Having practically grown up with the Class of 2026, I’ve gotten to know my classmates pretty well. From incredible athletic talent to academic weapons, our grade has it all. But when I consider who most suitably encompasses the diversity our class has to offer, I can only think of one person. Kind, intelligent, and funny are just a few of many adjectives that could describe how this student is viewed by the Keystone community. And thus, I present to you Keynote Co-Editor in Chief Shaum Debnath.
Shaum has been an integral member of the Class of 2026 ever since 2nd grade. Having spent most of his school career at Keystone, he recalls multiple memorable moments at the school, highlighting his time in Mr. Howk’s 8th grade physics class. Hoping to pursue a career in astrophysics in the future, Shaum recounts this class as a formative experience, guiding how he views the world. Particularly, Shaum remembers Mr. Howk’s lesson on how the universe was created as particularly intriguing, firmly believing that this outlook has encouraged him to pursue discovery.
Delving into this interest, Shaum has founded the Astronomy Club at our school and is Youth Representative for the San Antonio Astronomical Association, volunteering with Scobee Planetarium and encouraging younger students to learn about astronomy in and outside of a classroom. Further, Shaum makes black hole simulations at UTSA, perhaps one of his most eccentric hobbies. While many can proclaim their love for astronomy, Shaum consistently demonstrates his aptitude to pursue this field, learning coding softwares and taking some of the most challenging classes–AP Physics C and Calculus III–at Keystone School. His activities demonstrate not just his passion for learning but a more important principle of his—to help those around him. This is evidenced by his Stonecatcher passion project, where he studied the lack of education among Rohingya refugees and worked to study how we can improve their situation.
This might seem like just an impressive resume, but Shaum genuinely uplifts those around him, never refusing to help his classmates understand a difficult physics problem or an abstract concept in English. I’ve found that people ask Shaum questions more often than they ask teachers, not only because of his academic expertise but also because he is easy to talk to, never putting someone down for struggling to understand.
Even though the senior class is impressively manifold in the range of interests and values held by the student body, Shaum finds no trouble connecting with everyone personally. This is furthered by his participation in the soccer team for most of his high school career, where the teamwork it takes to play on the field has brought him closer to many students across high school. It is no surprise, then, that he was elected as Class President in 10th grade.
In the same vein, Shaum’s interests have never been confined to just academics. Playing piano ever since he was young, Shaum has performed at Stone Soul, our school’s quarterly open mic, throughout high school. He doesn’t just play piano, either. Talking to him, you’ll get to know that he knows a wide breadth of classical pieces, being able to distinguish one score from another with impressive accuracy. He hopes to do salon-style recitals in the future, where he can share music with the community.
Although it might seem surprising at first, Shaum’s favorite TV show is Bluey, a children’s TV show where an anthropomorphic dog navigates random situations with her family–a testament to his appreciation for simple things and his complete understanding of what it means to be a compassionate, honest, and creative person. Shaum is also an avid Studio Ghibli fan, having once watched The Boy and the Heron three times after it came out in theaters. However, his favorite movies from the animation studio are The Wind Rises and Princess Kaguya.
Another important part of Shaum’s identity is his culture. Despite growing up Bengali in America, Shaum has stayed rooted in his culture in many different ways. From participating in cultural recitations when he was younger to regularly attending cultural events on the weekends, he has learned to appreciate his culture in San Antonio—whether through dancing or connecting with other Bengali children.
Reaching the end of his career at Keystone School, Shaum looks forward to his next chapter in life, hoping to inspire change, help others, and pursue his interests. Whether you know him as a classmate, teacher, mentor, or friend, his bright personality and outstanding passion for knowledge will make a great impression. I can say that, wherever he goes, he will be a pretty amazing person in the future :).
