Mihika Joshi of South Windsor Receives 2022 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award

South Windsor, Conn – Mihika Joshi, an 8^th grade student at Timothy Edwards Middle School, has been chosen by The National WWII Museum to receive the 2022 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award. Given annually to one student from every state, this award recognizes students who demonstrate the American spirit in their community.

Mihika has participated extensively in local community activities, including creating and implementing a program to honor local veterans, volunteering over 100 hours at Foodshare, organizing regular food drives outside local grocery stores, designing the logo for the town of South Windsor’s 175^th anniversary celebration and serving on the South Windsor Public Schools Equity and Diversity Committee.

Most recently, Mihika garnered a first place finish at one of the regional Connecticut History Day competitions, winning the Junior Individual Website category in the Mansfield Regional Contest for her project highlighting how the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park saved the park’s ecosystem.

Mihika will travel to New Orleans, LA, in June to receive her award at the annual American Spirit Awards ceremony.

The Billy Michal Student Leadership Award was inspired by the community spirit shown by six-year-old Billy Michal, who during World War II led his one-room school to win a statewide scrap metal collection contest.  This award honors students who display not only commitment to community service, but also embody the values of leadership, teamwork, tolerance, creativity and perseverance.

Run by the Connecticut Democracy Center, Connecticut History Day is an affiliate of National History Day, which established the contest in 1974 and hosts the national competition each year in College Park, Maryland.  For more information on the National and Connecticut History Day competitions, visit www.nhd.org or www.historydayct.org.-

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