Another multi-talented writer from the talent pool

Roy is an impressive, high-achieving Swot Shop student and a keen and talented writer, chess player and community volunteer. Below he explains how The Swot Shop helped him to become a great problem-solver and how his love of writing was nurtured by his parents and resulted in the publication of two books.

1. You’ve been with The Swot Shop since Year 1. How has the Maths Talent program helped shape your learning, and what did you enjoy most about it?

The Maths Talent program has helped me improve my maths skills. I’ve always liked maths, but when I joined The Swot Shop, my understanding of the subject grew immensely. The teachers there are friendly and make learning maths fun, which makes it way easier for me to grasp new concepts. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is how much better I’ve gotten at solving tricky problems and thinking through things logically. I can tell that I’m a better problem-solver now, thanks to The Swot Shop!

2. Your passion for writing has led to two published books. What inspired you to start writing, and what has been the most exciting part of your journey as a young author?

I’ve always loved writing stories since I was little—it was like creating my world where I could do whatever I wanted with my imagination. My parents have always been supportive and encouraged me to write longer stories, which helped me improve. My first book came from all the detective movies my dad would show me, and my second one is inspired by my mum, who’s always into poetry and taught me to appreciate it. The most exciting part of being a young author is seeing my books published and knowing people are reading them. It’s a great feeling to see something I worked hard on being enjoyed by others.

3. What do you enjoy most about chess, and how did you come up with the idea to host a Chess Camp to support Tangaroa Blue?

I love chess because it’s such a challenging game. There are so many ways each game can go, and it keeps my brain active. The exciting part is that after just a few moves, there are millions of different ways the game could play out! My first two books were for supporting Tangaroa Blue, a Marine conservation group, and since I’m passionate about chess, I wanted to do something that combined both. I decided to host a Chess Camp to teach the foundations of chess to other kids and raise awareness for Tangaroa Blue simultaneously. I wanted to instil curiosity about chess in young kids by teaching them something new while helping the environment.

4. Balancing school, writing, and community work is no small feat! How do you manage your time, and what advice would you give to other students wanting to pursue their passions?

There’s a lot to juggle every day! Between schoolwork, playing chess online, studying for two hours, writing stories, and my cricket practice, my schedule can get busy. But I’ve learned that planning everything out helps a lot. I leave time between activities, so I don’t feel rushed. I also try to stay focused on whatever I’m doing at the moment, which helps me get things done faster. My advice to other kids who want to follow their passions is to plan and stick to it. People talk about what they want to do, but not everyone does it. My dad always tells me, “Anyone can plan to be famous, but only a few do it.” That’s something that pushes me to stay on track and keep going.

5. What’s next for you? Do you have any exciting projects or goals for the future?

Next, I want to help my little brother, Kabir, become the world’s youngest author. He’s always telling me the best stories, and I believe it’s my job to help him write his first book. On top of that, I’m planning my third book, and I hope it will kick off a whole new series and become popular like Harry Potter. I’m excited about what’s coming next and can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.

Thank you to Roy for sharing his story and journey with us. We look forward to learning more about what comes next!