Meet Aneesha Varkey | Advocator & Student Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aneesha Varkey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aneesha, how do you think about risk?
Although several others grow through certainty, my success came from taking risks, which has shone from serving school to national organizations like Business Professionals of America and through my part-time job at HEB. However, my most significant risk radiated throughout my years with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program (HOBY). When I was a sophomore in high school, I knew nothing about HOBY, but I was heavily involved in extracurriculars and leaped onto any leadership opportunity offered. I quickly applied after hearing about the program from a counselor, and the process was straightforward. I filled out the application and wrote an essay. Luckily, I ended up getting elected as one of the two ambassadors, which is when I began to feel drawn to HOBY, mainly due to the numerous success stories I’ve heard from alumni. For instance, the summer after Ariana Seeloff’s sophomore year, she attended the HOBY Texas Gulf Coast Seminar (2018). Within the next two years, she became the National Honor Society President and fourth in Texas 5A UIL News Writing. She’s now a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a B.S., serving as a Student Ambassador for the Fearless Leadership Institute and Junior Facilitator for the 2021 HOBY TGC Seminar. As I moved forward through this program as junior staff, I strengthened my soft skills and served over 75 hours for my community. Personally, this experience taught me to be more open-minded and compassionate, which led to long-term effects such as awareness that society impacts every individual differently. Overall, from personal experience, risks may be intimidating, but they are worth it in the long run!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Before I start, if anyone is interested in my previous interview or advocacy with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), please click on the following link: http://voyagehouston.com/interview/life-work-with-aneesha-varkey-of-suburban/

Moving on, today I would like to focus on one of my favorite organizations, Business Professionals of America. From being 11 years old on the Boston national stage to being 17 years old as the Texas Area 5 Region 4 Regional President, Business Professionals of America nourished my professional growth through soft skills, professionalism, and networking. The greatest gift, however, has been the friendships I’ve formed with my Texas staff and peers from other states, sharing different interests throughout the many competitive events. At my first Regional Leadership Conference in 2016, I had only a novice-level understanding of what this organization offered, which left me to consistently question, is this program meant for me? This is only my first year; am I good enough to advance further? What do I have to offer? However, shortly after my first competition, I was surprised at how quickly those questions would be answered. Fortunately, I ended up advancing from regionals to state. At regionals, I didn’t qualify for nationals.
Grateful for the experience, I decided to accept how far I made it with no background experience of BPA. By the time I learned how to handle my first taste of losing, my advisor ended up knocking on Mrs. Lusk’s door, the 6th grade social studies teacher, with a request to talk to Aneesha Varkey outside. Frozen from fear, thinking I may have done something wrong, I attempted to process and carry through with the action desired. My advisor discussed my placement at the state leadership conference (SLC), then talked about how the 2016 national leadership conference (NLC) takes place on one of the STAAR tests for older kids, so many aren’t able to go. Then it began to process what he was about to say. Me? Did I make it to nationals? Am I going to Boston, Massachusetts? Exactly as I eagerly thought and, fortunately, was correct. I jumped in excitement and then cried out of joy, being able to bring back that ambitious spirit within for a competition I truly had a passion for. That’s when I learned my first professional handshake, a skill that will continue to serve me well in my career path.
As I traveled with my family and advisor to nationals, I became invested in the city life of Boston. Not only was I enriched by the environment, but I networked through BPA’s unique pin exchange opportunity and got the chance to explore colleges such as Harvard! From BPA’s national conference, I was able to share the experience with my mother, sisters, and advisors, bringing it back to my school campus, which had barely any national qualifiers. Through this program, I’ve learned to reach a greater audience for my regional and state projects, such as contacting seven school districts to encourage our yearly state fundraiser (Dots 4 Dollars) and learning how to present to the board of trustees. From 2-minute elevator speeches to freshly ironed business attire, this experience has become part of me and will continue to supplement my passion for business. I plan to utilize the professional skills taught throughout this six-year experience in my occupational therapy career, specifically through interviews, presentations, and leadership.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ironically, one of the best dishes I’ve tried was introduced to me by a close friend, specifically during our spontaneous adventure in Westheimer, Houston. The place is called Korny Vibes, and it serves a variety of warm-cooked vegan meals, ranging from simple fries to burgers like Hottie Spicy. Another awesome selection is Gyro Guys, specifically the one in Scarsdale, serving a selection of Mediterranean food. Other classics would be Whataburger and Salata, which can be found at or near one of the common places people tend to hang out the most in this area, Baybrook Mall. Regarding drinks, Daboba and Gong Cha are great places, especially if you are a boba lover like myself! As for attractions, I would highly recommend checking out the Houston Zoo, Kemah Boardwalk, Galveston beach (which has an amusement park called Pleasure Pier), and the Galleria for some ice skating fun.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a huge shoutout to Business Professionals of America, the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program, and my school counselor, Samina Chaudhry.

Image Credits
Happy Snaps Photography