Aadi Kulkarni, a senior at Nashua High School South, is one of two students who will represent New Hampshire at the 64th annual U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington D.C. Courtesy photo

NASHUA — Aadi Kulkarni, a senior at Nashua High School South, was one of two students chosen to represent the Granite State in the 64th annual U.S. Senate Youth Program in Washington D.C.

The other student is Shelby McDonald, a junior at Plymouth Regional High School. Kulkarni and McDonald were selected from a pool of 27 applicants and will be in the nation’s capital from March 7-14, 2026.

Klukarni and McDonald were nominated by their school principals and evaluated by a panel of judges. In addition to representing New Hampshire, they will both receive a $10,000 college scholarship from the Hearst Foundations.

“The U.S. Senate Youth Program gives students an extraordinary chance to witness our nation’s government in action,” said state Education Commissioner Caitlin Davis. “Aadi and Shelby will represent New Hampshire with distinction in this prestigious program, and I look forward to seeing the meaningful contributions they will make in the years ahead.”

If Klukarni or McDonald are unable to attend the program, Mohid Khan, a senior at Bishop Guertin High School, and Andrew King, a junior at Bishop Brady High School in Concord, have been chosen as alternates.

Klukarni is currently the president of the Math Honor Society and the operations lead for the New Hampshire chapter of DECA, a student marketing association.

Earlier this year, he was named the New Hampshire winner of this year’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Selected for his project, “Economical and Novel Microplastic Detection Using an Arduino-Based Turbidity Sensor: A Comprehensive Investigation,” Kulkarni represented the Granite State at the national competition at Washington University in St. Louis.

He was also named a recipient of this year’s Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes for the achievements of his nonprofit organization, TechPals, which he established in 2022 at the age of 15. Since then, it has grown to include 45 chapters in 30 states with the mission of “bridging the digital divide for senior citizens.”

In 2019, Klukarni, who was then a fifth grade student at Bicentennial Elementary School, finished fourth in a field of 102 competitors in the statewide National Geographic GeoBee competition at Keene State College.

More than 6,300 students have participated in the U.S. Senate Youth Program since it was established 63 years ago. Notable alumni include U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.