued with Odyssey for the next four years and participated in the World Finals
twice. She has also gone to sectionals, regionals, and state twice in First Lego
League. In the past five years, she has fostered her passion through programming
courses such as App Camp for Girls, Rebecca Coder Dojo, Digigirlz, GWC Summer Immersion Camp, and
Camp Explore. One of Elise’s significant accomplishments is her solo presentation at Technovation[MN],
where she presented her first app and her process from concept to execution. She has also participated in
the Technovation[Alexa] challenge and is looking forward to a third year in the 2021 Technovation challenge.
Elise will continue pursuing her love for technology by majoring in Software Engineering with a Computer
Science minor at Iowa State University. In her spare time, Elise enjoys competing in school sports such as
golf, soccer, and winter guard, as well as dancing with a local dance studio for the past twelve years.
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Maggie Cai
Senior at Mounds View High School
Maggie is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Maggie has a wide range of
interests in math and science. Her fascination with computer science began the
summer before her senior year after participating in a Machine Learning Camp at
the University of Minnesota. Having known that doctors had misdiagnosed her
late grandfather’s cancer, Maggie was surprised to discover, during the camp that
artificial intelligence algorithms can be trained to diagnose cancer with higher
accuracy than doctors. Seeing how computational technology could save lives like her grandfather’s sparked
her curiosity to explore computer science in in depth and in breadth, to discover its influence on a variety
of fields. This year, Maggie is taking AP Computer Science A at her school and is also taking computer
science courses at the University of Minnesota. Additionally, she is a Technovation Girls participant, where
she brings together her passions for computer science and entrepreneurship through the creation of an
innovative app. Maggie plans to pursue a degree in computer science. With all the knowledge she gains
from the diverse resources and student perspectives in college, she hopes to contribute to improving
algorithm quality so that AI can be a reliable source in the medical field.
Lydia Chung
Junior at St. Anthony Village High School
Lydia is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She has been an active member of
her FIRST Robotics teams since 5th grade, holding leadership positions at both
the FTC and FRC level. She also gained valuable programming and business
experience through the all-girls STEM program, Technovation. She currently holds
leadership positions in Key Club, Speech, FIRST Robotics, and Radiant Readers
(a nonprofit she co-founded in June 2020). She also participates in swimming,
Superintendent’s Council and Math League. Throughout middle and high school, she has been an academic
achiever: she skipped sixth grade while continuing to be a top student in her class. Outside of school, Lydia
enjoys tutoring other students in mathematics and sharing her passion and excitement for technology.
In her free time, Lydia loves filming and editing videos and learning to use new technology such as
3D modeling software. She enjoys challenging herself academically and completed three AP math classes
and one honors math class in two years. In the future, Lydia plans to attend a four-year college for business,
pre-dentistry or computer science.
10Bilese Dinsa
Senior at Central High School
Bilese is a State Winner and National Honorable Mention recipient. She challenges
herself in school by taking AP, IB, and dual enrollment courses. She has a
background in engineering and technology from her work at the Kitty Andersen
Youth Science Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota. She helped create a
podcast for the vaping epidemic advocacy campaign combining her main interests
of social justice and engineering. Bilese helped fund the podcast by applying for
and securing a $2,500 grant from the Association of Non-Smokers. With her father’s education in engineer-
ing and her mother’s medical history, biomedical engineering is her greatest passion. Bilese continued her
work in technology through Genesys Works by being a contracted intern with Minnesota Public Radio. As
an intern, her role is to assist employees with basic IT issues like password resets and computer updates.
Bilese also took the initiative to learn coding in languages like Java Script and Python. She hopes to use her
experiences in technology and engineering to help people. Outside of school, Bilese volunteers at her local
oriental orthodox church, History Center, community centers, and other organizations. She participates in
track and field and hopes to continue it in college. Bilese hopes to major in biomedical engineering and tie in
the aspect of social justice all while improving the lives of others.
Karina Dovgodko
Senior at Math and Science Academy
Karina is a State Honorable Mention Recipient. She is interested in math, physics,
and computer science, and their applications in mathematical modeling and
quantum computing. She is a captain and programmer on her school’s FRC
Robotics team (Team 2175, the Fighting Calculators), president of her school’s
Science Club, and co-founder of her school’s Science Fair. Last summer Karina
enjoyed participating in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program and the
Math Modeling and Machine Learning programs at the University of Minnesota, where she programmed a
virus transmission model and a machine learning model to classify mushrooms as poisonous or edible. In
her free time, she enjoys learning French and Spanish, as well as new origami patterns.
“If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone
gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction.
Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some
less fortunate person, just as you were helped.”
Melinda Gates
11Annabelle Fries
Senior at Roseville Area High School
Annabelle is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Annabelle plans on pursuing
degrees in Marketing and Psychology at the University of Wisconsin Superior. She
is involved in numerous extracurricular activities, and she is particularly proud of
her involvement with her FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the FireBears
team 2846. Annabelle has been on the team for three years as both the More Than
Robots (MTR) captain and a Chairman’s presenter. She is in charge of multiple
initiatives with the team including media, marketing, and business. She loves working with her team and
participating in outreach throughout her community so that she can inspire younger students to also pursue
STEM. This is Annabelle’s fourth year participating in Technovation [MN]. Technovation is an all-girls club that
teaches app-making skills and entrepreneurship skills. Over the last four years, her team has created three
apps and two Alexa skills. Through her team’s three years participating in the Alexa skills challenge, she has
learned about new types of coding. Annabelle has been an active Girl Scout for the last 13 years. In school,
she challenges herself by taking AP classes including AP Computer Science A.
Dedeepya Guthikonda
Junior at Edina High School
Dedeepya is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a 2020 Certificate
of Distinction Recipient. She is interested in how technology can be used to bridge
existing socioeconomic and cultural divides. Her interest in coding stemmed
from her sophomore AP Computer Science Java class and her participation in the
University of Minnesota’s Talented Youth Math Program (UMTYMP). She believes in
the potential of technology to open doors for marginalized communities and aspires
to work on this challenge. One of her favorite experiences with technology was designing an app, during a
hackathon, that assisted English speakers with learning the language. Dedeepya enjoys all forms of writing
and wants to explore how technology can be used to further journalism and multimedia stories. She is also
interested in learning more about the emergent and burgeoning field of data journalism. In addition to being a
part of her school’s student newspaper and Model UN team, she interns with the local paper, works as a math
and writing tutor, and enjoys playing tennis. She wants to pursue an interdisciplinary education with hopes of
working as an immigration lawyer.
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do,
and liking how you do it.”
Maya Angelou
12Lucia Hadsall
Junior at Blaine High School - Center for Engineering, Math, and Science
Lucia is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a 2020 Minnesota Rising
Star. Lucia’s interest in computer science started when she learned block coding
in middle school and realized that she has a knack for computers. As a freshman at
Blaine High School Center for Engineering, Math, and Science (CEMS), Lucia was
selected to be the four-year women’s representative for the Class of 2022. Since
enrolling in the CEMS program, she has become well-versed in different languages
such as Java, Python, and HTML. Lucia has further developed her computer skills by participating in Business
Professionals of America where she was a state finalist and Nationals qualifier for two consecutive years for
Desktop Publishing. This year, she is a regional finalist in Desktop Publishing and Microsoft Office Systems and
Procedures. When she’s not busy at her computer, Lucia teaches swim lessons, lifeguards, and is a restaurant
hostess. She has been playing piano for twelve years and recently began teaching beginning piano players.
In the future, Lucia plans to double major in computer science and software engineering and then pursue a
career in cybersecurity.
Heba Hussein
Junior at Blaine High School
Heba is a State Honorable Mention recipient. When Heba was in fourth grade,
she participated in an after-school program called Mad Scientists and ever since,
Heba has found ways to ensure STEM is incorporated into her life. Currently,
Heba is a part of her school’s CEMS (Center for Engineering Math and Science)
magnet program, where she learns about circuits, coding, and technology. Heba
is an active member of various STEM clubs: Math Team, FIRST Robotics Team,
Tech Club, and Business Professionals of America. She is also in the Black Student Union and Muslim
Student Union at school, and a member of Sudani American Collective. Heba is a leader at her school
through her roles as Secretary of the Student Council and Parliamentarian of the Business Professionals of
America chapter. Outside of school, she works on personal projects in CAD, code, and game design. Her
goal is to enhance technology’s accessibility, diversity, and ability. She volunteers fixing recycled computer
components and building affordable computers with the nonprofit PCs for People. Heba also holds a part-
time job tutoring young children at a learning center called STEM Builders. Heba plans to attend a four-year
university for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
13Akansha Kamineni
Senior at Eastview High School
Akansha is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 Rising Star, 2019 Certificate of
Distinction recipient, and 2019 TWIST EPIC Award recipient. Akansha is captain of
her FTC Robotics Team, debate team captain, French Club officer, National Honor
Society officer, and newspaper editor. She has been using her love of the digital
realm to help develop new ways to transition these activities online due to the
pandemic. Her passion for STEM has pushed her to take multiple AP Computer
Science courses. She is now proficient in Java and has participated in the Congressional App Challenge
twice, once with an app made with MIT App Inventor and the other with an app developed in Java. She
recently won the MN02 2021 Congressional App Challenge with her app, “Rethink Recycling”, which helps
users identify whether the item they are using is recyclable or not. Outside of school, Akansha volunteers
at the Science Museum of Minnesota. She has also participated in the research of microwave substrates
at the University of Washington-Seattle. She hopes to further her STEM career by majoring in electrical
engineering and computer science in college.
Tanisha Kota
Junior at Eastview High School
Tanisha is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 Certificate of Distinction recipient.
Her interest in STEM sparked after she created an app in 8th grade to make
recycling easier. Troubled by the various discrepancies of the current education
system, Tanisha set on a mission to make education more accessible and engaging
through technology. She created a free tutoring program called “Geniusprep”
which connects high school tutors with K-8 students to make the learning process
more engaging in STEM. Her goal through “Geniusprep” is to provide high-quality tutoring while also
allowing kids to create a passion for learning. “Geniusprep” is 100% virtual which makes the services
accessible to everyone. Tanisha serves on her district’s gifted and talented advisory council. She works to
innovate elementary school students’ curriculum. In school, Tanisha is on the debate team, a student council
officer, and a National Honor Society member. She serves as a Region Business Professionals of America
(BPA) Vice President and has been recognized for her work in effective multimedia and technology usage.
Outside of school you can find Tanisha figure skating or playing the piano. Equally important to Tanisha
is community service where she’s volunteered numerous hours at Fairview Ridges Hospital, Minnesota
Zoo, and Camp Invention. In the future, Tanisha hopes to leverage technology to make quality education
accessible for everyone. Whether she innovates the education space by making an app that makes learning
easier or by enhancing a current education platform, she can’t wait to use technology to better the world.
14Izzi Lauer
Junior at Cretin-Derham Hall
Izzi is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Her enthusiasm for programming began
in 4th grade when she joined FIRST Lego League (FLL). In middle school, she
participated in Girls Who Code, and she continued to compete on FLL teams at the
Twin Cities German Immersion School. Izzi took multiple computer science classes
in middle and high school, where she learned HTML, CSS, Python, Java, and CAD.
Last summer, she completed a week-long cybersecurity boot camp at Metropolitan
State University and learned about cyber vulnerabilities and security architecture. Izzi has been enrolled in
the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP) since 7th grade, and she’s
currently studying multivariable calculus. She’s also taking computer science classes at the University of
Minnesota on topics including algorithms, data structures, and discrete mathematics. This is Izzi’s third year
as a programmer on Cretin-Derham Hall’s robotics team. She’s especially interested in computer vision and
autonomous code, and she led a project to maneuver Arduino robots around obstacles. Izzi plans to major
in computer science and pursue a career in data analytics or machine learning. Outside of math and
computer science, Izzi is on the cross-country team. She also enjoys water skiing, taking circus classes,
and playing piano.
Sophia Mack
Junior at Southwest High School
Sophia is a State Winner and National Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a
2020 Rising Star. Her passion for technology ignited when she joined Lego Robotics
at age nine. In 8th grade, she started an FTC robotics team where she leads in
robot design, documentation and business and community outreach. Sophia
also founded an outreach program to help English as a Second Language (ESL)
students succeed in robotics. This program has reached over 1000 students with
Spanish and Somali language robotics resources and introduced them to diverse
tech professionals who are also ESL and serve as relatable role models. She has worked at Mathnasium for
two years, teaching young kids math and critical thinking. Sophia’s love of computer science exploded when
she began using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python and machine learning to create projects that express her
personal interests including an online bird watching journal for a national birding podcast and a video game
that introduces players to Filipino culture and plant-based eating. At her high school, Sophia serves as a
National Honor Society member and founder of C++ (Cozy Coding Club), an inclusive community for coding
and sharing strategies for overcoming challenges. In 2019, Sophia was honored with the TWIST Epic Award
for outstanding achievement in STEM. Since then, she has helped TWIST plan virtual conferences and is
their lead graphic designer for the Prepare to Launch program. Sophia plans to major in computer science, to
continue helping kids access opportunities in technology, and to keep learning.
15Ruth Mellin
Junior at St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Ruth is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She has sought out the highest-level
math and science courses since elementary school and has deeply explored
computer science and engineering in high school. She has taken computer science
classes working with Java to create data and sentiment analysis programs, video
games, and animations. She has worked with Arduino Create and microcontrollers
to build digital device projects such as a soil monitor, a tea steeping machine, and
a multi-sensor alarm clock. Over the summer, Ruth worked as a counselor at a film camp helping middle
school students learn about film production and video editing. Ruth is very interested in engineering and
enjoys the collaborative, hands-on projects in her mechanical and aerospace classes. Ruth recently enjoyed
advanced classes in biology and genetics and plans to explore bioinformatics as an independent study
project. Ruth has participated in Science Alliance and competed in the Science Olympiad. In her free time,
Ruth is the captain of her club gymnastics team and volunteers at a local historical site. In college, Ruth
plans to major in engineering and explore the possibilities at the intersection of engineering, biology, and
computer science such as biomedical engineering and bioinformatics.
Nicole Miller
Senior at Winona Senior High School
Nicole is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 State Honorable Mention recipient
and 2019 Rising Star. Nicole has been interested in technology and computers from
a young age. In middle school, she participated in Media Club where she worked
on different projects such as creating basic video games and video production. In
high school, Nicole has taken several computer-related classes including Intro to
Programming and Video Production. She has been a part of her school’s tech team
called TechNest since 9th grade. In TechNest, Nicole helps students and teachers with a multitude of technical
issues. Last year she was promoted to a TechNest leader. As leader, Nicole has the opportunity to teach and
mentor new members of the team. She is also the lead video producer for the team. Being in TechNest has
allowed Nicole to follow her passion. She has also been able to help inspire younger girls to pursue their
interests in technology by going to elementary schools and showing the kids how to fly drones and use
green screens. Nicole has had the opportunity to attend several coding camps over the summer. She was
able to learn the basics of Python at the University of Minnesota and how to code apps with Java at Stanford
University. Nicole is also a member of the National Honor Society and she participates in mountain biking and
track and field. Nicole plans to get a degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering with a minor in
Math and Data Analysis.
16Grace N
Junior at Math and Science Academy
Grace is a State Honorable Mention recipient. As a founding member and current
president of her school’s SWENext Club, she aspires to spark interest and
confidence in students pursuing STEM. Grace has helped organize STEM outreach
activities with local schools, libraries, and the Science Museum of Minnesota.
She set up, created lesson plans, and taught basic Python and HTML/CSS classes,
introducing over forty students to the world of code. Grace is also code lead of
her school’s FIRST Robotics Team and has written code in Java for the robot’s subsystems, autonomous
commands, and driving controls. She works for an application and web design firm on the transfer of
content, customization, and maintenance of websites for affiliates of a national mental health association.
She also volunteers as the website administrator for a non-profit organization in the Seattle WA area.
Outside of STEM, Grace likes to run cross country and long-distance track. She hopes to pursue a computer
science and engineering track in college. In the future, Grace wants to focus on research and innovation to
make impactful contributions towards solving the world’s climate crisis.
Sophia Noonan
Junior at DeLaSalle High School
Sophia is a State Winner and National Honorable Mention recipient. She was also
a 2020 State Honorable Mention recipient. Sophia challenges herself academically
with technology, enrolling in AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science
Principles, and encouraging other female classmates to do the same. Her first
spark with coding started through the learning of Python, where she then went
on to become a TA at the Summer Programming Academy for middle and high
school girls at the University of Minnesota. Sophia has continued to branch out and learn more computing
languages, such as Java, Java Script, and some HTML, as well as having the opportunity to work on creating
a radio chatbot with graduate students at the U of M this summer. When not behind a computer, Sophia
is captain of the DeLaSalle Mock Trial team and player on the varsity state-champs Girl’s Basketball team.
In a time when technology has been relied on more than ever before, she has made an effort to spread
technology skills to her community and hopes to solidify the importance of computing to others. Sophia
plans on studying computer science at a four-year university with the hopes of pursuing cybersecurity or
data analytics while spreading awareness of the American Digital Divide.
17Nia Page
Junior at Woodbury High School
Nia is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 Rising Star. Nia became interested in
STEM during a two-week Black Girls Code summer camp. During her first week
at camp, she built a website using HTML and CSS. The website was designed
to show up-to-date information about celebrities. During her second week, she
developed an app to help users shop for shoes based on location and price.
This camp sparked Nia’s interest in programming. Following summer camp, Nia
advanced her programming skills by taking a level two coding class sponsored by the Black Data Processing
Association (BDPA). Nia further explored her STEM interests during a summer program at her church.
Here, she created a replica of the game Pac-Man, helped build a go-kart, and won first place in a drone
competition. This church program is where Nia discovered how much she loves working with drones. In
quarantine, she enrolled in a virtual drone league. In this league, Nia was able to collaborate with kids from
all over the United States. This year Nia was a member of the Minnesota STEM Partnership drone team
and completed her second season as a driver on the FIRST robotics team. She plans on going to a four-year
university, majoring in Computer Science or Information Technology.
Devna Panda
Senior at Eden Prairie High School
Devna is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Devna was first exposed to
programming during Hour of Code in fifth grade. After being selected as one
of twenty girls nationwide to participate in Camp Codea, a technology and
programming camp at a leading fintech company, Liquidnet, Devna expanded her
knowledge of mark-up languages. She recently attended Summer STEM Institute,
where she learned Python and implemented machine learning models to filter
data. Devna applied her learning to develop a research proposal describing how to use clustering to discover
existing errors in robotic surgery techniques. She now uses HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Python to design
mobile applications, such as an asthmatic symptom checker. Devna is fascinated by the intersection of
medicine and technology as she recognizes both of these fields’ unique capacities to create social impact.
Beyond computer science-related pursuits, Devna is a volunteer at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital and a
Youth Advisory Board member at myHealth Clinic for Teens and Young Adults. Moreover, she is a Captain of
Mock Trial, student instructor at Mathnasium, leader of her school’s peer tutoring organization, ATHENA by
Women in STEM mentor, and President of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. By actively working
with and serving others throughout high school, Devna has fostered a passion for service that motivates
her daily. Ultimately, Devna hopes to pursue biomedical engineering during her undergraduate education to
unite her interests in computer science and health.
18Maria Guadalupe Pena Chavez
Senior at Burnsville High school
Maria is a State winner. Her interest in computer science began during the
pandemic when she decided to learn to code. Maria started learning JavaScript
on her own, then decided to enroll in an AP computer programming class where
she is learning Java. In addition to her interests in computer science, Maria
enjoys spending time in her community and giving back. She volunteers with
young children in an after-school program called PALS, where she provides math
and reading help. She also volunteers at Brainpower in a Backpack, packaging food to be sent home with
younger children in need so they have meals on the weekend. Maria’s hard work is motivated by the
sacrifices she has seen her family make so she can have a bright future. Maria comes from a family of
immigrants, which gives her a unique perspective on issues in her community. She hopes to use Computer
Science to help bring positive change to those in need. Maria plans to pursue a degree in Computer Science
next year.
Caroline Pirtle
Junior at Breck School
Caroline is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a Minnesota Rising
Star in 2019 and 2020. Caroline joined Breck’s FIRST Lego League robotics team in
fifth grade, where she programmed the robot and presented an engineering project.
She started Breck’s FIRST Technical Challenge team, participated in coding classes
at the U of M, and became involved with Girls Who Code. Caroline currently
participates in Breck’s FIRST Robotics Competition team as a programmer and
Chairman’s presenter. Her team attended World’s after winning the 2019 Northern Lights Regionals. Caroline
was selected for Breck’s Advanced Science Research program where she worked with the U of M Division
of Health Policy and Management writing algorithms in Python to optimize medical clinics’ schedules. She
made a GUI for the algorithms, conducted various statistical tests to compare the generated schedules with
historical ones, and found an overall improvement with the generated schedules. Caroline is president of
Breck’s Visual Arts Council, and won a Scholastic Silver Key and Honorable Mention for her artwork. She’s
taken computer science classes and taught coding classes to younger Breck students. Caroline and her twin
sister created an art therapy service project at Catholic Elder Care, to help alleviate the isolation experienced
by residents that has resulted from Covid-19 restrictions. They developed a website and film monthly tutorials
demonstrating the projects they provided. Caroline plays varsity softball, participated in JV swimming and is
the only girl on Breck’s mountain bike team.
19Sreeyutha Ratala
Junior at Edina High School
Sreeyutha is a State Winner. Her interest in computer science was spurred when
she attended Summer Computing Academy at the University of Minnesota, which
exposed her to the wide applications of and ability to solve real-world problems
with technology. Since then, she took an online Python coding class, an AP
Computer Science Principles class, an AP Computer Science JAVA class, and
joined her high school math team. Sreeyutha has developed several programs,
games, and apps. She received a Dean’s List Award for “Excellence in AP Computer Science.¨ To help
children discover and foster STEM passion at an early age, Sreeyutha tutors grade-school students in coding
and other STEM subjects. She has tested an app that provides emotional support for children suffering from
cancer. In addition, she recently developed a game for “Science from Scientists” to help students learn
about the ecosystem in a distance learning environment. Sreeyutha hopes to continue her computer science
journey by doing a summer internship at an IT company in Minnesota, being a Teacher’s Assistant for her AP
Computer Science JAVA class, and taking her third year of AP Computer Science classes at the University
of Minnesota. In the future, she hopes to attend a four-year university and major in Computer Science, with
a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence. She aspires to ultimately challenge existing misogyny projected
towards females in programming while making a lasting impact on business and the world.
Alexandra Rauer
Senior at Roseville Area High School
Alexandra is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 State Honorable Mention
recipient and a 2019 Rising Star. Lexie’s interest in computer science was sparked
when building and programming robots for her FIRST Lego League team in
middle school. Throughout high school, her knowledge and love of technology
has continued to grow with the help of computer science classes and robotics.
Lexie took AP Computer Science Principles as a sophomore where she learned
the basics of Python and computer science concepts. She is currently taking AP Computer Science A
where she is programming in Java. Lexie is most proud of her involvement on her school’s FIRST Robotics
Competition team, the FireBears. She was on the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) sub-team for three
years where she designed parts to create a CAD model of the entire robot. Now as the head captain of
the FireBears, she plans meetings, makes team decisions, and works with all sub-teams. Lexie went to
the FIRST Robotics World Championship and was a FIRST Dean’s List Semi-Finalist. This year is Lexie’s
fourth year on her school’s Technovation team. They have created three mobile apps and two Alexa Skills.
In addition, Lexie is an active member of her school’s Girls in STEM club. They meet once a week to learn
about STEM careers and organize STEM events. Last summer, Lexie was a Data & Analytics intern at Land
O’Lakes, where she worked on change management and analyzed trends in data. In the future, Lexie plans
to attend college and major in Cybersecurity.
20Prudence Russell
Junior at Edina High School
Prudence is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a 2020 Minnesota
Rising Star. Prudence has been a leader in robotics since fourth grade, guiding both
her VEX Robotics and FIRST Robotics teams as a programmer and co-captain. In
2016, her VEX IQ team placed top 20 in programming at the World Championships.
After joining her high school’s robotics team “The Green Machine”, she learned how
to run the team’s CNC machine, fabricating the parts necessary for her team’s first
regional win in almost 15 years. She is currently a co-captain for this year. Not only has she been involved
in the machining and building aspect, but she also works with her team in their outreach efforts. She
believes that it is imperative to advocate for and provide STEM opportunities for underserved communities,
especially those that have limited or no access to STEM and robotics. Prudence worked with her team
and state senators to increase funding for STEM and robotics opportunities in the metro and statewide.
Additionally, she has advocated at a national level in Washington D.C., where she had the opportunity to
meet with various congressional leaders, including Senator Tina Smith. Outside of robotics, Prudence is
involved in fencing and is currently an Ambassador Girl Scout where she is working towards her Gold Award
which is focused on inspiring girls to pursue engineering and STEM careers.
Aliyah Sahal
Junior at Blaine High School
Aliyah is a State Winner. She is predominantly self-taught but has taken a class
to learn HTML, CSS, and Java. She has an interest in Biomedical Engineering and
would love to further the technology we have and make it more accessible and
affordable for people to receive and use. Aliyah was creative as a child and her
passion drove her to quickly learn many forms of art. She always finds herself
drawing and coding something new whenever she has a spare moment. Her
parents, always supportive, motivate her to seek out new ways and forms to express her creativity. Aliyah
has a passion for public speaking, art, and activism. Most recently, she has felt drawn toward activism and
speaking out on issues. Her activism has felt like a personalized form of art. Being a Black Muslim American
and being from the state where George Floyd was unfortunately murdered, Aliyah was personally affected
by the BLM protests of this past summer and feels connected to this cause. The protests have inspired her
to focus on speaking out on the issues of which she cares.
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination
will take you everywhere.”
Albert Einstein
21Cecilia Schmitz
Senior at Hutchinson High School
Cecilia is a State Winner. She is an aspiring video game designer. Cecilia is a
member of a FIRST Robotics team, where she is a programmer. She enjoys
robotics and her time with the team. Cecilia learned how to program on her
own. She taught herself javascript and designed her own robot using an Arduino
board. She has learned Python and has built projects on Raspberry Pis. Cecilia
has experimented with game design engines such as RPGMakerMV and RenPy.
Currently, she spends a lot of her free time programming experimental projects using the Unity game
engine and learning as much as she can about new programming languages through various online
resources. While attending a competitive summer camp, Women in Computer Science at Michigan
Technological University, Cecilia designed and completed her own mobile app using Thunkable. She
considers this to be her greatest technical accomplishment so far. Now that she is a veteran programmer,
Cecilia loves to spend as much time as she can teaching younger students how to code. In addition to her
coding activities, Cecilia works part time at a hardware store, participates in Math League, and plays piano
and clarinet. Cecilia plans on majoring in computer science in college.
Esha Sekar
Senior at Lakeville North High School
Esha is a State Winner. She was also a 2020 State Honorable Mention recipient.
Esha loves many aspects of STEM, including programming, learning new coding
languages, app building, and teaching code to younger students. She was
introduced to the concept of computer science when she completed AP Computer
Science her freshman year and wanted to continue exploring the field. Esha is
currently learning Python, JavaScript, and mobile app development. Esha’s STEM
achievements include being a Target TWIST awardee in 2019 and winning the Congressional App Challenge
for her app Good Deeds, which helps connect family and friends. She has conducted science research
on Cybersecurity to gauge people’s awareness when it comes to data threats and the internet. She feels
this would be instrumental in keeping the younger generation safe online. She holds numerous leadership
positions including being the founder and president of her high school’s Entrepreneurship Club and Varsity
Tennis Captain. Esha has led a Coding for Girl Scouts Workshop in Summer and is a volunteer coach for
Challenger Learning Center, teaching robotics to children. She volunteers on the weekends at Inner City
Tennis, where she teaches underprivileged children the game of tennis, building their self-confidence and
life skills. In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods, playing tennis, and golfing. Esha aspires to study
computer science and entrepreneurship in college.
22Claire Stellmack
Junior at Mounds View High School
Claire is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She has always enjoyed taking
math courses in school and first became interested in programming after joining a
coding club in seventh grade. Through middle and high school, Claire participated in
Science Olympiad, winning state titles in experimental writing, meteorology, and
biology events. She joined a FIRST LEGO League robotics team in eighth grade,
then switched to FIRST Tech Challenge in high school and is currently on a team
that has advanced to this year’s state tournament. Her favorite parts of FIRST are programming the robot.
participating in outreach events in the community, and mentoring FIRST LEGO League teams. Claire is
currently a full-time PSEO student at the University of Minnesota, focusing on computer science and math.
She is planning to major in computer science in college. Outside of school, Claire enjoys music and plays
clarinet, piano, and bass guitar. She also likes reading, making crafts, and working as a barista at Starbucks.
Alayna Tan
Junior at Math and Science Academy
Alayna is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She was also a 2020 Minnesota
Rising Star. Alayna has been interested in technology since she was young, but her
interest in coding was sparked through various extracurriculars at her high school.
She is a proud captain and driver for the school’s FIRST Robotics Competition team,
The Fighting Calculators and a programmer and driver for the all-girls FIRST Tech
Competition team The Wyvern Warriors. She enjoys helping out her community
by using her tech knowledge. She taught free summer Java programming lessons since her school didn’t
offer programming courses. She also works at her school where she fixes laptops and helps everything
to run smoothly in the technology department. She also does community outreach projects through her
school’s clubs. Most recently, she has been working with The Wyvern Warriors and Girl Scouts to create
a curriculum for a programming-themed distanced activity for scouts from 2nd-5th grade. Alayna’s broad
interests have gained her experience with hardware repair and management as well as web development,
game design & development, and project management. Alayna is currently dually enrolled at Math and
Science Academy as well as Century College, where she is taking computer science courses, a trend which
she plans to continue in college. In the future, she is especially interested in exploring the conjunction of
computer science and art, as well as finding ways to make STEM fields more welcoming and accessible to
marginalized groups.
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