What are the Trailblazer Awards?
The Trailblazer Awards celebrates Year 12 students beyond their ATAR, recognising those who have overcome personal challenges and used their final year of school to positively impact their community.
Our Trailblazers will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders, build their personal brand and profile as a future leader, get exam ready in our 1-day HSC Trials Accelerator, and so much more!
Find out how Lalit navigated Year 12 differently throughout 2022!
Introducing: Lalit Sahni
Category: Business and Entrepreneurship
School: Sydney Technical High School
State: NSW
Career Aspiration: Civil Engineering and Business
Achievements
- Co-founded the first Australian student–led Entrepreneurship club
- 2nd in Generation Entrepreneur Business competition
- Currently creating Australia’s first student-led inter-school Business Competition
What makes Lalit a Trailblazer?
For Lalit, if something hasn’t been done before, it doesn’t mean you can’t go ahead and do it yourself! Lalit is a co-founder of ARIC, the first student-led entrepreneurship club, and Future Leaders, his school-based club at Sydney Technical High School. He’s currently in the works of making Australia’s first student-led inter-school Business Competition with the help of ANSTO, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.
Lalit’s vision is to create a path for students across NSW to the field of entrepreneurship and design thinking – something, that before him, would seem otherwise inaccessible for many high school students. The Australian Research and Innovation Competition, or ARIC, is that path.
The idea is this: ARIC will be a ten-week challenge where students from 16 schools present a 5-minute solution to ANSTO in groups of six. ANSTO will have criteria behind the solution, of course, which mainly concern conservation, funding, costs and the nitty-gritty side of business. This way, all the student participants have a chance for their idea to be brought into reality by meeting industry specialists and large institutions that can help jumpstart their ventures.
ARIC is an initiative that’s close to Lalit’s heart. He has managed to carve a way for his own cohort and other students in NSW to understand more about entrepreneurship and the world of business. In turn, working on ARIC has changed him for the better too. Lalit has strengthened his public speaking skills by leading a club of 40+ people and talking to ANSTO professionals.
‘I get to hear ideas from enthusiastic and driven people, provide others with access to new and exciting opportunities as well as learn the intricacies associated with hosting an event all while doing what I love. ARIC has also given me an opportunity to demonstrate my love for the business world’
As with any successful venture, there have been bumps along the way. As a student heading into the daunting HSC period, Lalit’s study commitments and ATAR goal make it difficult to balance ARIC and a healthy social life.
To battle the overwhelming experience of assessments and endless study, Lalit is determined to make time out of his week for sport with his friends. His recent favourites are Badminton with his friends, which has re-ignited the fun competitive spirit of Lalit lost during the HSC, and weekly bike trips.
It might not come as a surprise that, after the HSC, Lalit’s looking forward to a career in Civil Engineering. He’s inspired by his father and wants to follow in his footsteps and establish his own firm.
Lalit has undoubtedly inspired many students by paving the way and starting ARIC and the Future Leaders club. His fiery passion for the business makes us keen to recognise him as one of 2022’s Trailblazers.
The Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazer Awards
The Trailblazer Awards aim to identify and celebrate students who use their final years of school to invest holistically in the skills and experiences that will maximise their own future opportunities and make a contribution to the future of our society.
Our winners for the Year 12 Trailblazer Awards have demonstrated initiative in volunteering for their school or community, have participated in co-curricular activities, and have held leadership positions within their schools.
Learn more about who placed in the Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazers here!
About Art of Smart Education
At Art of Smart Education, we’re an award-winning provider of holistic tutoring and mentoring for students in years K-12. Our mission is to help students answer the difficult question, “What am I going to do with my life when I finish school, and how do I get there?”
We understand that true success involves mastering study, career and leadership skills while maintaining your wellbeing, not just excelling in academics and as a result, over the last decade, we’ve supported over 10,000 students to achieve their best and maximise their options for life after school.
Each year over one million young Australians, parents, and teachers access our guides, videos and resources to navigate the journey through high school.
