“Truly, it wouldn’t have been possible without the teachers and community I have built here at Francis Tuttle because I wouldn’t have had access to nearly half the opportunities I pursued without Francis Tuttle.”
Simardeep Singh, a senior in the Biosciences and Medicine Academy (BSMA) on Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s Danforth Campus, has been named a semifinalist for U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education.
The prestigious program recognizes graduating seniors for their academic success, leadership, and service to school and community. It was established in 1964 and extended in 2015 to recognize students in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 20 students are named Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education, and the 2026 honorees will be announced this summer.
“Once I found out I was nominated, I was really proud and felt honored that my work was being recognized and that I was doing a good job at all the things that I’m participating in,” Singh said. “Truly, it wouldn’t have been possible without the teachers and community I have built here at Francis Tuttle because I wouldn’t have had access to nearly half the opportunities I pursued without Francis Tuttle. It also motivated me to continue to keep challenging myself and pushing myself, and it just made me happy that all my hard work had paid off.”
At Francis Tuttle, Singh was active in Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), serving as her Francis Tuttle chapter president and the Oklahoma HOSA Southeast Region vice president this year.
Singh is graduating from Edmond North High School as a valedictorian with distinction. At Edmond North, she was involved with Key Club and Pre-Med Club, serving as president of both organizations. Singh was also part of Students Leading Every Day (SLED) Mentors, where seniors offer support to freshmen as they transition from middle school to high school.
Since July 2024, Singh has been an intern at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). She has also volunteered through the Volunteen Program at OUHSC, the SPEAK Teen Program at the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, and the Volume Summer Program at Bethany Children’s Health Center.
In the future, Singh wants to work with children, potentially as a pediatric physician assistant or a pediatric optometrist. Singh is also passionate about primary care, including expanding access to people living in rural areas, and focused her capstone project on the topic. Additionally, she founded a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible and understandable medical information to individuals in communities where healthcare resources may be limited.