Five WCS high school students were invited to the YMCA Conference on National Affairs (CONA) after their success at this year’s Tennessee Youth in Government Conferences.
Brentwood High students Brent Driver and Jack Henry, Nolensville High’s Ruby Douglass and Ravenwood High’s Gauri Adarsh and Manavi Bajpai all received invitations to the CONA, which is the highest honor a student can earn at the conference.
The annual Youth in Government Conferences give middle and high school students around Tennessee an inside look at the political process and the opportunity to become government officials for the day. Students create and debate bills with their peers while serving as representatives, senators, lawyers, lobbyists and more.
Four students from Ravenwood High received the Frank Drowota Supreme Court Award: Oluwaseyi Amosun, Ajay Balaje, Manushri Kalasikam and Siona Bhattacharya. Their classmate, Malvika Rao, received the Governor’s Cabinet Member Award.
Many students were also elected to officer positions, such as Chief Clerks, Floor Leaders and Chief Justice. Additionally, students received awards such as Outstanding Statesperson and Outstanding Bill.
The students who were honored at the conferences are listed below by school:
Brentwood High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Ruby Baker
- Ryan Gardocki
- Ava Rice
- Meredith Yount
Outstanding Bill
- Ivy Allen
- Samyuktha Babu
- Hannah Hollings
- Daniel Makar
- Arshia Malhotra
- Geon Park
- So Young Park
- Ahbi Patel
- Teebro Paul
- Neha Thanigaivelan
Youth in Government Officers
- Brent Driver – Speaker of the Red House
- Ivy Allen – Floor Leader of the White House
- Jackson Henry – Red Lieutenant Governor
YMCA Conference on National Affairs – Delegates
- Brent Driver
- Jack Henry
Fairview High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Amelia Henson
Franklin High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Shira Binshtin
- Elle Case
- Maya Everhart
Outstanding Bill
- Coleman Clemmons
- Jake Dannemiller
- Madison Elliott
- Maya Gemignani
- Owen Gemignani
- Wilder Kinzig
- Becca Sharman
Youth in Government Officers
- Haley Jaworski – Chief Clerk of the White House
- Lindsay Hornick – Chief Clerk of the Red House
- Rinaz Jamal – Red Chief Engrossing Clerk
Independence High
Youth in Government Officers
- Jackson Hayes – Speaker Pro-Temp of the Blue House
Nolensville High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Jonathan Okokhere
- Iniyan Rajkumar
- Natalie Victory
Outstanding Bill
- Samuel Bacigalupo
- Deepak Balamurugan
- Stone Bell
- Nathan Blackwell
- Korah Burgun
- Charles Jarrell
- Tanush Jegannathan
- McKnight Lassiter
- Jason Lim
- Elebetel Negusse
- Joud Nofal
- Jonathan Okokhere
- Lauren Sykes
- Michael Tadrous
- Sarah Voss
Youth in Government Officers
- Isabella Conn – Chief Clerk of the Red House
- Michael Tadrous – Floor Leader of the White House
- Ruby Douglas – Floor Leader of the Blue House
Conference on National Affairs – Delegates
- Ruby Douglass
Conference on National Affairs – Alternates
- Michael Tadrous
Ravenwood High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Sydney Doak
- Diana Lu
Outstanding Bill
- Johan Gigme
- Yug Patel
- Avantika Pillai
- Divya Shrivastava
- Ananya Tanjore
Youth in Government Officers
- Anshika Prasad – Chief Clerk of the White Senate
- Ashima Grover – Floor Leader of the Blue Senate
- Claire Moser – Chief Clerk of the Blue House
- Debra Zhang – Attorney General
- Gauri Adarsh – White Lieutenant Governor
- Kerigan Moore – Solicitor General
- Krish Himatsingani – Speaker Pro-Temp of the Blue House
- Manavi Bajpai – Chief Justice
- Neel Chavan – Speaker Pro-Temp of the Red Senate
- Rami Ammar – Blue/White Chief Engrossing Clerk
- Riya Koranne – Head Lobbyist
Conference on National Affairs – Delegates
- Gauri Adarsh
- Manavi Bajpai
Conference on National Affairs – Alternates
- Rya Koranne
- Claire Moser
- Debra Zhang
Frank Dowota Supreme Court Awards
- Oluwaseyi Amosun and Ajay Balaje
- Manushri Kalasikam and Siona Bhattacharya
Governor’s Cabinet Member Award
- Malvika Rao
Summit High
Outstanding Statesperson
- Caroline Constantine
- Emma Haddon
- Mia Murgas
- Kaila Pierce
- Anne Marie Richards
Outstanding Bill
- Caroline Constantine
- Emma Haddon
Conference on National Affairs – Alternate
- Caroline Constantine
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