Q: What grade are you in?

A: I am in the 12th grade at Emmaus High School.

Q: What is your favorite subject? Why?

A: My favorite subject is physics. The way our world works has always interested me and I think about our unlimited possibilities all the time. So when I found a subject that is literally the study of matter and its motion through space and time, I was hooked. The class is a challenge because the ideas are difficult to understand at times; however, physics is a subject I can work through for hours until I get it right. It never bores me and that’s how I know it is my absolute favorite subject.

Q: Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A: I have received a position in National Honor Society, German Honor Society and Tri-M Honor Society. I am also on the Principal’s Advisory Board. I have received a certificate of academic excellence the past three years. Outside of school I was given the highest recognition of superior plus for vocals in the Lehigh Valley Music Teachers Association Achievement Awards auditions. I have also placed in the district and regional levels of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District Chorus Festivals for Chorale.

Q: Are you involved in any extracurricular activities?

A: I am president of Habitat for Humanity and hiking club as well as secretary of astronomy club. I sing in select choir for the school and take private voice lessons. I am also on my 11th year of piano lessons. Finally, I am on the school’s fitness team.

Q: What is your next goal after high school?

A: My next goal after high school is to complete all of my schooling in order to get my Ph.D. in astrophysics.

Q: What would you say your biggest challenge has been so far?

A: My biggest challenge has been learning how to balance the life I have made for myself. I stretch myself in every possible direction, mainly because I want to be involved in everything. However, we all know “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” When life didn’t go the way I expected I did not handle the pressure well. Getting through my crazy schedule was nearly impossible, so I changed how I handled unexpected situations. Dealing with my stressful lifestyle was difficult, but I feel this year I have been successful in overcoming the challenge.

Q: What do you want to be remembered for?

A: I want to be remembered for my confidence. I cannot remember the shy person I used to be but I want to be known for putting myself out there this year.

Q: Who is in your family?

A: In my family I have my mom, Maryam, and my dad, Peter. My older sister, Chrissy, is in college, and my younger brother, Nick, is a junior at Emmaus. I have six cats, named George, Melody, Freddy, Agador Spartacus, Bella and Sandy.

Q: Do you have someone you look up to?

A: I do not have a single person I look up to. I mix together family members, friends and famous people to create one awesome human being I can picture myself looking up to. There are many qualities I value in a person, but those qualities are not all found in one person. I have friends my age and adults older than me who I look up to because they possess individual traits I respect. Therefore my idol is a mixture of all the people I look up to.

Q: Do you have any advice for your peers?

A: My advice is to start getting involved in as much as possible. Whether it is going to a football game, joining a club or talking to new people- just put yourself out there. I feel like my first three years of high school were spent getting over my shyness and I regret not doing more because I was afraid of what people would say. You need to stop caring what people think, because I guarantee nothing is worse than looking back and wishing you had done something you have no chance of repeating.