As hundreds of students and parents settled in the bleachers of the Rogers gym, the room began to fill with the excited faces of the 2022-2023 senior class.

The seniors entered the gym to celebrate their post-high school plans during Rogers’ annual Decision Day assembly on May 2. As the seniors looped around the gym and sat in their seats, one senior, stood up.

Senior class president, Sara Sandhu, addressed hundreds of audience members in a motivating speech for the assembly. Sandhu’s introductory speech inspired her fellow class members by reminding them of how far they’ve come in their lives so far, and how far they will go in the future.

“We beat the odds and have grown up beautifully. We used every obstacle as an opportunity…which is what life is all about.” said Sandhu in her speech.

She brought out Rogers school spirit in all who listened.

However, Sandhu’s involvement in the school did not start on Decision Day. Sandhu, although only a Washington resident for five years, has joined numerous organizations, planned and participated in many events at RHS, and has become a well-known role model for those around her throughout her time in Washington.

Colleen Pancake, Sandus AVID teacher of two years, described her as a “positive role model for everybody around her.”

“Sara’s a leader in not only her voice, but by her actions. She leads by example,” said Pancake.

Sandhu, originally born in India, later moved to Italy where she lived until she was 14 years old. After her father got a job in the US, Sandhu and her family moved to Washington where she started her 8^th grade year.

While she lived in Italy, Sandhu was very involved in school activities and sports such as track. However, after moving to the US she chose to involve herself in the school culture a different way.

“Since I had to take ELA classes, I had to get used to the system, so I quit sports. I knew there was still another way for me to be involved at school, so I decided to join different things,” Sandhu said.

These “things” included AVID, ASB positions, the Daffodil Royal Court, sport management, and more.

Throughout her three years at Rogers, Sandhu became an Avid ambassador, a Jostens class ambassador, the senior class president, the sports spirit leader, a manager for the RHS basketball team, and a member of the RHS royal court.

One of Sandhu’s proudest achievements was her ability to raise involvement during basketball games.

“At the time, a lot of kids wouldn’t show up to the [basketball] games and we didn’t really have school spirit. I decided to run the Instagram page, Ram Hoopz, where I made a bunch of posters which helped get the word out,” said Sandhu.  “I felt like I really had a voice because students saw the posts and reposted them which made them decide to go to the games.”

Sandhu describes her willingness to participate as a way for her to help build community whether it be family or school.

Sandhu’s close friend, Cambria Carey describes Sandhu as someone who “works harder than anybody I know, and she does it because that’s what she loves to do. She loves helping people.”

Sandhu plans to continue her involvement in her community at the University of Washington Tacoma, where she will be going for college. She will be close to family, as well as previous Rogers friends, and will proceed to pursue different paths for participation in her future.