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