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South Fayette High School students honored as regional "18 Under 18" leaders
Summary
Administrators recognized two seniors — Mindana Menon and Caroline Praveen — for regional "18 Under 18" honors and described their community and extracurricular work.
Dr. Natasha Durda, high school principal, and other South Fayette High School staff introduced two seniors recognized this year among the region’s "18 Under 18" young leaders.
Dr. Durda described Mindana Menon’s work empowering neurodiverse communities: she leads the Autism Unity Initiative, which the principal said features more than 100 credited articles and workshops and has reached more than 2,000 caregivers. Dr. Durda said Menon helped launch an app last fall, developed a sensory-modified program at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium through a Bank of America internship that she said benefits 200,000 neurodiverse children annually, and co-created a Blue Envelope Program with U.S. Rep. Chris D’Alessio and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey to improve autism-related law-enforcement interactions. The principal said Menon was selected for a Bank of America Student Leaders program from over 7,000 applicants, is a certified EMT, serves as president of the National Honor Society and is the student-school-board representative.
Mr. TJ Salopek introduced Caroline Praveen. The board heard that Praveen founded the Fluency Forward Foundation to teach conversational English to refugee and immigrant children, co-organized a fundraiser that raised more than $4,000 for rural education in India, served as president of HOSA, captained the debate team, authored a donated children’s book and has presented biomedical research at national conferences and for Johns Hopkins. Salopek and Dr. Durda noted Praveen is certified as an EMT and was recognized as a 2025 Cribs for Kids Junior Woman of Achievement honoree.
Both students spoke briefly to thank staff and families. Menon noted she serves as the student-school-board representative for more than 1,100 students; Praveen said she plans to pursue a career in medicine while expanding her nonprofit work. Board members and Dr. Miller acknowledged the students and their families before continuing district business.
The recognitions were ceremonial and no formal board action was recorded on the honors.
