At Rio Norte, there’s a 7th grader named Hasandu Madeggoda. He is known for being a kind person, having attentive behavior, and his expertise in video games. Let’s get to know him a little better.
“My origins are from Colombo, Sri Lanka.” Sri Lanka is a country with a rich history, colorful regions, and many religions off the coast of India to the south. Further discussion revealed that his dad used to be a Boy Scout there. Boy Scouts are people who explore their interests, serve their communities, and discover their talents through youth-led activities like hiking, camping, and volunteering. He had earned his Eagle merit badge, shook hands with a government official there, and eventually decided to move on to the United States.
When Hsandu’s family first moved to the US they lived in Ohio. He moved to California, “Because my dad got offered a job from JPL(Jet Propulsion Laboratory) about 2 years ago”. JPL is an organization that was founded on October 31, 1936. It is world-famous for its study on jet propulsion, its inclusion in NASA, and its importance to the organization for its invention of the rocket booster.
Hasandu loves history, that’s why it’s his favorite subject “You get to learn about different types of civilizations, battles, and technology. Also, the history teacher, Mrs. Pulaski, is a nice person.” This shows that Hasandu is very interested in the past and history of our world and also likes the way Mrs. Pulaski engages her students in learning about history.
Regarding extracurricular’s, Hasandu shared, “I have many extracurricular’s like Science Olympiad, Scouting, and Robotics.” Discussing his achievements, “I’ve Earned the 2nd rank of scouting (Tenderfoot) and have currently earned 5 merit badges. In robotics, I even earned an engineering medal.” Achieving Tenderfoot in scouting involves rigorous physical exercises, camping experience, and demonstrating first-aid skills (on dummies of course). Science Olympiad, a prestigious organization, consists of 20-24 events where teams of 15 compete, with only the top 6 in each event receiving medals. Hasandu’s success in a robotics competition, earning an engineering award showcases his ability to overcome difficulties and obstacles he may encounter.
Beyond academics, Hasandu has overcome challenges from his extracurricular’s which shows his dedication and his ability to overcome challenges. He has achieved a lot including the 2nd rank in scouting and the engineering medal which showcases his commitment to personal growth and his service to his community. This shows that Hasandu is a very accomplished and well-rounded individual here at Rio Norte.