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 two amazing parents, Jim and Chrissy, have raised myself and my sister Taylor, our two dogs Minnie and Mollie and our cat Simba.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject I have taken at Emmaus is economics. Although I plan to either major in biochemistry or neuroscience, economics has always been a personal interest of mine. I had the pleasure of having Mr. Parish as my teacher for AP Economics, and he truly made the subject interesting. The practical applications of the subject are like no other, and it is amazing to see the concepts that I learned in that class get applied to real world issues in our country. After taking the course, I am able to follow along on the news about most economic policies they are discussing. Mr. Parish also advises the economics and investment club, of which I am the president. In this club, we learn about economic concepts and compete in stock market simulators. I encourage anyone at Emmaus to come visit the club and I strongly recommend any high schooler to take any economics course.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. Just recently, I participated in the First Annual Keystone Symposium at Kutztown University on Mathematics Research by High School Students, in which I placed third. During quarantine, I organized a photography project that raised over $1,250 for the Angel Network. This project had me recognized in the Morning Call as one of the “Hometown Heroes” of the Lehigh Valley. I have received Principal’s Honor Roll and the Academic Excellence Award throughout every year of high school. Annually, teachers at Emmaus nominate students for the Excellence Awards; of which, I have earned the Excellence in Biology, Chemistry, Literature, Digital Media/Photo and American Studies I awards. I have been recognized by the College Board as an AP Scholar with Distinction and I am the recipient of the College Board National Rural and Small Towns Award.

Q. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? How has being involved these organizations impacted your high school experience?

A. I am a varsity athlete in cross-country and volleyball and I participate in other athletic clubs such as winter track, fitness team and winter sports club. I am the president of the economics and investment club and I am a part of Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. I am also a member of Sinfonia Orchestra, which is an audition-based group separate from our orchestra class. I have also participated in Academic Team and Science Bowl, in which we have flown to Atlanta to compete in the NAQT High School Nationals.

Getting involved in Emmaus has been a game changer for me – I am always trying to get out of my comfort zone and by trying new things, I have been able to figure out who I am as a person. Our old cross-country coach, Kelly Bracetty, always said, “The comfort zone is where dreams go to die.” I understand that although it may be uncomfortable, it is important to meet new people and to become exposed to different ideas and experiences. I have learned so many life lessons over the years and I can’t wait to see what new things I can try in my college experience. Without participating in the activities that I do, I would have had a very bland high school experience. Since I have left no stone unturned, I know that I have used every opportunity Emmaus has offered me and I know that my involvement in countless experiences has impacted my life in a way that allows me to be confident in myself and my future endeavors.

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

A. My biggest challenge to date was my junior year of high school. There is always the rumor that 11th grade is the hardest year, but I was still surprised at the amount of effort I needed to put in. I was taking AP Calculus BC, which is the equivalent of college calculus 1 & 2, AP Economics, which is the equivalent of college macroeconomics and microeconomics and AP Physics 2. This was my most challenging course load to date and I truly needed to hone in on my study skills and develop discipline in myself.

My time management skills increased exponentially and I became less of a procrastinator. Although I was up late almost every night and lost a lot of sleep, I am proud to have completed all of these classes with flying colors. I know that college will become increasingly more difficult than high school and after taking all of those difficult classes at once, I know that I am prepared for college and that I am confident in my ability to succeed.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. My goal after high school is to get a bachelor’s degree in either neuroscience or biochemistry and to pursue medical school afterward.

Q. Whom do you admire? Why?

A. The people I admire most are my parents. I have never met anyone else who has been more supportive of my endeavors. They are always there for me: they always attend my XC and volleyball games and they are always rooting for me to succeed. They are some of the most generous people I have ever met and they have always done their best to make me the best person I can be. I am very fortunate to have such great role models in my life and I am so proud to have them as my parents.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I want to be remembered as the person who was always positive, the one who always lent a helping hand and as someone who was not afraid to try new things. During my senior year of cross-country, I was always emphasizing the importance of getting out of your comfort zone to the younger athletes. I strongly encouraged the freshman to attend events like Homecoming and I made it clear that joining new clubs and trying new things is the best way to develop as a person. I want to be remembered as the kid who always was welcoming and encouraging to others in all scenarios; I will always be there to lend a helping hand.

Q. Do you have any advice for your peers?

A. The sooner you can become disciplined with your work, the better. Time management becomes more important the longer you are in high school, and study skills are extremely valuable for both high school and college. Staying on top of your assignments and having a good work ethic are probably the two biggest tips I can give for having academic success in high school.