Nisha Kakwani, a senior at Hunterdon Central and Editor-in-Chief of The Lamp, is incredibly excited to graduate high school and start the next chapter of her life. She is thankful for all of the opportunities Hunterdon Central has offered, and grateful to have met such extraordinary people throughout her high school career. Nisha will miss writing for The Lamp, seeing her friends and favorite teachers in the hallways, going to Mr. Perotti’s philosophy classes, and getting pizza at Delizia’s after school. 

In her free time, Nisha enjoys kayaking, hiking, writing, reading, spending time with her family and friends, and traveling. Nisha also enjoys practicing yoga and meditation. In fact, she is a certified yoga instructor and teaches yoga and meditation classes every week. For her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, Nisha created a program called Yoga for YOUth to teach free yoga classes for middle school and high school students in Hunterdon County. The mission of Yoga for YOUth is to help students prioritize their mental and physical health by practicing yoga and mindfulness. Nisha has been involved in Girl Scouts since Kindergarten, and has received her bronze and silver awards. She hopes to continue mentoring younger girl scout members after high school.

This fall, Nisha will be attending the University of Rhode Island as a student in their 6-year Doctor of Pharmacy program. From a young age, Nisha always knew she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare and medicine. Growing up with life-threatening food allergies is what led Nisha to become so interested in science and medicine, and it is also what led her to become so passionate about helping other people. Nisha hopes to combine all of her passions into one and pursue a career as a clinical pharmacist with pharmacogenomic specialization so she can help others and explore her passion for genetics simultaneously.

Before heading off to the University of Rhode Island this fall, Nisha will spend her summer teaching yoga classes in Clinton, volunteering at the Hunterdon Art Museum, and taking many trips to the beach. As her high school career comes to an end, Nisha is grateful for all of the opportunities Central has brought in her life, and looks forward to furthering her education in Rhode Island.