Yasaman Azodi and Sarah Harvey are this year’s one-two punch from Kentwood High School as the Washington State delegate and alternate-delegate to the National Youth Science Camp held near Bartow in the eastern mountains of West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands.
Azodi was named the Washington state delegate to the annual month long science camp hosted by National Youth Science Foundation, a non-profit organization which “honors, sustains and encourages youth interest and excellence in science.”
Azodi is ecstatic, humbled and appreciates being selected. She looks forward to a month of camp “with other science nerds.”
According to the NYSC, each year two delegates and four alternates are nominated from each state to attend camp where they work with scientists and lecturers on various projects seeking to “emphasize the social value of thoughtful scientific careers.”
But Azodi isn’t just a nerd. She’s an athletic powerhouse who packs a punch as captain of the girls swim team and captain of a club water polo team. She’s Senior Officer of Kentwood’s National Honor Society and has completed Advanced Placement (AP) courses in biology and chemistry.
Currently she’s taking AP courses in calculus, psychology and literature.
In her what free time remains, Azodi enjoys reading, writing, swimming and water polo.
She said she knows she does both water sports competitively, but, she “just loves to swim.”
Azodi plans to attend the University of Washington this fall as a biology major with an interest in human development.
Eventually her goal is to attend medical school. Azodi described herself as highly driven, drawing inspiration from her parents and her grandmother Farideh Asadi.
She recounted how her grandmother immigrated from the Middle East in 1978. She didn’t speak English and found work as a full-time nanny to raise her three children. She took English classes and put all her children through college.
Azodi said she emulates her grandmother because “she’s so driven, motivated.” She said, “every day I wake up and tell myself I want to be the best person I can be.”
Harvey packs a punch, as well. Among her accomplishments was a top placing in an 11 week online competition of the Washington Aerospace Scholars. As a result, she was invited to participate in a week long residency at the Museum of Flight to work on a Mars mission project.
She also excels in math and science, working as a math tutor. She looks up to her father who works as a software engineer.
“He has always stressed success in math and science,” she said.
Harvey’s drive may just put her in orbit one day, as she plans on a career in aerospace. She is also an avid skier and has been a violinist since age seven.
The NYSC campers will not only work on a month long thesis project which they will present to their peers, they will also participate in activities such as kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, art and science.
Azodi was told that they will also make the traditional three day trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia for a luncheon, attended by other members of the senate.
This year’s delegates will meet in Charleston, West Virginia, June 29. From there they will travel to the to Monongahela National Forest near the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
For more information on the science camp, visit the
