Windermere Prep freshman Diya Somnali led Lakers in Central Florida Brain Bee

The annual neuroscience competition saw Somnali finish in the top 10 and Windermere Prep be awarded best overall school

By Sam Albuquerque
| 7:24 a.m. February 9, 2024

West Orange Times & Observer

Windermere Prep freshman Diya Somnali participated in the Central Florida Brain Bee competition at UCF, an annual neuroscience competition that tests students in areas such as sensations, emotions, and consciousness, as well as in their knowledge of brain dysfunctions such as Alzheimer’s, autism, and addictions.

Somnali led the Lakers in the competition, finishing in the top 10 in the lightning round and participating in two different testing sessions, while Windermere Prep was awarded best overall school.

The local chapter of the competition, which is one of 200 under the International Brain Bee competition umbrella, was established in 2015 with the goal of increasing awareness and interest in neuroscience among high school students by hosting this competition.

More than 40 students from schools across Central Florida, that also included Windermere High, participated in this year's local edition of the event.

author

Sam Albuquerque

A native of João Pessoa, Brazil, Sam Albuquerque moved in 1997 to Central Florida as a kid. After earning a communications degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida, he started his career covering sports as a producer for a local radio station, ESPN 580 Orlando. He went on to earn a master’s degree in editorial journalism from Northwestern University, before moving to South Carolina to cover local sports for the USA Today Network’s Spartanburg Herald-Journal. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his lovely wife, Sarah, newborn son, Noah, and dog named Skulí.