Q. In what grade are you currently enrolled?

A. I am currently going into my senior year at Emmaus High School.

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

A. My parents are Jessica and Donald Clarke. I have two older brothers whose names are Jared and Devon, as well as a 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Zena.

Q. What is your favorite subject? Why?

A. My favorite subject has always been English. I have a passion for reading and writing. I enjoy being able to not only express myself in my own writing, but also see how authors use different techniques to represent themselves.

Q. Have you received any special awards or recognition?

A. I have not received any special awards or recognition, unless you consider winning best Connect 4 player at my middle school summer camp an award!

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

A. I am in National Honor Society, which has in turn connected me with a passion for volunteering. Since being inducted, I have spent a large amount of my time helping around in my community. Being involved with NHS and volunteering has positively impacted my high school experience. It helped me to find new friends and create relationships with people around my community.

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

A. I would say my biggest challenge to date is disconnecting myself from the people I used to surround myself with and finding a new group of people who are more encouraging of appropriate behavior. While giving up everything I had known and feeling completely alone is difficult, the outcome is worth the risk.

Q. What is your next goal after high school?

A. While I’m not sure on what I want to do after high school, I know I do want to go to college and possibly major in education with a minor in math. It’s hard to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18 but I hope along the way I find something I have a strong passion for.

Q. Whom do you hope to emulate? Why?

A. I hope to emulate my mom throughout my life. She is one of the strongest people I know, in many different ways. She has always been supportive of all my decisions and has helped to push me through my life. I hope to emulate her because she is always there for others and anyone can go to her when they need someone.

Q. For what would you like to be remembered?

A. I would like to be remembered as a person who was always willing to help anyone who needed it.

Q. Do you have any advice for your peers?

A. My main advice for my peers would be to surround yourself with people you want to be like. Your friends are the biggest influences in your life in high school, so be around people you admire.