Q. In what grade are you currently enrolled?

A. I am currently a senior at Emmaus High School.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject in a broad spectrum is science, but I loved the class AP Environmental Science because it inspired my interests of horticulture and environmental resource management that I am passionate about today.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. I was accepted and graduated from the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences, a summer program at Penn State University where I studied various fields in agriculture for a month. I am also in National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. I received the excellence in biology award freshman year, the excellence in science fair award freshman and junior year and placed first at both the regional and state science fairs freshman and junior year.

Q. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities?

A. I’m on the swim team and involved with the Envirothon team primarily. Our swim team won both the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championship and the district championships during my sophomore and junior year while on the team, and we hope to win again this year. Freshman year I was on the junior varsity golf team, and was on the junior varsity cross country team sophomore year. I was involved with the Steel Hornets FTC robotics team freshman and sophomore years, where we competed in many regional competitions.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. My goal after high school is to study biological engineering with a focus in natural resources at Penn State University Park and minor in horticulture. After getting a degree, I hope to work in horticultural plant research for medicinal crops.

Q. What do you consider your biggest challenge to date?

A. My biggest challenge to date is managing my time between what I have to do for school and my extracurricular activities. I love

to spend time outdoors in my garden and with my chickens at home, but also am devoted to swim practices after school every day. I love to get involved with other clubs like science fair and envirothon, where I can pursue my interests in hydroponics and environmental consciousness. I often find it difficult to get my school work done after an exhausting two and a half hour practice and managing my “micro farm” at home.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I would love to be remembered as a person who is passionate in the activities I was involved with. I often will get obsessed with a project and not want to move on to anything else until that goal is completed.Being remembered for my passion would be a great thing.

Q. Who is in your family?

A. My parents are Sue and Patrick Connolly, and I have one younger brother Aidan Connolly. I have a dog named Zoe, two cats Luna and Lyla and 10 chickens with my rooster’s name being Big Joe.

Q. Whom do you admire? Why?

A. I admire Elon Musk because he is so innovative and ambitious with his plans for renewable energy, futuristic transportation and space travel. It is amazing he is planning missions to Mars and other space travel, which 10 years ago would have been only present in a sci-fi movie. He represents how anyone can build themselves up with enough dedication and drive for what they love to do, as he has done with companies like Space-X and Tesla.

Q. Do you have any advice for your peers?

A. The greatest piece of advice for peers would be to be constructed with a material that won’t rot while in water, just kidding. I would suggest to all of my peers to get involved in as many things outside of school as possible. Between sports, academic teams and other organizations, there is no reason why anyone should be going home at 2:30 p.m.! Getting involved in clubs and activities helps you find out what you truly love and can create some of the best memories of high school, which you will treasure forever.