Distinguished Young Women of Ohio

The top finalists for Ohio's Distinguished Young Women class of 2026 are Nakshatra Mohan, third runner-up, Mirica Woodley, second runner-up, Siya Patel 2025 DYW of Ohio, Sahana Srikanth, 2026 DYW of Ohio, and Nandita Srikumar, first runner-up.

Congratulations to your 2026 Distinguished Young Woman of Ohio, Sahana Srikanth!

Highlights from our Showcase today! Incredibly proud of the class of 2026! They are all truly Distinguished Young Women!

Rehearsals are done- now time for some fun! Costume contest and painting at Marysville Art League!

Our class of 2026 got in some rehearsal time today! Our emcee Dana is here and our 2025 DYW of Ohio, Siya Patel is back to rehearse with the girls! We are getting excited to see their showcase tomorrow afternoon in Marysville at 2pm! Plenty of tickets still available if you'd like to join us!

Day one ending with a yummy meal Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar! Exhausted and ready for day two!

Our final participant from the class of 2026 is Lydia Mayers. Lydia comes to us from Vinton County High School. She plans to become a registered nurse after attending Buckeye Hills Career Center. Lydia's involvement includes Cheerleading, Skills USA, and Babysitting. She has received awards from the National Technical Honors Society recipient and as a Skills USA national competitor. Lydia will be presenting a cheer dance to Cheer by Thomas Peebles for her talent. Good luck to Lydia!

Our next participant is Nandita Srikumar. Nandita attends Solon High School and plans to become a Neurosurgeon after studying at Harvard University. Her activities include Alzheimer’s researcher at Case Western Reserve University, Brain and heart health disparity researcher at Yale University, Neurological Research Institute Intern at the Cleveland Clinic, Future Problem Solvers Club Senior, Indian Classical Bharatanatyam Senior Dancer, Future Business Leaders of America (President & Former Treasurer), Speech & Debate - Congressional Debate (High School Captain & Middle School Coach), Surgical Robot researcher at Kent State University, Yale School of Medicine’s Grey Matter Project NeuroVation Competition Head and Sevaro CHLD Stroke Ambassador & Community Educator. Her awards include the Future Problem Solvers Community Problem Solving 2nd Place and Best Project Management Award Winner, Junior Science & Humanities Symposium Oral National Finalist & OH 2nd Place, Genes in Space Honorable Mention, Junior Academy of Science International 11th, Speech and Debate Association House Congressional Debate Quarterfinalist, FBLA Business Management National Finalist & Ohio 4th Place, National Merit Semifinalist, Stop the Hate Essay Contest 1st place, and Biomedical Regeneron Award. Nandita will be performing a Bharatanatyam Dance to the song Aadi Kondar. Good luck to Nandita!

Abigail Mauk currently attends Westerville Central High School and plans to study Accounting at Wake Forest or University of Tennessee. Her activities have included Competitive Dance, National Honor Society Care Closet Coordinator, Key Club Member, 101 Craft Kitchen Host and Certified Trainer, Straub Dance Center Class Assistant, Arts Alive Participant, and is a Global Scholars Diploma Candidate. Her many awards include National Honor Society, Three-Year Academic Certificate for WCHS, Ap Scholar, Key Club Gold and Silver Service Award, Kids Artistic Movement Miss Dance, Legacy Dance Competition First Overall, Legacy Dance Competition Judges Excellence Award for Technical Excellence, Legacy Dance Competition Judges Excellence Award for Simply Elegant, Two Year Invitee to Legacy Dance Competition “Showdown of the Legends," and Ohio Dance Masters Convention Third Overall, Five Year Participant in the Grand National Championship at Dance Masters of America National Competition, ODM Fourth Place Ballet ages 17-23 Certificate of Merit, Legacy Dance Competition $500 Scholarship, Legacy Dance Competition Axiom Full Scholarship, and Legacy Half Scholarship to the Dancelook Intensive. Her talent presentation will be a lyrical dance to a cover of the song "Believe" by Cher. Wishing Abigail the best of luck!

Malaysha attends Harvest Preparatory School with plans to study Social Work at The Ohio State University. Malaysha's activities include participation in the JUMP START COLLEGE program, volunteering in the Community Kitchen, High School Softball, Public speaking (Preaching sermons), Art show, Black History Month program (Solo singing, Stand up Poetry), and Youth led Ministry program as Singer and Preacher. She has been recognized for National Art Honors Society honors award, Honors Society award, Principal High Honor Roll, Student of the year award, Completion of youth ministries mentorship training, Ohio Business week at Bowling Green State University, All Academic award, and received the Jack Johnson "MVP" award and "Co- defensive" player of the season award for softball. Malaysha will sing "I'm Tired" by Labrinth & Zendaya for her talent presentation. Good luck Malaysha!

Next up is Sahana Srikanth. Sahana attends Mason High School and hopes to attend Harvard University to become a lawyer. Sahana is actively involved in the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where she is a Youth Advisory Board Member & Ohio State Campaign Captain, National Speech & Debate Association, Equality in Forensics | Deputy Director, Staff Writer, & Coach, Ohio Buckeye Girls' State, National Initiative for Eating Disorders in Canada, Mason High School Student Government as a 4 time Class Executive Officer, Mason High School Experiential Learning Program | Chief Outreach Officer, Intern & Youth Advisory Council Member at the Ohio & National School-Based Health Alliance, National Security Language Initiative For Youth, and miRcore Executive Board Member & Podcast Director. Her awards include the Horn Entrepreneurship Top 25 Global Emerging Innovator Award, Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin Invitee, George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award, National Speech & Debate Association Speaking & Service Award, National Finalist & State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking, United Nations Science Summit Youth Parliament Speaker, 1st Place Harvard VISION Global Health Community Pitch Competition, and the Congressional Gold Medal. Her talent presentation she will perform Bharatanatyam, a South Indian dance form that uses rhythmic movements to convey cultural stories, to the song Crown Jathi Mix. Good luck to Sahana!