Winston Churchill's Ruhi Nair among 24 statewide winners of 2025 Emerging Scholars Award
Ruhi Nair, a junior at Winston Churchill High School, has been selected as a 2025 recipient of "The 24: Maryland’s Emerging Scholars" award. The annual recognition, presented in partnership by the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) and The Daily Record, is given to 24 of Maryland’s most outstanding high school students who excel in academics, community service and leadership, with a special emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career interests. This year’s student winners were chosen from a group of more than 500 applicants.
Ruhi is an active leader at her school. She helps foster inclusivity and organize events through the No Place for Hate student committee, and also founded and serves as the president of Melodic Minds, a student organization that provides music lessons and mentorship to children in underserved areas of Montgomery County. She is also president of the Churchill National Science Bowl team and previously as co-principal cellist in the Advanced Orchestra. Ruhi is a team leader for the Churchill GEM (Girls Empowered by Math) club, encouraging young women to pursue STEM. She has interned at the National Philharmonic Summer String Institute and has been a camp counselor at the NIH Children’s Inn, where she worked with children affected by serious illnesses.
“Thank you to MBRT for recognizing me and my accomplishments; I am so honored to have been chosen to represent not only Winston Churchill High School, but all of Montgomery County,” Ruhi said. “I'm so grateful to my teachers, peers, mentors, school administration and community for supporting me in my journey.”
Ruhi plans to pursue a career in engineering, focusing on finding innovative solutions to real-world challenges. She hopes her recognition highlights the importance of perseverance and inspires fellow students to keep learning. “I hope to encourage others, especially younger students, to find and pursue their passions that will lead to positive impact in our communities and beyond,” she said.
MBRT is a coalition of leading employers who support education reform and the improvement of student achievement in Maryland. This year’s award program, presented by The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and in partnership with The Daily Record, was held earlier this month.
