Q. Who are the members of your family?

A. I am an only child; I live with my amazing parents, Kika and John and my two cats Sushi and Baguette.

Q. What do you most enjoy about being a senior at Emmaus High School?

A. I enjoy knowing I’ve overcome all of high school’s major challenges and that now, although I am still making sure to keep up my grades, I can focus on time with my friends and family more than I have since middle school.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject is history. I enjoy learning the progression of events and identifying the catalysts for that progression. I also consider the knowledge of past individuals’ failures and successes necessary to leading a well-guided life. As I have visited my mother’s side of the family in Italy every summer and most winters of my life and have studied Roman, medieval and early modern Italian history there, Italian history has risen to the forefront of my academic interests.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. Freshman year I was a finalist in the National History Day competition in Washington, D.C. Sophomore year, I received a scholarship from the Casa Italiana Language School to take an online AP Italian Language and Culture course and the AP Italian exam. Junior year, I was a National Spanish Exam Gold Medalist. I have also been on the Principal’s Honor Roll since freshman year, I am an AP Scholar with Honors, I have received the Academic Achievement Award at EHS since freshman year and I have received school awards in English, science and Latin. I am a member of the National, Spanish and Latin honor societies.

Q. What are your favorite extracurricular activities?

A. This year, I founded the EHS Italian Club, which I lead together with Mrs. Murray and my fellow officers. I play cello in EHS’s orchestra and Sinfonia. I am a member of Latin Club, Interact Club and the Cops ‘n’ Kids children’s literacy program. I am also a teacher’s assistant for Mrs. Shimmel’s Latin II class. Beyond these, my two favorite things to do are to draw and to listen to, talk about and review music. Music is very important to me and I cannot imagine life without it. My favorite band ever is Pink Floyd and my favorite active singer/songwriter is Sun Kil Moon. Last summer, I worked at the Accademia Carrara art museum and the Caritas charity in Bergamo, Italy.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. I am proud to say that I will attend Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences this fall.

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

A. My greatest challenge was overcoming my exhaustion after the ACT and AP exams to find the motivation to continue to put forth maximum effort at the very end of my junior year. This required support from my parents and tremendous discipline, but I am where I am today because I fought to keep up my grades. I learned a great deal from this experience.

Q. Whom do you admire?

A.I admire my late grandfather, known to me as “Nonno Franco,” for his dedication to his family and work, his fortitude and levelheadedness in the face of hardship, and above all, his love for family, friends, associates, employees, and strangers alike.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I would like to be remembered as a kind person. I make it a priority to meet everyone, including strangers, with cordiality and when anyone needs advice or support, I try to offer mine unconditionally. I hope to be remembered as a friendly and sympathetic person.