Rohan Angadi

Despite partial vision loss, this all-star sets his sights high.

When he was 11 years old, Rohan Angadi started struggling to read the blackboard. After numerous doctors’ appointments, he was diagnosed with a form of macular degeneration that has caused him to lose 50% of his vision. At first, the diagnosis sapped his confidence in his academic and athletic abilities. But instead of using his condition as an excuse, he began leveraging it as a source of motivation to learn more, play smarter, and work harder both on and off the field. His doctors, teachers, and coaches are continually impressed by his refusal to give up and his commitment to continue excelling at soccer, tennis, and in the classroom.

Just as Rohan refuses to let his own circumstances stand in his way, he’s committed to helping others see beyond their unique challenges. Rohan lives in a small town of 35,000 where many of his peers will be the first in their families to earn a high school degree. For a significant number of classmates, the idea of college isn’t even on the radar. Rohan helped one soccer teammate make the dream of college a reality by helping him explore financial aid, fill out applications, and study for the ACT. That student ultimately earned a full ride to a local four-year university. And Rohan experienced the extreme satisfaction of helping a peer break through societal barriers to success.

To help as many of his peers as possible, Rohan serves as student body president, a math tutor, and a volunteer coach for Upward Youth Basketball. Students regularly look to him for help with tough subjects and assignments, as well as for advice on college.
His positive attitude, excellent work ethic, and commitment to treating everyone as equals makes Rohan a leader that his teachers, coaches, peers, and community all trust and respect.