Diya Shanmugaraj

I am a passionate and dedicated Year 10 student with a strong commitment to academic excellence and learning. As a winner of the 'Academic Excellence Award' for two consecutive years in my school, I balance my academic pursuits with my love for the arts and sports. As a classical singer and a pop music songwriter, I have a YouTube channel where I share my music. My participation in frequent music concerts at school has honed my teamwork and leadership skills. Proficient in MS Office and love coding, I am punctual, well-organized, and excel in collaborative environments.

July 2023 & July 2022: Academic Excellence Winner, St Helens, and St Katherine's School

I have been awarded academic excellence, for consistently achieving the highest academic scores across all subjects in my year group. This recognition reflects my dedication to academic subjects and my ability to balance focused studies with extracurricular activities.




May 2023: Oxford University Latin Reading Competition - Classics Department, First Prize Winner
Competed against participants from over 50 schools, winning first prize for a dramatic enactment and Latin reading. This achievement highlights my proficiency in Latin and my ability to engage an audience in a competitive setting




May 2023: Public Speaking - Gold Award, LAMDA- Distinction
I have successfully completed bronze, silver, and gold Lamda exams in public speaking with distinction. These accomplishments have prepared me in confidently deliver both impromptu and prepared speeches on various topics, and help improve my proficiency in diverse speaking techniques.




October 2023: Philosophy Essay Competition, First Prize Winner

I won first prize in a school-wide philosophy essay competition, demonstrating my analytical thinking, and writing skills on complex philosophical topics.




October 2023: Founder of 'Wood Chip'
Created a sustainable fashion brand focusing on tote bags and scarves, with products made by underprivileged women in India. This venture not only showcases my entrepreneurial spirit but also my commitment to social responsibility and community support




July 2023- Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze award

I achieved the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and am now aiming for Silver by mid-2024. This taught me teamwork and introduced me to volunteering, such as teaching tennis to children, which improved my patience.




March 2023: Original Song - "Bulletproof", First Prize in "Take the Mic" Competition.
I have won a national competition, leading to the opportunity to write and record an original song with an Australian producer. The song, "Bulletproof", now streamed on Spotify/Apple Music, is a song I have written to inspire young people to be confident regardless of obstacles. This song represents my creative talents in songwriting and music production.




January 2021: "Why I Love Science" Competition Winner, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, STFC




I have won a national competition with over 100 participating schools. My entry, comprising an essay and a subsequent video presentation, was selected due to its boundless creativity and confident delivery of my relentless passion for science.




March 2022 Bronze Crest Science Award
I achieved a Bronze Crest Award in year 8, where I learned to organize my work, be systematic in recording results, and continue to persevere, even through the trickiest situations! Currently, I am doing my Silver Crest award, in which I am producing 30 hours of research on the fascinating topic of; ‘Can AI take over our world?’. I find the research extremely interesting, and a wonderful insight into how our world is constantly progressing with new innovation and technology in all industries.




March 2021: Published Author
I have written and published a novel "The Book of Lost Secrets", a creative endeavor that showcases my early talent in writing and storytelling. I have had a stall set up to sell my own book at children's book events to inspire young children that any one could be a young writer

• Music (Piano, Singing, Violin): Engaged in music from a young age, I am pursuing Grade 6 in Piano and Grade 8 in classical singing, with a history of winning prizes in music festivals. I also play the violin, participating in school orchestras, which aids in my relaxation and time management.
• Tennis: I am actively training in Tennis twice a week and competing in school matches, this sport has refined my time management and discipline. It's a key part of my physical activity and teamwork development.