TBL Late Spring 2021 - 18

Photo Credit-TIME Magazine Photographer: Sharif Hamza. Used with permission.

Gitanjali Rao
is TIME's Kid
of the Year

O

ne month after being named the first TIME Kid
of the Year, Gitanjali Rao joined members of
the FBLA-PBL National Center and Colorado
FBLA on a Zoom call to discuss her recent
recognition as a trailblazer and how her FBLA experience
has helped prepare her for the journey.
In December, TIME magazine in
partnership with Nickelodeon, officially
recognized their first " Kid of the Year "
distinction in addition to their 92-year
tradition of acknowledging " Person of the
Year. " As an inventor, scientist, and activist,
Rao has put her passions for science and
helping others into action. Furthermore,
she helps mentor others, creating a global
community of young innovators.
To read more about Rao's work and her
recognition as TIME's Kid of the Year, please
visit https://time.com/5916772/kid-of-theyear-2020/. We asked Gitanjali about...

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FBLA  " There are so many things about my work that
are business related! From creating a pitch to promoting a
product, the foundation is set up in my business classes [at
STEM School Highland Ranch] and through FBLA. I can plan
a pitch out in just minutes now! "
Leadership  " I wanted to become an officer
because it gave me the chance to help lead my chapter.
There are so many aspects to FBLA from competitive events
to service, that it made sense to connect to help lead
in FBLA. "
Her Rise to Fame  " It's been a busy month! I've
had more than 200 interviews, sometimes 15 interview a
day. I love talking about what I do, so it's fun but I'm looking
forward to getting back into school. I've had to miss out
on some of my classes with [FBLA Adviser] Ms. Doe to give
attention to the recognition, but she, and my whole school,
have been really supportive. "
On Mentoring  " While working on my own
research and innovations, I developed a process to take
a solution from an idea to reality that is proven and
repeatable. In the spirit of developing a community of
innovators I started sharing this with students in the local
schools for their own projects, and received excellent
feedback from teachers, students and parents.
I organized myself by documenting it, creating a
workshop format, and started sharing it with students
beyond my school. The workshop supplemented any efforts
to introduce innovation, creative problem solving, and
social empathy earlier. A peer student-led session proved to
be effective in environments across the globe where these
sessions were conducted. "
On the COVID-19 Pandemic  " As a scientist,
I've been paying close attention to the
pandemic and taking what I learn to help
come up with solutions to help us prepare
for the future. My research on carbon
nanotube sensor technology overlaps
a great deal with what's happening
around us. I enjoy taking what I learn and
connecting it to what's happening. I'll be
paying attention to what happens next. "
On What's Next for Her Work 
" I'm looking forward to applying more
marketing and branding concepts to my
work. At the core, I am a scientist and
innovator, but there is so much business
acumen needed to do these things well. "

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Audrey Springer

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TOMORROW'S BUSINESS LEADER
https://www.time.com/5916772/kid-of-the-year-2020/ https://www.time.com/5916772/kid-of-the-year-2020/
TBL Late Spring 2021

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