Since entering high school I have been involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. In ninth and tenth grade, I served on the executive council, an elected judicial board made up of students who hear and help decide the outcome in cases of academic dishonesty and integrity. In eleventh grade, I served as Class President before ultimately being elected All-School President in my senior year. Another activity I am involved in is Action Research, a student group which identifies social issues within the Shipley community, conducts research on these issues, and proposes solutions. Additionally, I played Junior-Varsity Soccer in my freshman and sophomore years of high school, before deciding to manage the Varsity Baseball team in my Junior and Senior years. Also, I have been a part of Shipley’s Handbell ensemble since my freshman year. Lastly, I participate in Shipley’s winter musical every year. I played the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray and Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors.

My favorite club is Student Government. Running for an elected position helped me gain a sense of confidence in high school and I always felt honored to represent my peers.

 

My favorite class is Islam In the Modern World, a history elective which looks at all aspects of the Muslim religion since the start of the modern era. I love this course because students are often given the liberty to research topics within the subject as well as learn about a religion that is often talked about in the news. As an American, it is important to have a solid understanding of Islam when your country is involved in the Middle East economically, in warfare, and as an ally to many countries. If nothing else, Shipley has taught me to put knowledge behind my own opinions.

 

A moment that stood out to me over the past year was Super Saturday. This year, Shipley was able to bring in lights for a night game. Being able to lead the student section and cheer on my classmates was a great feeling. Additionally, the day is filled with great activities such as a carnival, community barbecue, and much more. In particular, I loved being able to run around and hang out with students in the lower school. I remember being their age and looking up to the big high schoolers so being able to put myself in that position was really special.

 

Next year I will be attending the University of Pennsylvania! I hope to major in communications with a focus on public relations and political science. However, I am going in with an open mind and could see myself studying just about anything once I get there.

Take a risk! While I only have very few, it is never good to look back at your time somewhere and have regrets about not doing something. Whether you are trying out for a musical, starting a club, speaking in front of your peers, every student who comes to Shipley should be able to look back at the end of each school year and know that their life would not be the same if they had not taken that one risk.