Name: Anvitha Addanki
Age: 8 ½
School: JFK Elementary
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Key to Awesomeness: Developing creativity and intellect with joy.
Accomplishments: Third grader Anvitha Addanki was the first in Ms. Rebecca Smart’s music class at John F. Kennedy Elementary School to earn a black belt in "Recorder Karate" by learning and playing all the songs in her packet correctly.
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She said her favorite song to play is “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” In this first year playing the wind instrument that is similar to the flute, Anvitha said she “likes the recorder a lot,” and she nurtures her love for music by studying under some impressive teachers.
For the past 3 ½ years she has been a student of Carnatic music with award winning vocalist Geetha Murali in Norwood, and practicing the Indian dance Bharatanatyam with renowned teacher Poornima Risbud at Rasarang School of Performing Arts in Canton.
Anvitha “likes the hand gestures” in the dance, which are called mudras.
This talented musician, vocalist and dancer is also an active writer. Her story, “Easter Play Date,” was published in the Elementary Prose section of the Canton Writes 2010 book. “The Art Contest” will be published in the JFK Literary Magazine this year.
Anvitha said she “loves writing. It is my most favorite,” and her collection of short stories and poems can be viewed on her blog at www.sriyanvitha.blogspot.com.
Like any strong writer, Anvitha is a good speller. Her third grade team at the JFK won first place in this year’s and she won first place in the first grade spelling bee for the charitable organization, Big Help for Education.
Her sights are now set on participating in the National Geographic Bee because she “likes to learn about Earth, the world, countries and states.” Anvitha was born in the United States and visited India with her family when she was five-years-old.
She remembers it being “really hot with a lot of cows and horses and villages.” The experience sparked her interest in the different things people do in different corners of the world. She will visit India again with her family this summer, and she may sing over there.
Anvitha has a special thank you to her, for nominating her as a Canton Whiz Kid.
