after the earthquake in 2008,” says Nishanth. “He didn’t
understand basic math and felt ashamed. By the end of the
summer, seeing him twice a week, he was learning algebraic
equations. That stuck with me.”
Together with Sana, Nishanth co-hosts a half-hour weekly
radio show, Youth2Youth on WIRA/1400 AM in Fort Pierce.
Nishanth’s father recalls how YOUTH started.
“Nishanth interned with Rep. Patrick Murphy and Rep.
Larry Lee. That opened his eyes to problems of the underserved.
We asked each other, ‘How can we help Port St. Lucie
overcome poverty?’” says Chalasani.
“Sana and I invite local people making a difference, like
Scott Van Duzer, who started Boy Scout Troop 727 for disadvantaged
kids, and Sheriff Ken Mascara of St. Lucie County,
who’s made this area so much safer,” Nishanth says.
TACKLING TOMATOES
Last year, Nishanth’s science fair project won first place
in microbiology at the Indian River State College Regional
Science and Engineering Fair, qualifying him for the State Science
YOUTH
Port St. Lucie Magazine 33
Fair last April.
“I’ve been working on the resistance of different heirloom
tomatoes to the tomato mosaic virus, or ToMV,” says Nishanth.
Working this summer for Rep. Kathy Castor, Nishanth
noticed a fair number of politicians were previously doctors.
“I wanted to see how they combined science with politics,”
Nishanth says. “That interests me.”
Haniya Shareef instantly tells you her favorite achievement.
“I was selected for the Intel International Science and Engineering
Fair in Pittsburgh in May,” says Haniya. “When you
identify a problem, figure it out and solve it, working week >>
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Haniya Shareff’s presentation at the Intel International Science and
Engineering Fair showed how Mile-a-Minute Weed can be killed with a
solution she created.
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