A quiet lull fell over the Nichols atrium. Sitting at a table by the building’s entrance, Nikhil Devireddy (12) recalls tapping his fingers on his leg nervously as he awaited the oncoming crowd of attendees. He peered out the glass doors and saw a line of students forming on the walkway. When the clock hit 9 a.m., the doors opened and students flooded to his table. 

“Hi,” Nikhil said. “Welcome to BEcon!”

Nikhil joined BEcon in his sophomore year in an attempt to explore and experiment during a period of remote learning. He was especially drawn to BEcon because of the networking skills and real-world applicability it offered him. 

“During the pandemic, I had a lot of time to figure out how I could make something out of the interests I have in the classroom, and do something with it outside,” Nikhil said. “BEcon is really cool because it’s an environment where I’m able to merge my interests in business, biotechnology and economics.”

Just as BEcon offered him the opportunity to apply his interests in a real-world manner, Nikhil wanted to pay it forward and encourage his younger peers to do the same. By bringing renowned speakers and organizing engaging workshops at BEcon, he aimed to help other students view their education as a set of practical tools.

“I want to be able to inspire students to find new, innovative ways to apply their classroom learning towards passion projects outside the classroom and break their functional fixedness towards their learning,” Nikhil said. “It’s really important that students understand how what they learn can be applied in the real world.”

Behind the scenes, Nikhil and the rest of the officer team worked tirelessly to organize BEcon this year. Although he experienced organizational challenges along the way, like when a keynote speaker unexpectedly pulled out of the event two weeks before, Nikhil noted how valuable the experience was in building his leadership skills.

“My favorite part is seeing how, even when we’re rushed, we’re able to knock out all the items we have on our agenda and really become a team,” Nikhil said. “It’s one of the first things I’ve done where I was able to grow to become a leader and display it. It also taught me how to work under pressure. Now, I’m able to think more spontaneously, which I enjoy.”

These combined skills of organization and spontaneity have proven valuable to Nikhil far beyond the realm of BEcon. As a senior on Kinetic Krew, Nikhil recalls several instances where the team has been pressed for time to finish their routines, pushing him to stay calm and step up as a leader.

“In Kinetic Krew, we’re always working under pressure to make sure our routines are clean, and a lot of times we’re cutting it down to our last rehearsal,” Nikhil said. “Learning how to work under pressure has helped me maintain a cool and collected mind and stay focused.”

In the end, though, Nikhil finds the long hours the team dedicates to their performances worth it. For him, the feeling of being on stage with his teammates helps build a strong peer-to-peer connection that helps quell his nerves.

“When it comes to performing, it’s really instinctual,” Nikhil said. “You’re not really thinking; you’re just doing it. It’s muscle memory. Learning the dance with my team and all the inside jokes we make are also really good team bonding experiences.”

After discovering activities that he truly enjoyed, such as Kinetic Krew and BEcon, Nikhil realized the importance of pursuing these passions with focus and determination. He hopes to carry these skills with him past graduation, into college and beyond.

“I’ve learned to follow through on something that I actually find interesting, rather than half-heartedly doing things,” Nikhil said. “Once you commit to something, you really want to put all your effort into it. BEcon and Kinetic Krew have helped me develop discipline, beyond just motivation, to actually be consistent in what I do, and make sure that I’m putting my full effort in the things I do.”

Nikhil’s commitment and drive to constantly improve himself in his extracurriculars are noticed by many of his friends. Close friend and Kinetic Krew teammate BB Ajlouny (12) commended Nikhil for being able to strike a healthy balance between his extracurricular commitments and his friends and peers.

“He’s really able to combine wanting to have fun with his friends and wanting to have a vibrant social life,” BB said. “At the same time, he’s really dedicated toward school and his extracurriculars as well, and I really admire that.”

Similarly, upper school mathematics teacher and Nikhil’s advisor Anthony Silk appreciates how Nikhil’s extroverted and warm personality helps foster a casual and comfortable environment during advisory.

“He’ll have a conversation with anybody,” Silk said. “He’s got a really good sense of humor, so he will joke along with you. He’s just the kind of person that people like hanging around. And that really is wonderful, just to have someone that you like having in the room.”

Nikhil’s amicable personality is beneficial in encouraging his friends to pursue their hobbies. But, along with motivating his peers, he also started pushing himself to improve. In his sophomore year, he started working out with his cousins in an attempt to grow both physically and mentally. Close friend Rigo Gonzales (12) admires Nikhil’s increasing self-confidence as a result of these new lifestyle habits.

“I’ve known him for so long, and I’ve seen how he’s become so much more confident in himself and who he is,” Rigo said. “I can just tell by the way he carries himself day to day. He likes to be himself, and he’s proud of that. That definitely changed, and I respect him for that.”

Ultimately, as Nikhil reflects on his journey over the past four years, he realizes how gratifying it’s been to track and note his progress over time.

“Even though it’s been hard at some points in my life, and my motivation has fluctuated, I’m proud that I’ve been pretty consistent,” Nikhil said. “Working out has helped me physically and mentally. It’s made me more confident in myself. It’s really cool to see something visibly change, and even at times when others can’t see it, I’m proud that I can see how far I’ve come.”