Maya Joshi says she has met some of her best friends while performing as a trumpet player in the marching band and wind ensemble at Buford High School.
“In my years at BHS, the most important lesson I have learned is to put myself out there and take a leap of faith,” the senior says. “I remember being very hesitant to join the marching band, afraid that I would feel isolated and lonely.”
Instead of finding herself isolated and lonely, the experiences and friendships she has because she joined the band will remain with her for the rest of her life.
Maya works hard and excels academically as she maintains a 4.0 GPA. Her hard work has earned her the designation of being an AP Scholar and an AP Scholar of Distinction. To be named an AP Scholar, students must obtain a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. The AP Scholar of Distinction honor is even more rigorous, and those who earn that title must earn at least an average score of 3.5 on all AP exams and obtain a score of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
Science, more specifically biology, is Maya’s favorite subject to study. She was selected as an alternate for biology for the Governor’s Honors Program during her junior year.
“It’s fascinating that something as tiny as a cell or a gene can have such a huge impact on a person,” Maya says.
In addition to her academic achievements and her involvement with the Band of Wolves, Maya is the co-vice president of Mu Alpha Theta, is a member of the National Honor Society and is part of the Buford Student Leadership Team.
One teacher who has had a significant impact on Maya during her time at Buford High School is her pre-calculus teacher, Ms. Laura MacAdam.
“She has known me since I was a freshman and has watched me grow into an adult,” Maya says. “She has always encouraged and supported me during both the easy and difficult times, never doubting me or my abilities even when I didn’t believe in them myself.”
Maya started attending Buford City Schools in the third grade because she wanted to “have an exceptional academic experience,” as well as a “wide variety of extracurriculars” so she could find and develop her passions. After graduation, Maya plans to attend a four-year university to major in chemical engineering with plans to work in pharmaceutical research and development.
Beyond the halls of BHS, Maya enjoys volunteering with a local cat rescue, Cat Rangers. She likes to give back to a worthy cause and in particular loves to play with the adorable felines. Since the pandemic began, Maya has also volunteered with an online tutoring organization where she tutors 7-year-olds in mathematics.
In her downtime, Maya can be found reading pretty much anything that she can get her hands on, from non-fiction books on epidemiology to fantasy novels. She loves exploring local restaurants, shops and cafes in the area with her friends.
Maya resides in Dacula with her parents, Priti and Ambadas Joshi. She has one sibling, Shyam Joshi, 21, a senior at the University of South Carolina.
