Rohan Khera, Class of 2026, sat across from Shady Side Academy’s Vice President of Finance, Amy Szlachetka P’16,’19, his pulse quickening as he prepared to present his app idea. This wasn’t just a project — it was something he had poured months of effort into, refining and testing his idea. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and launched into his pitch. “I remember just being so nervous,” Khera admits with a small smile. “But as I started talking, something clicked — I realized this was more than just an idea. It was something I cared about, something I truly believed in. And that changed everything.”

FanFliks, his social media app designed to boost student attendance at school events, started as a simple idea — one he first introduced during his sophomore year student council campaign. Though he didn’t win the election, he spent the summer refining the concept, gathering input from classmates, and generating mock-ups to bring it to life. Now, as he sat before Academy administrators in a series of meetings, he had to convince them to fund his vision.

Since transferring from Winchester Thurston School in ninth grade, Khera, now a junior, has embraced Shady Side’s hands-on learning approach. He is developing into a leader ready to make an impact, pursuing his diverse interests while striving to help others. “I’ve found Shady Side to be an environment that not only challenges me intellectually but also encourages me to apply my learning in tangible, meaningful ways,” Khera says.

His passion for problem-solving started early, especially in mathematics. What began as a weekend math routine with his father, a software engineer, evolved into something Khera truly enjoyed. “At first, I didn’t really have a choice,” he admits with a laugh. “But now, I love it. There’s something really satisfying about seeing a problem and knowing you have the tools to solve it.”

Eager to share this love for math, Khera is an SAT math tutor for Khan Academy and founded Pittsburgh Math Tutors in the summer of 2023, helping middle school students build confidence in the subject. His first tutoring session was nerve-wracking, but he quickly discovered an affinity for teaching. “I realized how much I love helping someone else understand math the way I do. Figuring out how to help others absorb the content became a challenge I enjoyed solving.”

That same analytical mindset also drew him to technology. Inspired by his father’s work, he explored programming through YouTube tutorials and advanced computer science courses at Shady Side. Competing in DECA as a sophomore, he merged business with technology, winning first place in the Start-Up Business Plan Competition alongside his teammates. The team went on to earn finalist medals for their AI-powered nutrition and fitness tracker, SimpliFit, at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California. “That competition was a turning point for me,” Khera says. “It showed me that I could take an idea, build it, and present it to people who see its real value.”

While DECA cemented his passion for business and technology, another creative pursuit — photography — had been unfolding. Khera’s love for photography, initially sparked by childhood walks in Frick Park with his mother, became a more serious pursuit during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a creative outlet during times of isolation quickly gained Khera national recognition. He took first place in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Ralph Munn Teen Media Awards for photography, had five photos advance to national judging in the Scholastic Art Awards, and was a runner-up in the Youth Division of the National Wildlife Federation’s photography contest. “With photography, it’s not just about taking a picture,” Khera says. “It’s about capturing a moment, a feeling — something that might never happen again.”

When Shady Side introduced Immersives at the Senior School this year, Khera was immediately excited by the opportunity to engage in deep, hands-on learning. He enrolled in A River Runs Through Pitt: Biology, Literature, and Fly-Fishing, co-taught by Science Teacher Dr. Devon Renock P’28, English Teacher Adam Janosko P’37,’39, and Science Teacher Leah Powers P’26,’28. “The idea of going on an overnight trip with my classmates and teachers, where I could immerse myself in nature while learning, was something I couldn’t pass up,” Khera says.

The same drive to innovate and build community that led to FanFliks also inspired Khera to establish the Punjabi Dance Club at Shady Side. What started as a small gathering of students quickly grew into a vibrant community of 70 members, celebrating Punjabi culture through music, dance, and food. “I wanted to create a space where people could come together, have fun, and experience something new,” he says. “Using food as marketing for the club was a big draw and helped it succeed.”

And then there’s soccer —  an integral part of Khera’s life since he was five years old. He has played Varsity Soccer all three years at Shady Side and competes year-round with Steel City FC; he thrives on the rhythm of the game. “Soccer has always been more than just a sport to me,” he explains. “It’s about teamwork, movement, and constantly pushing myself to improve.” During the summers, he continues his athletic pursuit by playing pickup soccer with college students at Carnegie Mellon University. 

His ability to balance so many interests — math, technology, business, photography, immersive learning, dance, and soccer — illustrates the multifaceted nature of many of Shady Side’s students. But perhaps Khera’s most tangible success comes with the launch of FanFliks. After months of development, collaboration, and refining his vision, he saw his app become a reality, giving Senior School students an engaging way to support their peers at school events. “I love that SSA doesn’t just teach us things — we get to apply them,” he says. “It’s one thing to learn something in a classroom. It’s another thing to take that knowledge and make something real out of it.” 

Whether giving his all on the soccer field, mentoring young math students, capturing the world through his camera, or developing innovative tech solutions, Rohan Khera embodies the spirit of a well-rounded student who thinks expansively, acts ethically, and leads responsibly. As he looks ahead to his future in college and beyond, one thing is certain: He won’t just follow the path forward; he’ll have a part in creating it.