At Bishop Feehan, there are several exceptional students who stand out for their involvement and dedication, both inside the classroom and out. One of these students is Ritika Roy.
Currently a junior, Ritika is an extremely active member of the Feehan community, participating in a variety of different extracurricular activities/clubs. She is a member of the math team and recently earned the title of Top Scorer of the League. She is also a part of string ensemble, playing the violin in events such as Feehan’s annual Christmas concert. Ritika has served as a captain of the Robotics Team since her sophomore year, helping the team to expand their social media outreach and organize Feehan’s Summer Robotics Camp. She also competes on the varsity cross country team and is a part of Feehan’s Multicultural Association. For Ritika, being involved in so many activities is both a way to “make an impact,” and to “be true to herself.”
Ritika is also a stellar student, having gained many accolades since the start of her time at Bishop Feehan. Most notably, she has excelled at Science Fair, both at the local and state level. In 2022, Ritika earned first place at Feehan’s Science Fair and second place at the Regional Fair. In 2023, she won the “Best of Fair” award at Feehan and went on to win first place at both the Regional and State Fair, showcasing her talent and dedication in the field of science. Ritika has used her skills in programming to make important contributions to the Feehan community as well. Last year, she designed the website for Bishop Feehan’s Learning Commons, which helped improve the everyday experience of many students.
Outside of school, Ritika also volunteers, teaching elementary and middle schoolers how to program through a nonprofit organization. She has been involved in several other large projects, the most recent of which being the Congressional App Challenge. This Challenge, hosted, by the U.S. House of Representatives, is a prestigious annual competition where students in different districts across the nation can create and submit original apps for a chance to be featured in the Capitol Building, among other prizes. Ritika was one of this year’s Challenge winners with her app called ASL Handshake (originally Handshake). The app, a product of over 150 hours of hard work, uses a neural network to interpret and convert American Sign Language to English and vice versa. For her outstanding project, Ritika received the opportunity to visit Washington D.C, where she met local representatives & senators, spoke with the press and other students, and presented her winning app. This achievement is just one example of how Ritika uses her talents to make a positive difference in the world around her.
Ritika’s advice to underclassmen at Feehan is to get involved in a variety of different activities; ideally, ones “on opposite ends” (eg a sport and an academic club). She also emphasizes the importance of
Overall, Ritika embodies what it means to be a Feehan student: someone who is involved and leaves a mark on others, both in school and outside of it. There is no doubt that she will continue to do great things in the future.
