|
The Best of the Class of '05
As the school year drew to a close over the past two weeks, area high schools said goodbye to their seniors. In turn, each of our graduating students have bid farewell to what has become their home away from home.
For most of these students, the senior year of high school is a veritable whirlwind of college applications, SAT scores, exams, extracurricular activities and social gatherings. They may have had little time to reflect on the enormous changes that are about to happen in their lives.
Here, we give the students from the top of each class a chance to tell readers a little bit about themselves and to thank all those who helped them along the way.
The Sentinel congratulates each of these students and all the graduates on their accomplishments, and we wish them the best in the future.
Vanessa Merker
Colonia High School
Valedictorian
GPA: 4.0
College attending: Brown University
Expected major: Political science
Career pursuing: Public policy
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Juggernauts captain, National Honor Society vice president, school newspaper copy editor, Model United Nations, recreational volley ball, Patriot Holiday Boat Drive co-founder
Favorite TV show: The O.C.
Least favorite TV show: Trashy reality shows
Favorite movie: Can't Hardly Wait
Favorite food: Cheesecake
Favorite type of music/band: I listen to mostly everything on the radio. Green Day.
Favorite pastime/hobby: Reading
Thing you will miss least about high school: Getting up at 6:15 a.m. everyday (although I'll have to do it again after college).
Thing you will miss most about high school: My friends. You can't replace the people you've known since you were in elementary school.
What you are most looking forward to about college: The freedom - social and intellectual. Being able to pursue my academic interests without worrying about fulfilling requirements. The excitement of living in the city and experiencing all its cultural aspects.
Arpan Patel
Colonia High School
Salutatorian
GPA: 4.21/4.3
College attending:
Northwestern University
Expected major: Mathematics/Honors program in Medical Education
Career pursuing: medicine
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Waksman Student Scholars, Math Club, Interact Club, Juggernauts, Ecology Club, National Honor Society
Favorite TV show: Grey's Anatomy
Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite type of music/band: Punk
Favorite pastime/hobby: Snowboarding
Thing you will miss least about high school: The constant locker trouble, the overcrowded hallways, and the endless homework assignments
Thing you will miss most about high school: The students who defined my CHS experience as priceless and the teachers who made my four-year stay memorable
What you are most looking forward to about college: The independence, social atmosphere, and most importantly,
the academic opportunities available
at college
Heather Schwedel
Colonia High School
Salutatorian
College attending:
University of Pennsylvania
Expected major: I'm undecided but I'm thinking about English and communications
Career pursuing: We'll see where I end up, but I'd love to do something in television, magazines or publishing
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Academic Competition Team, Yearbook, Cross Country, class play, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Model United Nations
Favorite TV show: Seinfeld and Friends reruns or any melodrama about teenagers
Least favorite TV show:
Everybody Loves Raymond
Favorite movie: Mean Girls, Newsies, or Groundhog Day
Favorite food: Honey Nut Cheerios, bologna, and Popeye's fried chicken
Favorite type of music/band: Queen and Broadway soundtracks
Favorite pastime/hobby: I spend entirely too much time watching television, but I also love to shop, read and hang out with friends
Thing you will miss least about high school: Worrying about the next stage of my life. I hope I'll be too busy actually living it to worry. But I'll miss everything else, even the things that annoy me
Thing you will miss most about high school: My comfort zone - my hometown, my teachers, my friends who know me better than anyone
What you are most looking forward to about college: Meeting new people, trying new things, living in a city
Nidhi Jain
JFK High School
Valedictorian
GPA: 4.075
College attending: Rutgers University
Expected major: Pharmacy
Career pursuing: Pharmacy
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Yearbook, French Honor Society, National Honor Society, Student Council, Cricket
Favorite TV show: JAG
Least favorite TV show: (Insert name of latest romantic reality show)
Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite type of music/band: Alternative Rock
Favorite pastime/hobby: Writing
Thing you will miss least about high school: The rules that don't make sense
Thing you will miss most about high school: Everything else
What you are most looking forward to about college: Besides "grease trucks," seeing of what I'm capable when I'm left to my own devices
Sandeep Satish
JFK High School
Salutatorian
College attending: New York University Stern School of Business
Expected major: Finance
Career pursuing: Financial analyst or something on Wall Street
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Varsity Tennis, Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, Student Advisory Council, Newspaper
Favorite TV show: Law & Order
Least favorite TV show: American Idol
Favorite movie: The Sandlot
Favorite food: Baked ziti
Favorite type of music/band:
rap/hip-hop
Favorite pastime/hobby:
Collecting baseball cards
Thing you will miss least about high school: The size of our school
Thing you will miss most about high school: My close ties with friends, faculty and family
What you are most looking forward to about college: Exploring New York City and working under distinguished business professors
Mary Petrick
Woodbridge High School
Valedictorian
College attending: Honors College at Towson University
Expected major: Actuarial Science and Risk Management
Career pursuing: Actuary
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Cheerleading, Future Problem Solvers, senior play, Women's Choir, Show Choir, Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, FBLA
Favorite TV show: One Tree Hill and Gilmore Girls
Least favorite TV show: MTV Cribs
Favorite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
Favorite food: Chicken teriyaki
Favorite type of music/band: Taking Back Sunday and The Used
Favorite pastime/hobby: Scrapbooking
Thing you will miss least about high school: Waking up early every morning
Thing you will miss most about high school: Being able to see my friends on an everyday basis
What you are most looking forward to about college: Living in a new environment
Emil Navarrete
Woodbridge High School
Salutatorian
College attending: Rutgers University
Expected major: Pharmacy Doctorate program
Career pursuing: Pharmacist
Clubs/sports involved in during high school: Track and Field
Favorite TV show: Family Guy
Least favorite TV show: Anything on MTV
Favorite movie: City of Angels
Favorite food: Tostitos
Favorite type of music/band: Classical, Chopin
Favorite pastime/hobby: Watching movies with friends every Friday
Thing you will miss least about high school: Mortal enemies
Thing you will miss most about high school: Being with best friends seven days a week
What you are most looking forward to about college: The change in learning environments ... and the college parties
|