2008 Innovation in Education Award Finalist

Govil Gupta

Award: Emerging Student Innovator
Freshman, Wonderwriters.com, Northwood High School
Irvine Unified School District

“Instead of waiting for someone to create this (writing) channel for the world, I decided to take it upon myself to offer a program for writers to share their work and get rewarded for their efforts .�nbsp; Govil Gupta, Student, Northwood High School

Program Description

Govil Gupta saw a need in his local community, and set out to fill that need. He found very few options for students to share their creative writing with each other, and thought to create a communication channel that student writers could use to submit their original work. From this, Wonderwriters.com was born.

Through the use of state of the art technology, tools and software, Govil created and launched his website. He used his burgeoning business skills to work within a budget, and decide which hosting company to sign with. He also used skills from his Digital Photography class and utilized Adobe Photoshop to create fliers to properly advertise the website.

Since its inception, Govil’s Wonder Writers website has successfully completed its mission to provide young writers with a channel to submit their original work. The first contest ended recently, and received nearly 100 entries from students of all ages, and from all over Orange County. Winners have been able to showcase work they are proud of in a public forum.

In addition, Govil wanted his website to benefit the entire community. He made the decision to compile the submissions of young writers, and publish them into a book. The book can be purchased for $10, and all proceeds made from their sale will go directly to a local charity. This charity will be chosen by the writers whose work is contained in the book.

What factors or people have influenced your interest in science, math or technology?

Govil attributes his passion for science, math, and technology to his parents, who both have scientific backgrounds. His father works in Pharmaceuticals, while his mother works in Structural Engineering. The encouragement he received from his parents lead him to pursue courses at the Boeing Summer Science Program, where he learned about computers, electronics, and robotics. Govil cites this strong scientific base as one of the greatest contributions to the construction of his website.

How can business and community members support your efforts?