Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

I am proud to have received a Gold Key Award and two Honorable Mentions for my photography in the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.

“Clock” - Gold Key

“Going Places” Honorable Mention

“Reflecting” - Honorable Mention

Rowing Team Captain

I was voted team captain of my rowing team by both my teammates and coaches. Stepping into this role has been a privilege and I have loved seeing how my own leadership has helped guide my team. I look forward to continuing to see my team grow over spring season

Roman Ambassador

I was selected to be a Roman Ambassador at Latin for all 4 years of high school. As a member of the program, I give tours to prospective students and families, host students on shadow days, and attend/host events for families to learn more about the school and culture. It has been an amazing way to connect not only with my peers but also the next generation of Latin.

Children’s Book

I am very excited to have self-published a children’s book, Lulu & Bixby and the Royal Regatta Adventure. The idea came to me during my time working as a tutor for refugee children at FORA. I realized there were very few books on the market to teach young children about financial literacy. I decided to try writing a story that very lightly touches on saving and growing money to reach goals. Lulu & Bixby is on the shelves at Quimby’s bookstore in Chicago. I have also donated copies to Chicago Lights Tutoring Program and Cradles to Crayons, which are both organizations I have done work with in the past. They do amazing work supporting literacy in underprivileged communities in Chicago.

Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America (FORA) Tutoring

I began working as a tutor for FORA where I worked with students of various ages but most closely with a boy in second grade. Tutors help to improve math and reading skills that mirror what students are working on in school and help build proficiency in different areas of each subject. After working with the same student for the school year, it was amazing to see his growth over the school year and I look forward to continuing this work.

Best Buddies International

I got involved with Best Buddies through a club at my school freshman year. As a club, we do activities with students from another school with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I am so grateful to have met some of the students I have in the past few years, and it has been enlightening to work with them. I look forward to continuing to build these connections in my last year of high school. Some activities we do are making holiday treats, friendship bracelets, and going on friendship walks outside in the park. Best Buddies meetings are not just a break from the busy school day but a great chance to meet new people and try new things.

Give Kids the World Program

I had the privilege to volunteer at the Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee, Florida. While there, I got to help give terminally ill children a cost free, week-long, dream vacation. The village is a very special place for both the families that stay there and for students like myself who had the opportunity to volunteer and be part of such a unique experience for families. I will never forget my time at the village and how fulfilling it was to make a child’s day with what I thought was a small gesture like putting an extra cherry on ice cream or helping decorate a trick-or-treat bag. Bringing a smile to the family’s faces always brought one to mine and has been one of my most memorable parts of high school. After my trip, I knew I wanted to stay involved with the organization. I organized fundraisers and ice cream sales of my own to raise money and stay connected to the special community.