Q. In what grade are you currently enrolled?

A. I am currently enrolled in 12th grade at Emmaus High School.

Q. Please provide the first names of your family members: parents, siblings and pets.

A. My mom is Lisa, my dad is Rob, my brother is Josh and my two dogs are Maisy and Rosie.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject is environmental science. I am very passionate about the environment and take interest in discovering ways to combat pressing environmental issues such as climate change. We have a finite amount of resources on this Earth, so I think it is very important that everyone, especially the younger generation, take action.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. I have received high honor roll throughout my entire career at EHS and received a World Language Award my freshman year.

Q. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? How has COVID-19 impacted these activities?

A. I am involved in the activism club, Students Organizing Against Racism (SOAR) Club, National Honor Society and am historian for the Class of 2022 at EHS. COVID-19 had made it harder to engage with other club members previously as most meetings were held over Zoom; however, now that we’re back in person things have been great.

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

A. My biggest challenge to date would probably be trying to regulate my stress levels when it comes to my school work. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself which is not beneficial in the long run. Everyday I am working on it and am getting better at it.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. After high school I will be attending the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt. My major is currently undecided, but I am leaning toward something environmental.

Q. Whom do you admire? Why?

A. I admire most of the people in my life, but if I had to pick I would choose my mother, Lisa. It may sound cliché, but she has done so much for me and I have developed a very great relationship with her. Everyday she works so hard not only for her family but for her third grade students at Lincoln Elementary School as well. She truly has a kind soul and every day I am so proud of her.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I would like to be remembered for inspiring people to make a change. Whether it’s a small change within themselves, within their community, within the country or within the whole entire world, it is always worth it to take a step toward love and acceptance toward the people (and the Earth) around you.

Q. Do you have any advice for your peers?

A. My advice for my peers is this: you don’t need to have everything figured out just yet. We have so much pressure on us at this age to figure out the next 10 years of our lives. I spent a majority of my senior year stressing and panicking about which college to go to, what to study, what career I wanted and what life I wanted to have many years from now. The truth is, I don’t think anyone – at any stage in life – really knows what they’re doing. Life is never set in stone, things are constantly changing and sometimes I think we take life a little too seriously. So change your major, change it twice, change it again until you’re happy. Switch your career, transfer colleges or move across the country, if that’s what you want to do. Do things in your life that make YOU happy. Don’t dwell on the past and don’t worry about the future. We are so young, don’t waste it worrying.