Paarth wins Young Citizen of Barnet award

Year 11 pupil Paarth Aggarwal was among the winners at the London Borough of Barnet Civic Awards.

AI enthusiast Paarth won the sole 2025 Young Citizen of Barnet award for his work on the application of technology to bring about improvements in education and the environment.

Among his many competition successes, last year Parth took the national title in his age category in the Intel Global AI Impact Festival for his multi-lingual Navigate Ninja app, which offers personalised learning to children with autism.

Also in 2024, he spent three days at a European Space Agency base in Italy after being named the UK winner in the agency’s international competition: he had impressed competition judges with an AI-driven study into reducing waste in Barnet.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I congratulate Paarth on winning a civic award – a very notable local success. He has taken the initiative to get involved in myriad competitions and sought out opportunities to develop his skills, while always at the same time seeking to provide public benefit from his proposed technological solutions.”

Parth was presented with his award certificate and medal at Barnet’s 25th annual civic awards ceremony in Hendon Town Hall by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou.

The citation for his award for Outstanding Service to the Community highlighted his “innovative use of technology to drive positive societal”. It continued: “His dedication extends to developing AI-powered solutions for reducing fly-tipping, promoting technological literacy, and supporting non-native English speakers, showcasing his commitment to inclusiveness and sustainability.”

In his introduction, Councillor Vourou said: “For a quarter of a century, the Civic Awards have been a beacon of recognition, shining a light on the extraordinary efforts of those who strive to make the London Borough of Barnet a better place. We honour their dedication and unwavering commitment to service.”