Hi! My name is Anoushka Dugar, and I’m a junior at Mountain View High School and a design student enrolled in Freestyle Academy. I was born in the Bay Area, and have lived in both the U.S. and India. Some of my interests include poetry, Indian classical dance, journalism, and mental health. I love to go to museums, watch national geographic documentaries, spend time in nature, and hang out with my friends and family. Often, you’ll find me curled up with my latest read or watching superhero movies and drinking way too many cups of chamomile tea.
My “Roots”
In life, I value a number of positive qualities or “roots” as I like to call them, which I believe are the foundation for my character and ethic as a person. I believe that resilience, compassion, and authenticity, are three of my “roots” and I strive to work hard and lead with joy in my life. My family members are some of my greatest inspirations and supporters, and their dedication to showing up every day, embracing mistakes, and continuing to lead with love and kindness continue to influence the way I approach my work. Throughout my life journey, I hope to make a difference in the lives of others while also embracing change in my own, so that my “roots” will support my growth as a strong-willed and branched-out “tree.”
My Passions
As a kid, I would often be found in my room, staging dramatic productions, which my parents fondly called, “make-believe games.” My active imagination would spill in moments of daydreaming; during car rides back home, next to classroom windows, and on our living room couch. To me, dreaming gave me the freedom to believe I could be and do anything – from owning a mythical animal sanctuary to excavating ancient ruins. My boundless imagination as a child has fueled today what I embrace in each of my passions — creativity, and curiosity.
I am drawn to the intersections between art and society, and exploring them through my interests in visual arts, writing, mental health advocacy, and student press. With my artistry, I want to embrace my cultural identity and share my personal story while also finding ways of how creative work can unify communities. I currently serve on the advisory committee for the Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate Program, after having served as Co-Vice Poet Laureate from 2024–2025. Since sophomore year, I have been part of the MVHS Peer Counseling Program, where I am trained to provide one-on-one mental health support to students. In August 2025, I completed my Arangetram, a solo South Indian classical dance debut, marking the culmination of more than eight years of learning and six months of intensive training. At school, I serve as the Print Opinions Editor for the Oracle, our student-run publication, and co-host The People We Meet, a podcast on teen wellness.
Through poetry, journalism, design and dance, I hope to continue exploring how creativity has the ability to empower myself to strive to create meaningful change in my community. My work centers on issues I care deeply about; mental health, student voice, and cultural preservation, and reflects my belief that imagination, just like when I was a child, remains one of the most powerful tools we can use to drive creativity.
Why I chose Freestyle
Art, for me, has always been an enjoyable pastime — something which I could admire in a museum or enjoy with my grandma in textile and jewelry exhibits. However, since joining Freestyle Academy, not only do I still enjoy consuming art, I now enjoy creating it. I made the decision to join Freestyle my sophomore year because I realized that this program is an incredible opportunity on campus to explore my identity as a creative and manifest it into meaningful projects, both by myself and through collaboration. I was particularly drawn to the English program at Freestyle, because of my love for creative writing and poetry, which is a significant part of the curriculum. Furthermore, I hope to learn new artistic skills in both Design and Digital Media, to develop a holistic sense of hard work in various mediums of art.
