Laurel Student, Spelling Bee Champ Wins New Award

As if accomplishments like spelling bee champion and a perfect SAT score weren't enough, one local student has mastered another challenge.

Laurel School junior Anamika Veeramani took first place honors in the inaugural TiE Ohio Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition for En Kephalos Science Journal, an online, peer-reviewed science research magazine she created for high school students.

She competed against some of the best and brightest high school entrepreneurial minds from Beaumont School, Benedictine High School, Gilmour Academy, Hathaway Brown School, Magnificat School, Saint Ignatius High School, and University School, all of whom won business plan competitions at their respective schools through the Veale Youth Entrepreneurship Forum.

In addition to winning a cash prize of $1,000 for her school, Veeramani will travel to George Mason University in Virginia in June to compete with approximately 90 other students/teams from the United States and around the world in the TiE Global Business Plan Competition.

As editor-in-chief, Anamika started En Kephalos Science Journal (which in Greek means "in the mind"), in ninth grade in response to the lack of venues for high school students to publish – and publicize – their science research and scientific writing. Judges of the competition cited Anamika’s successful efforts at “making science cool” and “developing an idea that will have impact across the world," according to a press release.