
The Best and The Brightest of 2025

Archana
Gurudu
Age 17
Junior
Paradise Valley High School
Phoenix
Archana believes the arts have the power to promote self esteem and self-efficacy, while allowing young people to express themselves without constraints. As a teaching assistant at the Scottsdale Artists’ School’s Youth Academy, she saw the need to make arts education more accessible.
“When funding is short, fine arts programs are often the first to go,” she said.
Archana channeled her entrepreneurial spirit and founded ARG Fine Art– a business selling her own original paintings, along with greeting cards of her artwork at the Art One Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale. She has sold 17 original pieces in the past year, and all of the proceeds benefit local nonprofits, including Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona. So far, she’s helped raise more than $4,500, and is a proud member of the Youth Arts Council with the Arizona Commission on the Arts.
Archana is also interested in using computer science and mathematics to improve patient outcomes in healthcare. At ASU’s School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, she’s working to better understand glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. Archana recently shared her research at the American Medical Informatics Association’s national conference as one of 6 high school students selected for an oral presentation, and she is excited to see just how rapidly biomedical informatics is advancing.
At school, she helps lead the Speech and Debate team, and hopes to pursue a future career in research and clinical AI, with a particular interest in informatics.
“Having a love for learning is so crucial,” she said. “Network, reach out as much as you can. There are so many opportunities out there for young people.”