At eight years old, Sitara Sloan already sees the world with an artist’s eye. A third-grader at New Boston Elementary School, she spends her days multiplying numbers, sketching intricate drawings, and climbing trees—all while dreaming of one day seeing her artwork displayed in a gallery.

School is a place where Sitara thrives, especially in math and reading, but art is where she truly shines. "I like drawing eyes," she says, describing the careful detail she puts into each sketch. Unlike many young artists who love adding color, Sitara prefers black-and-white sketches. "I don’t normally color in my drawings. They’re all pencil," she explains. Her favorite place to create? A bright blue shed decorated with purple accents, a special space that her mother built just for creativity.

Sitara’s passion for art didn’t emerge from nowhere—it runs in the family. Her older sister, Aysha, is also an artist, and Sitara credits her for much of her inspiration. "She likes to draw, too," she says proudly. Their mother recognized their talent early on and gave them a dedicated space to sketch, paint, and explore their creativity. "You can’t miss it," Sitara says of the shed-turned-art studio. "It’s got crayons, colored pencils, and everything we need."

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Sitara is an explorer at heart. When she’s not in school or drawing, she’s outside—climbing trees, making flower crowns, and jumping rope. "I love climbing trees," she says. "My sister taught me how." Though she insists that Aysha is still the better climber, Sitara is determined to catch up.

Her love for the outdoors is balanced by a strong appreciation for books. "I love reading time," she says, lighting up at the mention of The Magic Tree House series. "The first book is my favorite," she says, recalling how Jack and Annie’s time-traveling adventures captivated her imagination. It’s no surprise—her own life is filled with imagination and adventure.

Sitara’s enthusiasm for learning extends to math, even though she admits she’s still working on getting better at it. "I like multiplication," she says. "We just started two-by-two numbers." She recently celebrated an ice cream party with her classmates after passing her multiplication tables—a well-earned reward for hard work. She even shared a trick for quickly multiplying nines using her fingers, a technique that left her interviewer genuinely amazed.

With her artistic talent, love of learning, and adventurous spirit, Sitara is already shaping her future, whether she realizes it or not. Asked if she might want to teach art one day, she shakes her head. "I want my art in a gallery," she says confidently.

When her interviewer tells her how lucky she is to grow up in such a creative, encouraging environment, Sitara pauses. "I’ve never thought about it like that," she says. But maybe she will now.

Because whether she’s sketching in her family’s art studio, climbing the highest branch of a tree, or mastering new math skills, Sitara Sloan is already creating something remarkable—her own path.