Q: What grade are you in?

A: I am a senior at Emmaus High School.

Q: What is your favorite subject? Why?

A: If I had to pick a favorite subject, I’d have to choose English. I love discussing ambiguous texts and hearing how everything can be interpreted differently based on the specific reader. I also enjoy challenging myself to become a better writer.

Q: Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A: I have been a member of National Honor Society for two years and am currently serving as the treasurer of the Emmaus chapter. I am also a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Last year I was one of three finalists from Emmaus in the national Penn State University essay contest for high school juniors. In addition, every year of high school I have received the academic excellence award for maintaining a GPA over 4.0.

Q: Are you involved in any extracurricular activities?

A: I have been the Class of 2016 historian since freshman year. I have also been a member of the Emmaus Drama Department for all four years of high school and am acting as treasurer of the club this year. I have been involved in every school drama production, either onstage or offstage, since freshman year as well. I am a member of the Emmaus all-female a cappella group “A cappella” and Select Choir. Completely outside of school, I am a member of my church’s youth choir. I have also taken private art and voice lessons for a number of years.

Q: What is your next goal after high school?

A: My goal is to choose a college that will be a good fit for me and utilize the resources of that school to help me decide on a career path that I will love. I guess you could say that my real goal is just to figure out what I want to do with my life!

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

A: Letting go of the perfectionist mindset I entered high school with has been an obstacle I have worked hard to overcome. Sometimes it can be hard to keep in mind it is okay, and sometimes necessary, to let school go for a night and get some sleep in stead. At the end of the day, it is not the end of the world if you don’t finish that one calculus assignment, which was something it took me almost four years to learn.

Q: What do you want to be remembered for?

A: I would like to be remembered for putting 100 percent into the activities and organizations I love. Hopefully people will remember me as someone who was invested and passionate about whatever I chose to be a part of.

Q: Who is in your family?

A: My family consists of my parents, Deb and Pete, and my brother, Andy. I also have a fish named Thompson.

Q: Do you have someone you look up to?

A: I’m sure you get this answer a lot, but I admire my parents more than anyone else in the world. I can only hope that one day I will be as selfless and caring as they are. When it comes to unequivocal support, I know my parents will always have my back. I also feel like I can talk to them about pretty much anything, which I’ve come to cherish because it is a surprisingly rare trait in high school students.

Q: Do you have any advice for your peers?

A: Two words - get involved. At Emmaus, we are fortunate enough to have a club for just about anything imaginable. I know from personal experience the best friends you make in high school are the ones who share your passions. Enjoy singing in the shower? Consider joining chorus. Interested in theater? Think about joining the drama department. The worst that can happen is you end up not enjoying the class or club you decided to try. High school is the perfect chance to explore your interests, so make it count and never be afraid to try something new.