Vedha Dande Named 2025 Grand Oaks Salutatorian

Student leader, researcher, and varsity athlete honored during Class of 2025 commencement ceremony

Friday, May 16, 2025

The Woodlands, Texas - At the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Grand Oaks High School celebrated its Class of 2025 commencement ceremony, highlighting the achievements of its salutatorian, Vedha Dande.

Vedha Dande receives her Salutatorian plaque from Dr. Curtis Null

Dande, a National AP Scholar with Distinction and AP Capstone diploma recipient, was recognized for a wide range of academic, extracurricular, and leadership accomplishments. During the ceremony, she was presented with the official salutatorian plaque by Conroe ISD Superintendent Dr. Curtis Null.

A standout in both athletics and academics, Dande competed on the Grand Oaks cross country and track teams while simultaneously holding leadership roles as the youngest student body president in school history and, more recently, as senior class vice president.

Dande earned multiple Best Delegate awards in Model UN, received two national Scholastic Art & Writing gold pins, and placed internationally in HOSA competitions. Her academic pursuits extended beyond the classroom: she conducted medical research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and her work has been published in both the Cureus and Orthopedic Review medical journals. Most notably, she earned the Best of Show abstract award at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Regional Emergency Medicine conference.

This fall, Vedha Dande will attend Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where she plans to major in biological sciences.

As part of the evening’s recognition, Dande’s family was invited to stand while the crowd acknowledged her achievements. Grand Oaks High School proudly introduced her as its 2025 salutatorian.

by The Woodlands Student Center Staff