NEWS: Oxford High School Student to Win Congressional Award

Jay Vankawala, a rising senior at Oxford High School, will be receiving a Congressional Silver Medal from the Congressional Award Program for his research in music therapy at St. Vincent's Special Needs Services in Trumbull, Connecticut, in the hopes of developing an elementary-school level music therapy program for children with severe physical disabilities.

The idea first came to him while he was on a family trip to India. As his grandfather was a successful musician and Indian classical flutist, Vankawala made music, both Indian and Western, a large part of his life. He observed how his autistic cousin, Shashank Mohan, reacted to both his grandfather's and his daily morning practice. "Shashank would light up, laugh, and even communicate with us when he heard music, and I knew there was something there that I could use to help other people." Vankawala sought out to observe this in his own community by studying the effects of various music types on the ability to control voluntary movement.

It wasn't easy, says the young entrepreneur. Vankawala mentions how challenging it was for his voice to be heard by healthcare organizations such as the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH). However, he explains that the company was very helpful in guiding him in the right direction, and helped connect him to a mentor at St. Vincent's, where he found an environment conducive to his research.

Vankawala is due to receive a Congressional Award: Silver Medal in November for his efforts in studying neurodysfunctional disease. As for his future, he hopes to study neurology and has performed research under mentors from Brown University and Rutgers University. "Music will always be a part of my life," states Vankawala, "and I feel humbled that I'm being recognized for my passions. I wasn't sure how my endeavors would to turn out, but I've enjoyed the journey and feel lucky when I see students growing as individuals from something I created."

Learn more about the Congressional Award here: http://congressionalaward.org