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Hey everyone! My name is Archana Somasegar. I am 16 years old and I am a junior at Lakeside High School in Seattle, Wash.

I am honored to be a Teen Advisor for Girl Up because over the last few years I have grown to appreciate the value of education for the girls of our generation. Through the work that I have done for women’s empowerment, I have realized the importance of helping a single girl, for she will affect her family, her community, and eventually our world. This is why this is such an incredibly important opportunity for me.

In addition to being a Teen Advisor, I love to sing, dance, and play soccer: both for a premiere team and my high school. My favorite activity is to either curl up with a good book or to hang out with my friends at the mall, eating frozen yogurt. My passion for women’s education became a prominent part of my life when I became the president of the Seattle chapter of a women’s empowerment organization called Circle of Women.

I have served as an officer of the Bellevue Youth Court, handling misdemeanor cases of real youths in our area, and I also strengthened my sense of personal heritage by being elected onto the Indian Youth Board of Western Washington. I have worked to bring the mission of Girl Up to my high school, and have advocated on behalf of my classmates as an elected member of student government. I have learned about the UN through my participation in Model UN over the last few years. Through all the activities and influences that I have in my life, I have learned to appreciate everything that I have, including my incredible educational opportunities.

This year, I look forward to working with the other Teen Advisors because we truly have the ability to give to other girls, what we ourselves have been blessed with. We understand the importance of an education for everyone, and by working together, we can change the lives of millions.