Ria Cheruvu, 11, of Gilbert, attends Arizona Connections Academy, a tuition-free, online public school located in Gilbert. At first glance, Ria seems like any other 11-year-old, except she is preparing to graduate high school in two months!
Thank you to Josh Skalniak at Fingerpaint Marketing for interviewing Ria for us and sharing her story of success!
- So you’re graduating high school at 11? How does that feel? Yes, I am super excited about my graduation!
- What are you looking forward to most about college? I believe my matriculation into college will allow me to explore the world in a different perspective and enhance my knowledge to explore and learn new things in various fields of study.
- What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a neural cryptographer. Neural cryptography is the field of study which involves studying the brain’s functions (neuroscience) to develop innovative algorithms for encryption/decryption techniques (cryptography), the fusion itself is phenomenal.
- You’ll be attending Arizona State University as an 11-year-old. How does that make you feel? I am very euphoric about attending ASU and entering the gateway to the world! I am looking forward to learning more about neural cryptography and meeting other students like me.
- We hear you’ve composed your own music for the piano. When did you start writing your own music? What inspires you? I started writing my own compositions two years ago, when I was nine. My inspiration for music, poetry, and prose comes from nature, emotions, and my mother. I love music, because I think it is a euphonious conduit for emotion, swaying the listener and the creator. My mother taught me that inspiration comes from the depths of the soul and expresses itself to those who reach for it. This is the reason I named my first piano composition “Inspiration.”
- You attend Arizona Connections Academy, an online public school based in Gilbert. What’s a typical school day like for you? Arizona Connections Academy facilitates me to have a flexible schedule to pursue my extracurricular activities and empowers me to delve into the depths of a subject to enhance my knowledge. On a typical school day, I would wake up at 8:30 AM and have my breakfast; then, I would log on to my online school and check my Webmail (email), grade book, and to-do list. Afterwards, I study the wonders of Algebra and Biology, and take a lunch break during which I write poetry/prose or sketch. Subsequently, I would learn Pre-calculus and English. After I complete my scheduled studies, I play with my friends during the evenings, have dinner, and go to bed. I modify my school schedule to match my extracurricular activities.
- How do you interact with teachers? I am in constant touch with my teachers via Webmail (email), regular phone calls, Live Lessons (real-time, lively interactions of a traditional classroom but in an online setting, held by teachers in which students can interact with peers and teachers), and I meet them on field trips or when I visit the ACA office.
- Do you have a lot of opportunities to socialize with other kids your age? I have many opportunities to socialize with other kids my age. I meet my friends at my golf, tennis, piano, and voice lessons/recitals. I have quite a few friends of my age in my neighborhood and we meet to play on every weekend. We love to ride our bikes, play bubbles, and we have an awesome book club to discuss and share books and thoughts on our reads and perspectives.
- What’s your favorite subject? Why? My favorite subject is mathematics, but I love all subjects. Math is an integral part of our daily lives. The momentum and club path of a golf swing, the spirals that make up the petals of a flower, the intricate designs intertwined in nature, the fabric of the universe itself, the mystery of life’s programmable code, can be unraveled with mathematics. I like to imbibe myself in the magnificence of the magic of mathematics and I find awe in everything I learn.
- What’s the one thing that you’d like people to know about you? I will always be grateful to my parents, teachers, and every individual for helping and guiding me to achieve my goals, and to be who I am. I believe that we learn so much from one another, and it is solidarity that leads to success. Thank you so much!
Congratulations Ria on your success! We wish you the best!