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Virginia Student Wins State Recognition for Dolphin Protection Project
Ishanvi Sakharpe is a student in Virginia who designed a project called Dolphin Guard.
Her project aims to help protect dolphins from boats and fishing nets.
It looks for dangers before dolphins are seriously hurt.
Ishanvi received Virginia’s 2026 State Merit Winner award in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
This is a science competition for middle-school students in the United States.
Students submit videos explaining inventions or solutions to real-world problems.
Ishanvi is also very strong at mathematics.
In 2025, her school’s Grade 6 team won a national Math Kangaroo gold medal.
Ishanvi Sakharpe, a Class 6 student at Old Donation School, was named Virginia’s 2026 State Merit Winner in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
Her project, “Dolphin Guard,” explores ways to reduce dangers to dolphins from boats and fishing nets.
The project emphasizes identifying risks before they lead to fatal encounters with marine animals.
The 3M challenge evaluates middle-school submissions for creativity, scientific knowledge, communication, persuasion, and presentation.
Sakharpe also helped Old Donation School win the 2025 Grade 6 national gold medal in the Math Kangaroo Team Competition.
- Who
- Ishanvi Sakharpe, a Class 6 student at Old Donation School in Virginia Beach.
- What
- She was named Virginia’s 2026 State Merit Winner in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her Dolphin Guard project.
- Where
- Old Donation School in Virginia Beach, Virginia; the award is part of a United States-wide competition.
- When
- The 2026 challenge opened for submissions in January, and State Merit Winners were announced in June.
- Why
- Her project seeks to reduce risks to dolphins from heavily trafficked waters, boats, and fishing nets.
Key facts
- Student
- Ishanvi Sakharpe
- School
- Old Donation School
- Project
- Dolphin Guard
- Award
- 2026 Virginia State Merit Winner
- Competition
- 3M Young Scientist Challenge
- Math achievement
- Grade 6 national gold medal in the 2025 Math Kangaroo Team Competition
Sources
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