The Girl of the Year Award recognizes a high school student who brings genuine curiosity and initiative to her exploration of technology, growing more confident with every project while lifting up the people around her along the way. Here’s a closer look at this year’s three finalists.
Gabi Angryk, Walton High School
Gabi is a senior at Walton High School and a member of the school’s competitive STEM Engineering Academy. She serves as Executive Director of Walton FIRST Robotics, leading a student-run team across technical, business, and outreach programs. Previously, she became the first female Strategy Director in team history, developing a Python-based analytics platform and scouting system used for competitive strategy.
Passionate about expanding access to STEM, Gabi coordinates a 90+ volunteer FIRST LEGO League mentorship network and leads Girls Build Bots, her Girl Scout Gold Award project connecting younger girls (2nd – 8th) with hands-on robotics experiences through 36 badge based lesson plans. Five girls have earned robotics badges through the program to date.
Her independent engineering work includes SEEKER, an autonomous mobile robot, and Project A.L.D.R.I.N., a disaster-response robotics project developed during her competitive research internship at Georgia Tech Research Institute’s CIPHER Lab.
Gabi was a 2026 Governor’s Honors Program finalist in Electrical & Computational Engineering, a University of Virginia Jefferson Book Award recipient, a Georgia Certificate of Merit recipient, and a FIRST Leadership Award District Championship semifinalist. She hopes to pursue computer science, electrical/computer engineering, or robotics and ultimately use technology to create opportunities and improve people’s lives.
Hailey Blackmon, THRIVE Christian Academy
Hailey Blackmon is an aspiring materials engineer, student leader, and STEM innovator dedicated to developing technologies that improve lives and protect the environment. She has conducted independent research in sustainable materials, creating biodegradable bioplastics, bio-fabrics, bio-yarn, and hydrogels as environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastics.
Hailey is passionate about applying engineering to solve real-world challenges and has presented her research through science fairs, STEM competitions, and engineering programs. Her work has earned multiple first- and second-place awards at both the regional and state levels, recognizing her commitment to innovation and scientific research.
Beyond STEM, Hailey serves as Student Government Association President, President of her school’s Beta Club, and President of her local Top Teens of America chapter. Through these leadership roles, she organizes community service initiatives, advocates for student engagement, and mentors her peers while fostering collaboration and service.
As a young Black woman in STEM, Hailey is committed to expanding opportunities for future generations by encouraging and mentoring girls who aspire to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She plans to pursue a degree in materials engineering and develop sustainable materials and medical technologies that improve lives while creating a more environmentally responsible future.
Garvita Singh, Wheeler High School
Garvita Singh is an ambitious senior in the STEM Magnet Program at Wheeler High School deeply interested in computer science, artificial intelligence, and the intersection of tech and public policy. In order to pursue her passion for technology, she has interned under Emory University where she contributed to a data visualization tool, and she is currently interning at Kennesaw State University to research machine learning and explainable AI. Additionally, Garvita has won nationally for programming and was recently selected for a summer program at MIT where she worked on Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and gained experience in robotics, autonomy, and machine learning.
Beyond technology, Garvita values community service and public speaking, which drives her involvement in leadership roles in Scouting America and Model UN, where she debates global issues such as the digital divide, participates in service projects, and mentors others. She is equally passionate about creating opportunities for girls in STEM, and being an ambassador for the WIT Girls Program has given her the space to do that by helping organize WIT events. Her advocacy for greater representation of women in STEM also stretches to her personal programming projects and work at the Congressional Youth Advisory Council under state leaders. Overall, whether it is through WIT events or growing her knowledge in STEM, Garvita is always excited to learn more and support her peers.
The 2026 WIT Awards winners will be announced October 22 at the Georgia Aquarium. See all 2026 finalists →
