Dream Big, Code Boldly: Lessons from Sachchit’s Global Tech Journey

When Sachchit Balamurugan, a 17-year-old student from Little Elm, Texas, lost his grandfather to adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), he didn’t just grieve; he got to work trying to make sure others didn’t have to have the same experience. As an incoming senior at Texas Online Preparatory School, Sachchit channeled his emotions into creating an AI-powered cancer detection tool that could help others avoid the same fate. 

His app uses MRI scans, genetic data, and machine learning algorithms to identify early signs of rare cancers. What makes it especially impactful is its use of interpretable AI, which ensures that doctors can understand and trust the model’s predictions. 

Sachchit’s work earned him a spot at the International Young Researchers’ Conference in Tokyo, where he presented his research to a global audience. But his journey didn’t start with a plane ticket, it started with a question: How can I make a difference? 

Here are four lessons students can learn from Sachchit’s inspiring path: 

1. Let your story guide your purpose. Personal experiences can fuel meaningful innovation. He brought his passion for science, technology, and coding to solve a problem that was personal and meaningful to him. 
2. Learn the tools of tomorrow. AI, coding, and data science are accessible through online platforms and school programs. Sachchit found a learning and educational environment that gave him the flexibility and freedom to pursue his passion. 
3. Start before you feel ready. Sachchit didn’t wait until his professional career or even his college career – he began in high school. There is often a misconception that you have to have a great deal of experience to solve problems. Sachchit is proof that one can develop that expertise and passion early in life. 
4. Share your work. Whether it’s a local science fair or an international conference, visibility matters. When you share ideas and insights there can be risk of rejection or failure. More often there are people, teachers, business leaders, other people in the community, ready to give you a hand. People who will share their insights, open doors, and provide the opportunity for a person to go and make a difference. 

Sachchit’s journey proves that students can be scientists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. His story is a call to action for other students to dream big, start now, and use their voice to build a better future. 

Inspired by Sachchit’s success? Enroll at TOPS today and give your student the tools to thrive in a flexible, supportive online environment.