Salgado named ECI STAR Student

Samadhi Salgado, daughter of Upul Salgado and Praba Rathnayake, has been named Emanuel County Institute’s STAR Student for the 2025-2026 school year. After high school, she plans to attend Georgia Institute of Technology and major in Civil Engineering. After she gets a bachelor’s degree, she hopes to pursue a career in the engineering industry that allows her to make a positive and lasting impact on others. Samadhi is so grateful for the opportunities she has had throughout high school to learn, lead, and serve her community. She currently serves as president of the FCCLA club at ECI. Through FCCLA, she won state competitions in Repurpose and Redesign with Fidget Fingers, a project in which she created a recycled fidget mat designed to support individuals with cognitive challenges. In addition to FCCLA, she is the president of ECI’s Student Council and 21CL club, and she was honored to be nominated for the 21st Century Leaders Georgia Youth Leadership Awards. She was awarded various highest average awards, the Governor’s Honor District level nomination, UGA’s Certificate of Merit, and the Academic E. She also serves on the Citizens Bank Student Advisory Board. Beyond academics and leadership, she is a member of ECI’s Varsity Cheer and Varsity Track and Field team. Samadhi chose Miss Anna Johnson as her STAR teacher for various reasons. Samadhi says, “Miss Anna has always looked out for me and helped me grow into a confident version of myself. She has been my cheer coach for three years and my FCCLA advisor for four, and throughout that time, she has consistently shown me what it means to be a true role model. She leads by example and has an incredible ability to see the potential in every student, encouraging them to believe in themselves even when they doubt their abilities. Miss Anna is a kind-hearted leader who always teaches with compassion, and she has been a constant source of inspiration throughout my high school journey. I am incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from her.”