Seven local students awarded 2025 Youth Journalism Scholarships
The Sammamish Independent is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Youth Journalism Scholarship to seven outstanding local high school students. These students have demonstrated exceptional dedication to community reporting.
Each winner will receive a one-time $2,000 scholarship in recognition of their public service through journalism. Open to all eligible high school seniors and current college students, this scholarship honors those who have contributed at least 10 published articles to the Sammamish Independent, earned a high school diploma with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and are enrolled in a two- or four-year college program.
These young journalists exemplify the spirit of civic engagement and the power of youth voices in local media.
Hongning Wang, Editor in Chief
Eastlake High School, Class or 2025
College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“Journalism taught me the power of empathetically engaging with diverse perspectives across the community and fostering meaningful, constructive dialogue between them. What I gained from my time at Indy enables me to be a more effective communicator and a more responsible citizen as a high school student and for the rest of my life.”
Keshava Badri, Education Editor
Skyline High School, Class of 2025
College: Carnegie Mellon University
“At The Indy, I learned to shed light on the people and stories that often go unnoticed, showing me that I can question and connect with anyone, regardless of their views, beliefs, or status. You may not realize it now, but as a student and local reporter, you are the vanguard against the rise of misinformation. With that in mind, always remember: the power of a pen is mightier than a sword, so wield it strong and wield it true.”
Winter Chiu, Community Editor
Skyline High School, Class of 2025
College: University of Washington, Seattle
“The greatest lesson I’ve learned from my time at the Sammamish Independent is the importance of telling stories. Being a voice for the community at this paper has helped me understand the importance of independent journalism and will be something I carry into the future.”
Kaveen KC, City Hall Reporter
Eastlake High School, Class of 2025
College: University of Washington, Seattle
“To future reporters: Life is what you make it. For a year, I labored through reporting on city hall, which I didn’t really enjoy. In my last month at the Indy, I transferred to sports writing and had an absolute blast covering school soccer — another passion of mine. It’s up to you to make your time spent reporting the best it can be.”
Meher Kashyap, Sports Reporter
Skyline High School, Class of 2025
College: University of Maryland
“Writing for the Indy helped me grow as a writer and taught me how to report clearly and accurately. Covering local sports made me more observant and thoughtful about how I tell stories. To future reporters: take the work seriously, stay curious, and always double-check your facts.”
Akshaya Natarajan, Marketing Intern
Eastlake High School, Class of 2025
College: The Kelley school of Business at Indiana University
“Working at The Indy was a deeply rewarding experience. Engaging with the community to share knowledge and build connections was a highlight, and I am committed to bringing that same spirit of positive contribution to all my future endeavors.”
Suhani Garg, Photographer
Eastlake High School, Class of 2025
College: University of Washington, Seattle
“My feedback to future reporters and photographers is to recognize the importance of passion and enthusiasm about the happenings of our community. Through my photography I got more involved in the stories of the people around me and I learned persistence, an incredibly important quality to have when involved in your community in this way.”
