KIDZ section student awarded scholarship

When Dr. Gonzalo Sabogal, President of the Queens Pediatric Society, read the Queens Courier article about Saad Khamisa, a high school sophomore and science whiz, Sabogal decided to give the boy a helping hand - a $1,000 scholarship to help pay for his tuition at Holy Cross High School in Flushing.
The September article - a feature in the Courier's KIDZ section - described how Khamisa's cancer research and study of nanotechnology will be submitted to prestigious contests conducted by Intel and DuPont.
&#8220We look for students who have a strong interest in science and acknowledge them,” Sabogal said. During his yearlong tenure as president, Sabogal was given the opportunity to choose a scholarship winner, and not only did Khamisa fit the criteria, he also attends the same school that Sabogal attended.
&#8220This is the first time that I reached out to my alma mater,” Sabogal said, explaining that he felt it important to recognize not only Khamisa but also Holy Cross, which had launched the intensive science research program through which Khamisa studies nanotechnology and cancer.
&#8220I thought it was a great endeavor that the school was holding this science program, so I contacted the president of the school, Brother [Stephan] LaMendola,” Sabogal said. &#8220They were very happy that the Queens Pediatric Society was going to recognize him [Khamisa] for his involvement.”
During the scholarship check presentation, both Khamisa and his father, Wazir, had the opportunity to speak with Sabogal and other pediatricians.
&#8220Only a father can feel the joy of that greatness,” Wazir said of the scholarship.
The scholarship was the first that Khamisa had ever received, but Wazir said that he knew his son's smarts would continue to get recognition.
For Khamisa the award meant more than the check to help pay for his high school education. The aspiring pediatrician got the chance to meet some of the borough's top doctors and find out more about the position that he hopes to one-day hold.
In addition, Khamisa learned that being a pediatrician calls for special psychological and social skills to deal with parents of sick children and assuage their fears.
&#8220It was a great experience, and I got to learn a lot of things, like speaking skills,” Khamisa said. &#8220I got to know what goes in the field.”
Only recently did Khamisa decide to become a pediatrician, after visiting family in Karachi, Pakistan during the summer, and finding dire medical conditions.
&#8220I saw kids who could not afford medical supplies like we have here. If they got these medical opportunities, that would be a good thing,” he said thoughtfully.