Education is the most powerful tool that one can use to change the world. Sarthak Tyagi is living up to this very statement. The future of British Columbia is in good hands as youngsters like Sarthak are working hard to use their knowledge, education and skills to bring about a positive change in the world. Sarthak is one of the recipients of the $100,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship which is Canada’s most coveted undergraduate STEM scholarship. The Schulic Leadership Scholarship is awarded to enterpreneurial-minded high school graduates enrolling in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) program at 20 partner universities across Canada.
Sarthak moved to Canada as an immigrant in 2016 and received ELL (English Language Learner) support throughout his schooling. The support he received has benefited him in helping overcome challenging barriers and settle down into a new culture and life in Canada, states Sarthak. Being raised in a low-income immigrant family, Sarthak understands well the cultural and financial challenges of many of his peers. He uses this experience and what he has learned from living in a low-income community to identify and create opportunities for others.
A grade 12 student at Queen Elizabeth Secondary High School, he is the President of Learn Lab, where he mentors and tutors at-risk pupils. The major goal of this program is to model and guide students toward making socially responsible decisions. He further uses his passion for engineering to make a positive change in the lives of others. Sarthak is an ideal candidate for this year’s Schulich Leaders as he has an inherent interest in STEM which led him to design a Smart Navigation Cane to help assist the blind and visually impaired. This struck him after witnessing a visually impaired person get hit by a car while he was living in India. The cane scans the surrounding environment and buzzes/vibrates when it detects nearby obstructions. This innovative idea and design helped him achieve the dream of being a Schulich Leader. He has been in contact with several non-profit organizations globally to donate these canes.
Sarthak is the captain of his school’s Royals Robotics team, which qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2022 FIRST Robotics Regional Championship. He is also an executive member of the Royal Brotherhood Leadership group, leads a weightlifting club, and helps organize various school events as part of the Student and Grad Council. Sarthak also volunteers with the Surrey Food Bank, a non-profit, charitable organization. Additionally, he leads a community gala that has raised over $100,000 for the Surrey Memorial Hospital by selling raffle tickets, holding contests, and seeking donations from outside community groups. He will be attending the University of British Columbia this fall to study Applied Sciences and is on his path to becoming a computer engineer.
Apart from being a Schulich Leader, Sarthak is also a worthy recipient of the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award for his undying volunteering work to help society and people in need. Young individuals like Sarthak pave a way for the rest and serve to be an inspiration to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of society at large.