4333 Factoria Blvd. SE // Bellevue, WA // 980064333 Factoria Blvd. SE // Bellevue, WA // 98006
Senior Destinations Map
pages 2-3
Senior Showcasepages 6-9
Senior Athletespages 12-15
Senior Alphabetpages 16-17
Image By Shine Crazy and Jaime Chen Image By Shine Crazy and Jaime Chen
Vol. 59 No. 6Vol. 59 No. 6June 16, 2021June 16, 2021
2 JUNE 16, 2021News
Washington
California
Disclaimer: This map does not include students who were non-publishable according to NHS records or unable to be reached through reasonable methods.
Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga UniversityJohn ChesneyHenry SchroederJasmine Yip
Green River CollegeGreen River CollegePeter Danilin
Lake Washington Lake Washington Institute of Institute of TechnologyTechnologyRemi Boeholt
Pierce CollegePierce CollegeKylee Forney
Seattle Pacific Seattle Pacific UniversityUniversityJayden ChoMeissa Diaw
Seattle UniversitySeattle UniversityKian KhorramiMiri NakamuraAlen OvallesJoanne WongXuanrui Zeng
Whitman CollegeWhitman CollegeLucas HuangAJ RomeroAngelo SantosNathan WesseliusMikio Yap
University of University of Washington-SeattleWashington-SeattleSamuel AraoAriana BeloiuLucille BendaBenjamin BlattMarina BlattKaitlinh BuiJasmine ChiEmily ChoiKylee ChoiAnthony ChuJorryn Decker ClementYuna DodobaraJonah EggersEashver ElangoDaniel GaoKeven GohAllyson GraylinJennifer HengAidan HongRachel HuElaine HuangJustin HuangKelly JiangAlex JohnsonJackson KetchumAlice KharrasovaAthena KimBenjamin K KimDaniel KimJoshua KimSean Kim
Miki KusunoseChereen KwonChloe LagadonElly LeeGrace LeeJoanne LeeEmily LeungAndy LiAmy LinClaire LiuHelen LiuXinlei LiuMarques LockeKollin LuoMaggie MaSaivi MadanKobey MaltosAlexander MangasarovAshley MeadThomas MillerOviya MuralidharanMaguire MurphyMcKenna NelsonHugh NguyenMariana Osorio WalterosCarson OuTracia PanKatherine ParkHenry QinAngela QuNeha Ramana
Alyssa RamroopIngrid SaldanaSarah ScallonCarl SearleKatelyn ShelbyKatie ShiAllison ShibataWooseob ShinZoya SiddiquiAgampreet SinghJohannes SluisMaia SongWyatt SteereEthan SuSneha SubramanianGrace SuyamaDaniela TerebeyAva TraffordSkyler TsaiCalvin TzenMariia UsatenkoAnushka VarmaNing Yue WeiGabriel WuKevin XuHarvey YangLeo YangFelix YeAndrew YuStephanie YuNicholas YuenClaire ZhangUniversity of University of Washington-BothellWashington-Bothell
Tejasvi NarayananAdam RashwanEmily YangRichard Zhang
Washington State Washington State University University Natalie AlfordBrandon FieldsCristina GilroyKyle GrouwsDaniel JangAnanay JoshiTyler LoMauroRian MarshallJeffrey MyersMason PickeringCal SampleNoah ScottConnor SharonMiljot SinghNirun TurnerJitsu Welschmeyer
Western Washington Western Washington UniversityUniversityMiles FrazerElena Gardes-PicadoMary HudsonAaron LeeBraden RelyeaKahlissa WilliamsAmanda Lei Wong
Cal Poly PomonaCal Poly PomonaArnav Sahu
Cal Poly SLOCal Poly SLORitika ChobheGillian DouglasDane HansenArmaan HudaBrent NakashimaTristan Ruud-JohnsonMadison ThompsonJamie Zimmerman
Cal TechCal TechSagan Russ
Chapman University Chapman University Davis Endow
Claremont McKenna Claremont McKenna CollegeCollegeAnne Mcdonald
Loyola Marymount Loyola Marymount UniversityUniversityAyame BartonSamuel Fenstermacher
Pomona CollegePomona CollegePhyllis Chee
Sacramento State Sacramento State UniversityUniversityJackson Slater
Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara UniversityAnika McCartan
San Diego State San Diego State UniversityUniversity
Destri BernsteinEllie OhNabilah RifRyan ThompsonGarrett Young
Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityKenneth Ma
UC DavisUC DavisLawrence CheungSerena HsiehHamza MasoodHelena SchneiderArvind ThyagarajanAndrew WangUC IrvineUC IrvineBrandon ChanIris ChenSean Conti
Xinzhao JiaSophia LinKiara PrabhuChangrui Tong
UCLAUCLARebecca DePinaIsabelle KludtChloe Pai
UCSBUCSBCaitlin GuglielmoYijie JinKevin SatoUCSDUCSDMarisa HuangNathan LeeZehan LiCaogang ShenUniversity of San University of San DiegoDiego
Priyal GuptaIsabel Reck
University of San University of San FranciscoFranciscoBlake Wittman
USCUSCChristopher HsuTrent Thain
Oregon
Idaho
Oregon State Oregon State University University McKenna Plenger
Portland Community Portland Community CollegeCollegeWilson Anderson
University of OregonUniversity of OregonAiyana Fong
Willamette UniversityWillamette UniversityMargaret MalleyAlexandra Richards
University of Hawaii-University of Hawaii-Manoa Manoa Anna Chhun
Boise State UniversityBoise State UniversityMia Ammon-FlynnJared BasermanDevin CableElla DodgeKayla Shafer
Idaho State UniversityIdaho State UniversityBrookyln Richards
Academy of Academy of Interactive Interactive EntertainmentEntertainmentMax Vanover
Bellevue CollegeBellevue CollegeFahad AhmedAlvin ChenAlex CrawfordPerry DavisQueenie DingHaidar HamzaAndy HongNikola KolevAldon LoboVera NgKyle PunKaley RivasRyan ShinjoBrennan SolimanAmy TangHuan Vu
DigiPen Institute of DigiPen Institute of TechnologyTechnologyRaelyn Brown
Eastern Washington Eastern Washington UniversityUniversityEleanor Logue
Hawaii
3June 16, 2021 News
MAP KEY:
Filled states - NHS students attending college in that state
Blank states - no NHS students in that state
NING WEIEditor
ArizonaArizona State Arizona State UniversityUniversityNatalie CroweMatthew Guglielmo
ASU-TempeASU-TempePuvith Puhazhol
Embry-Riddle Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Aeronautical UniversityUniversityZoe Lawson
UtahSnow CollegeSnow CollegeAngeline David Liesl Monson
University of UtahUniversity of UtahNicholas Edwards
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
Colorado
Montana State Montana State UniversityUniversityJason HoldenJoseph Winter
Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountain CollegeCollegeJoshua Hoffmann
University of MontanaUniversity of MontanaJames Ormiston
University of North University of North Dakota Dakota Noah Anderson
Nebraska Wesleyan Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityUniversityRose Scott
Colorado School of Colorado School of MinesMinesGrace Rausch
Colorado State Colorado State UniversityUniversityReese Jensen
CU BoulderCU BoulderAnvie Gowrishankar
TexasRice UniversityRice UniversityTae Hoe Cho
Texas Christian Texas Christian UniversityUniversityNathan Moore
Trinity UniversityTrinity UniversityKai McClelland
MinnesotaCarleton CollegeCarleton CollegeBrett Hanley
WisconsinUniversity of University of WisconsinWisconsinNikhil KagalwalaBelle Lin
MichiganUniversity of MichiganUniversity of MichiganDaniel HuSeiya KozakaiElaine Zhang
IllinoisSchool of the Art School of the Art Institute of ChicagoInstitute of ChicagoEsther Lee
University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoRichard Yang
Wheaton CollegeWheaton CollegeBerko BiritwumLuke Kim
IndianaIndiana University Indiana University BloomingtonBloomingtonJake Dembo
Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityEma Dodobara Anjan GahirRudra ManianMaria MargineantuAditya MenonYixiao Sun
University of Notre University of Notre Dame Dame Zachary Ebner
OhioCase Western Reserve Case Western Reserve UniversityUniversityAlexander Ratte
Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityMegan ReinkeZeyu Su
University of ToledoUniversity of ToledoAmol Koli
LouisianaNicholls State Nicholls State University University Irena Jensen
AlabamaAuburnUniversity AuburnUniversity Madeleine Shetzline
GeorgiaEmmanuel CollegeEmmanuel CollegeAnnika Lindberg
Emory UniversiyEmory UniversiyGavin FritzCarolyn Han
TennesseeVanderbilt University Vanderbilt University Stuti JainHannah Wang
VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaEric Chen
MarylandUniversity of University of MarylandMarylandTim Zhang
United States Naval United States Naval AcademyAcademySoleil Xie
Washington D.C.George Washington George Washington UniversityUniversitySarah Hendrick
GAP YEARBrayden Bartels Cole Haller Aaron Kleiman (Birthright trip)Mason PonteVaughn Rhinehart (Olin College) Theodore SteadAlexis TamezEdward Xu
US ARMED FORCESUS ArmyUS ArmyConnor Schuldt
US NavyUS Navy Carter Lacey
CANADAUniversity of British University of British ColumbiaColumbiaEverett Rendon
University of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooTrevor Kwan
ENGLANDUniversity of BristolUniversity of BristolBella Fawcett
JAPANTemple UniversityTemple UniversityMaria Kameoka
New HampshireDartmouth CollegeDartmouth CollegeAaron Xie
MassachusettsBerklee College of Berklee College of MusicMusicJerry Li
Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityNaomi BashkanskyNortheastern Northeastern UniversityUniversityAemarie JacintoNishita KhoslaNaomi KimMadelyn KlevenTea Liutkus
University of University of MassachusettsMassachusettsNathaniel Wai
Rhode IslandBrown UniversityBrown UniversityCharlee Arthur
ConnecticutUnited States Coast United States Coast Guard AcademyGuard AcademyLuke Lee
Yale UniversityYale UniversityJustin Chen
PennsylvaniaCarnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon UniversityUniversityAndy JiangNithya KempKevin KyiJason ShenMaggie Yu
Penn State UniversityPenn State UniversityTevin AbeysekeraSooryanarayanan SwaminathanYu-Chuan Huang
University of University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaAmelia GirottoDiana Ouyang
University of University of PittsburghPittsburghRon Jiang
Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityBuyong Kim
Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityJulia Zeng
Fordham UniversityFordham UniversitySamantha Wilcox
Fordham College at Fordham College at Lincoln CenterLincoln CenterSelena Yi
New York UniversityNew York UniversityAndrew Kim
Rennselaer Rennselaer Polytechnic InstitutePolytechnic InstituteGeorge LiRochester Institute of Rochester Institute of TechnologyTechnologyTucker Knapman
New York New JerseyPrinceton UniversityPrinceton UniversityJaime Chen
After teaching here at Newport for 17 years, Mr. Lang has new ventures to discover with his wife in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he will teach at the American International School of Jeddah for at least two years.
While at Newport, Mr. Lang taught several English and Social Studies classes, primarily AP World. He has enjoyed teaching all these classes and marks Newport as a “remarkable place.” He “[adores] the kindnesses that he has witnessed between and among students and between and among staff and students." Mr. Lang stated that “countless times [he has] wandered down a hallway and smiled as [he] witnessed great teaching, student camaraderie, and a collective determination to do good, positive things.” To Mr. Lang, this makes Newport a “wondrous, exciting, challenging, affirming, and fun place to be.”
The craziest thing Mr. Lang has come to face in his 17 years here would be “coping with and living through the covid-19 pandemic.” Although he described the experience as a struggle, it is certainly something that he believes “we will not forget.”
Because of his variety in interests, Mr. Lang teaches in “two great departments, English, and Social Studies, that have been full of great humans who have [pushed] him to be a better teacher.” One of his strongest values lies in attitude and enthusiasm, “[making the process of learning…marginally more fun and interesting” for his students. Surely this great member of our community will continue to thrive in his new environment. Newport will certainly miss his presence.
4 JUNE 16, 2021News
Mr. LangMAGGIE MALLEYReporter
At the end of this year, Mrs. Henderson is wrapping up an incredible 40-year teaching career. From 1981, Mrs. Henderson has been sharing her positive energy, kind spirit, and caring heart with every student who has been fortunate enough to learn from her.
Mrs. Henderson has been a teacher at Newport since 2001 and in her words, is “awed to have worked with some of the most exceptional teachers around.” Specifically talking about the Social Studies department at Newport, Mrs. Henderson adds that “everything students think about the NHS Social Studies Department is actually true. Ms. McDuffie, Mr. Prufer, Mr. Valaas, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Lang, Ms. Landau-Walter, Mr. Wong-Heffter, Ms. Nikula, Mr. Law, Mrs. Smith, Ms. Lopus, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Murphy, and Ms. Heckendorn are incredible to work with.”
After 20 years at Newport, Mrs. Henderson has plenty of fond memories of students and among those memories are times when “students stretched themselves to apply something they have learned to another area of the school, to a friend, to home, and/or to real life.” In the next phase of her life, Mrs. Henderson plans to explore areas she has not had the time or energy to consider, whether that is stand-up comedy, data science, or carpentry. We
wish Mrs. Henderson nothing but the best in this next chapter of her life and thank her for everything she brought to Newport.
Farewell to Our TeachersGAVIN FRITZ
Editor
Image by Gavin Fritz. During his time here at Newport, Mr. Lang is often regarded as a teacher who has been passionate in
his lesson delivery, as seen here in how he works with a less than motivated student.
Image by Gavin Fritz. Mrs. Henderson Speaks to her 6th period class on May
25th 2021.
Image Courtesy of Mrs. Henderson. Mrs. Henderson's first school photo in 1981.
Mrs. Henderson
5June 16, 2021 News
Senior Shoutouts!
Mrs. Pierce
“Ella Dodge, McKenna Nelson, and Ema Dodobara are amazing girls golf captains and teammates and we are going to miss them so
much!”
“Sarah Scallon, hi!!! We don’t know each other well, but you’re really kind and funny, and I
appreciate your help!! To other seniors, I hope you have a wonderful time post-high-school! You will
be missed. :)”
“Shoutout to the seniors on the girls soccer team!!!”
“Shoutout to Anne Mcdonald and Ning Wei for being amazing JSA leaders!”
GAVIN FRITZEditor
As Mrs. Pierce pre-pares to leave her job in the Newport attendance office, we wanted to hear from her about her time at Newport. Mrs. Pierce has been at the Newport attendance office since 2006. Her favorite mem-ories of Newport have been watching three of her kids graduate from Newport through the years. Mrs. Pierce has said that her favorite thing about Newport has been “Being a secret pal to new staff members, reading Knightlife, going to assemblies, and spirit weeks.” Mrs. Pierce “will really miss homecoming week and Hall Decs.”
After Newport, Mrs.
Pierce plans on travel-ing, visiting family, and taking up pickle ball. Isabel Reck (12), who works in the attendance office with Mrs. Pierce said, “In a year where making connections with the adults at New-port has been especially difficult, Mrs. Pierce simply stands out. Every time I see her, she asks about my week and what I have planned for the weekend. I look forward to going to school on Fridays because I know we will get to have our lovely weekly catch-up. Although I have not worked with her long, she has already made a huge impact on my last couple weeks here, and I am so thankful to her for that.”
NING WEIEditor
This year marks Dr. Troutman’s departure from Newport. Having taught at the school for two years, she will soon be leaving Seattle and moving with her family to Austin, Texas. At Newport, Dr. Troutman taught two English courses, AP English Literature and Freshman English, and served as the coach for Newport’s Speech and Debate club.
Reflecting on her time at the school, Dr. Troutman states that she will remember Newport for the incredible strength of its student body. “Through all of the pandem-ic and remote learning, students showed me the joy of teaching, both on the screen and off,” she explained. “I will remember getting to teach some of the most resilient students I have ever encountered.”
One of Dr. Troutman’s favorite memories from her time at New-port is her experience judging last year’s homecoming competitions.
“It was so much fun to see students get creative and engage together in
community,” she recalls. Another memory that Dr. Troutman noted was of one of her students this year who turned Hamlet into a musical set with Taylor Swift songs.
As coach of Newport’s Speech and Debate club, Dr. Troutman led the team to win 2021 state cham-pionships. Recalling his experience working with her, Speech and De-bate co-president Aaron Xie (12) shared that Dr. Troutman was al-ways smiling and cheery. “I’ll miss that,” he added. “She has always shown compassion and kindness during the toughest times.”
Upon leaving Seattle, Dr. Trout-man looks forward to “hang[ing] out with the best kiddos in the world (her son and daughter) and enjoy[ing] almost year-round sunshine while sipping some coffee, of course.”
Dr. Troutman would like to thank “the English department for being the best colleagues and for making me a better educator” as well as the speech and debate team “for giving me a reason to be excit-ed this year.”
Dr. Troutman
Image Courtesy of Dr. Troutman.
6 June 16, 2021Feature
Introducing: Senior ShowcaseCongrats to the Class of 2021! Not only have you finished your high school career, but you
have done so in one of the most unsual years of your life. Highlighted in the coming pages are some of Newport’s outstanding seniors, who have shared the details of their high school journey and plans for the future. The students are grouped by similarities in extracurricular activities, which are a significant part of the college application and, most importantly, one’s high school experience. Enjoy!
Sagan Russ - Caltech, Bioengineering“I was lucky to have a good idea of what I wanted to major in pretty early into high school based on classes and extracurricular experiences. And there were a lot of factors involved with picking a college, but ultimately I chose the one that felt like the best fit.”Colleges considered: University of Washington, Harvey Mudd CollegeActivities: competitive dance, Girls Who Code, DECA, instructing and participating in summer STEM programsEssay: “I used my hair as a metaphor for personal growth throughout my life...it might sound strange but makes more sense when you read it.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I’ve become more confident in myself and met lots of cool people to join me on the journey.”In college you want to: “As cheesy as it sounds, I just want to be happy during college! A degree would be nice too.”
Diana Ouyang - UPenn, Business & Engineering“I really love the small team environment/pacing/excitement of startups, and UPenn has the best business/engineering program for tech entrepreneurs.”Colleges considered: UPenn early decision admitActivities: Community FTC Robotics Team, Competitive Piano, DECA, Debate, LaunchX, Startup InternshipsEssay: “My brother” How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I hope I’ve gotten less socially awkward, and more comfortable with being myself! I still turn red when I raise my hand in class though, so who knows LOL.”In college you want to: “Find a job I like a lot, learn how to manage my own time.”Proudest accomplishment: “Winning Houston Worlds Championships for robotics with some of my best friends in 9th grade.”
Naomi Bashkansky - Harvard, Computer Science“Nominally Stanford beats Harvard in CS, but I find myself more excited to attend Harvard; I prefer East Coast culture, prefer big fish small pond for CS, and am not obsessed with CS (though I enjoy it) & tech startups. Even if those reasons end up being unimportant, that excitement will drive me toward taking fullest advantage of the opportunities provided—which is what matters.”Colleges considered: Stanford, UW CS, UT Austin Turing, Georgia TechActivities: Competitive Chess, Robotics Programming VP, Two-Summer CS Internship, President of Chess Club, tutoringEssay: “I spent 5 hours on a Nearpod about macromolecules (a Nearpod that was meant to take 40 minutes) with my AP Biology small group; we took our time because we wanted to truly learn. Shoutout to Rina, Aditi, and Sienna. :)”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “More confident, happy, and social.”In college you want to: “Do ridiculous things.”Proudest accomplishment: “I gained the chess title of Woman International Master (WIM) at 14.”
Elaine Zhang - University of Michigan, Computer Science & Business Administration“Good computer science and business programs! School spirit! Out of state!”Colleges considered: UW, Purdue, UCSDActivities: Volunteering, nonprofit work, orchestra, teaching job, Knights Who CodeEssay: “Relationship with extended family”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I learned the importance of being fully engaged with every part of my life.”In college you want to: “Work at Google.”Proudest accomplishment: “Learning how to cook well.”
7June 16, 2021 FeatureRian Marshall - Washington State University, Computer Science major & Music Technology minor“It is in Washington and it has the major and minor I want.”Colleges considered: Western Washington UniversityActivities: cross country, chess club, Music Creators ClubEssay: “School is like Peach’s Castle from Super Mario 64. Every painting you jump is each grade level. Enemies are assignments, and every boss is the final test and grades. Once you beat the game, you are off into the real word.”In college you want to: “Get a degree and finish college, but if I still feel good I would like to shoot for a Masters Degree.”Proudest accomplishment: “Making my first song and for my work to be enjoyed by people around me.”
Nathan Moore - Texas Christian University, Pre-business“The campus is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, and I could see myself living there.”Colleges considered: Oregon, VillanovaActivities: Baseball, FootballEssay: “Being the youngest of my local family, and the close relationships I built with them.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “A little taller and heavier.”In college you want to: “I want to graduate.”Proudest accomplishment: “1st Team Linebacker and Tight End.”
Kaileigh McClelland - Trinity University, Psychology “Strong, collaborative academics, plentiful research opportunities, a top-notch psychology program, and an excellent cross country/track and field program.”Activities: cross country, track and field, independent research, National Honor Society, martial arts, Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, Ruhi Institute tutor Essay: “How my mindset surrounding success, achievement, and well-being changed after developing chronic illness in my sophomore year.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I was very much influenced by the idea that the attainment of success is worth sacrificing everything...Success is not about proving your worth or being better than others—it’s about growing, learning, and becoming someone that can contribute to the good of the world, which isn’t possible without respecting the needs of your mind and body.”
Sarah Scallon - UW Seattle, Biology (Pre-med) “Strong STEM opportunities and is also close to family. I’ll definitely be making visits back home to see my cat :)”Colleges considered: Northeastern, UBC, UCSDActivities: Days for Girls, National Honor Society, Newport Track & Field, Newport Girls Soccer, Orchestra, Piano, volunteering Essay: “My involvement with Days for Girls and my desire to help mitigate menstrual inequity.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I have grown an inch and my eye sight has gotten worse :(“In college you want to: “Studying abroad is something I’ve been wanting to do, and I also want to continue studying Chinese!”
Phyllis Chee - Pomona College, Media Studies/Theatre“Since I’m interested in multiple academic disciplines, Pomona’s curriculum made options more flexible for me. Also, because Pomona is a small liberal arts college, students can build great relationships with the professors and are supported with abundant resources from the 5C consortium.”Colleges considered: University of Southern California, UCLAActivities: Theatre, graphic designing, painting, SwiveEssay: “How theatre shaped me after moving back from China.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “Throughout these four years, I’ve become more confident and purposeful from gaining clarity in what I want to accomplish in the future.”In college you want to: “Learn how to script and produce films/shows.”Proudest accomplishment: “Getting into colleges I’m satisfied with.”
Naomi Kim - Northeastern University, Theatre and History“Northeastern has a very broad theatre major that allows me to study directing, acting, playwriting, dramaturgy, and musical theatre. Its also located in Boston, which is a great place to study history. It has an incredible co-op program which allows you to work in your career industry multiple times before graduation.”Colleges considered: Hofstra, University of Maryland, American University, Loyola University ChicagoActivities: Drama, tap dance, cello lessons, FKL, volunteering, mission trip, youth group, orchestra outside of school Essay: “Questioning a pre-existing belief established by my religion” In college you want to: “Create a dramatic project that uses historical perspectives to comment on a current conflict.”Proudest accomplishment: “Accepting what I’m passionate about. ”
Hamza Masood - UC Davis, Biomedical Engineering“I’ve always wanted to do engineering, and biomedical seemed the most innovative.”Colleges considered: University of Southern California, UCLAEssay: “Finding my identity as a Pakistani and an American.”In college you want to: “Start a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Create bonds with cool people.”
8 June 16, 2021Feature
Jason Shen - Carnegie Mellon University, Business/CS“#1 CS program in the world and lots of interdisciplinary classes.”Activities: Swimming, DECA, TAing, internships, and research projects.Essay: “Facing and growing from academic and social pressures.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “Pretty sure I’m a few inches taller now.”In college you want to: “Graduate.”Proudest Accomplishment: “Slept for 36 hours once.”
Justin Chen - Yale University, Mathematics “I’ve always thought math was a beautiful subject because of both its clarity and its interconnectedness. I chose Yale because of they give a lot of course flexibility and I’ve heard people are really nice there.”Colleges considered: University of Cambridge (England), UC BerkeleyActivities: Math Club, Orchestra, Cross CountryEssay: “Learning to lead through math club.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I think have a larger perspective on the world now.”In college you want to: “Write an original research paper!”Proudest Accomplishment: “Winning the state competition for solo viola.”
Rebecca Depina - UCLA, Social Sciences“I chose UCLA because it had been my dream school for as long as I can remember and I am going into the social sciences department as I plan on majoring in business economics or communications.”Activities: Cheer Captain,Varsity Soccer, Club Officer for Girls Who Code, Link Crew, NHS. Club soccer, Bellevue Youth CouncilEssay: “How I found that making personal connections with people was the key to being a good leader and the foundation to building relationships with the people around me.”In college you want to: “Just have fun and meet a lot of new people since we haven’t been able to socialize much for the past year.”
Jared Baserman - Boise State University, Business“I really like the campus and it just seemed like a the right fit.”Colleges considered: Chapman, UWActivites: Track, Link Crew, Aspen How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I learned to enjoy school and not think of it like something I HAD to do.”
Kevin Xu - UW Seattle, Computer Science & Geography“UW was the most affordable option and they have a pretty broad range of opportunities for me to take part in. I chose geography because I love analyzing maps and I chose computer science largely due to peer pressure from friends/family.”Colleges considered: UC Davis, UIUC, University of Wisconsin - MadisonActivities: Swim, Link Crew, APAPA, APACE.Essay: “My experience during a voter registration event and how I became more empathetic because of that.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I’ve grown to be more understanding of other people’s perspectives and more aware of what is going on in the world.”Proudest accomplishment: “Getting through Mrs. Tate’s AP Calc with an A.”
Kenneth Ma - Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering“Math and Science have been my favorite subjects since elementary school, and I knew that I wanted to do something where I could use my knowledge to tangibly affect those around me, which is why I chose engineering. Stanford was definitely my dream school - I’ve always wanted to go to college in California and study at a top-tier school.”Essay: “My experience in Rocketry, and how we got so close to winning it all at nationals before our rocket failed us.”Activites: Rocketry, Orchestra, Swim and Dive, Mission InspirEd (self-founded non-profit), Pioneer Research Program, Math CompetitionsHow you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I’ve definitely become more extroverted and eager to talk to people. I think this comes from developing a better sense of confidence in myself.”In college you want to: “Become friends with Bill Gates’s daughter and make my way up the food chain.”
9June 16, 2021 Feature
Priyal Gupta - University of San Diego, Business major and Chemistry minor (eventually attend dental school)“I chose USD because of their beautiful campus and the size of the University. Its medium size will allow me to have a personalized path while getting many resources and opportunities from the university.”Colleges considered: UW, Chapman University, Gonzaga University, University of Denver, Seattle UniversityActivities: Marching band
Jasmine Yip - Gonzaga University, Nursing“I’ve always loved helping others and wanted to go into healthcare.”Colleges considered: UW, UC IrvineActivities: BandEssay: “Moving from Hong Kong to Seattle and how it has shaped me into the person I am today.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I have allowed myself to step out of my comfort zone and took on multiple leadership roles. I would have never imagined myself doing that when I was a freshman.”Proudest accomplishment: “Getting direct admission into the School of Nursing.”
Yuna Dodobara - UW Seattle, Undecided/Informatics“I’ve always wanted to go there since I was little.”Colleges considered: Seattle U, UW BothellActivities: Scarlet Knights Percussion, Newport Pride Marching Band, Eco Club, Cisco, Basketball (Recreational), PianoEssay: “Relationship with my Grandma”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I think I am more proactive now and I’m more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone.”In college you want to: “Join the marching band!”Proudest accomplishment: “Being part of 2 undefeated seasons with SKP.”
Zoë Lawson - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, Forensic Biology“ERAU has all of my ideal classes, incredible disability services, perks for students, and staff are amazing.”Colleges considered: Northern Arizona, Montana State, Western Michigan UniversityActivities: Cover and Choreography, LatinX, Eco Club, Camelot Club, Track, XC, Band, Leadership Essay: “Being diagnosed with autism right before the pandemic”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I have focused more on myself as well as trying a lot of new things I never expected.”In college you want to: “A road trip to my hometown of Chattanooga, TN as well as study abroad.”Proudest accomplishment: “I got into 2 national conventions to represent Newport as well as Washington State.”
Vaughn Rhinehart - Gap year, then Olin College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering“It’s a top quality school with an tight-knit community and the unique characteristic of not making its students miserable.”Colleges considered: UWActivities: Music Essay: “My favorite and most significant project, my replica of the Voder, the world’s first electronic speech synthesizer. I learned a ton about myself and how I work through that project.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I’ve become a lot more understanding of all the factors that go into a person, both for myself and for others.”In college you want to: “Do some really cool projects with some awesome people and hopefully make some lifelong friends. Oh, and I would also like to learn engineering.”
Thomas Miller - UW Seattle, Physics“It’s fairly familiar and in a place I love but it will also be brand new because I’ve never lived in Seattle before.”Colleges considered: Cal Poly, University of Hawaii Activities: Cross country, trackEssay: My brother How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I’ve definitely learned to go outside of my comfort zone more. I’ve grown to be much more confident in myself and able to speak up.”In college you want to: “Get an internship and not gain 15 pounds my freshman year.”Proudest accomplishment: “Becoming a link crew commissioner and getting to be a part of a really great program with amazing people that I’ll never forget. And taking 5 years of French but still needing subtitles when we watch Ratatouille in class.”
Saivi Madan - UW Seattle, Computer Science“The Paul G. Allen School of Engineering and Computer Science is one of the best programs for CS! UW is also close to home but still a change!”Activities: IAWW, Link Crew, Girls Who Code, Teacher/Manager at MightyCoders, JSA and regional Cabinet for PNWJSA, Class Office, DECA, XC, National Honor SocietyEssay: “How my experiences with my sister influenced my independence.”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I gained a lot more confidence as I grew up and learned how important it was to put myself out there. I took a lot more risks in high school!”Proudest accomplishment: “Building up the courage to run for class office or getting a promotion at my job!”
Madeleine Shetzline - Auburn University, Nursing and Army ROTC“I wanted to attend school in the south, where they have a big greek life system, and a big football school.”Colleges considered: UC Irvine, University of South Carolina, Clemson Activities: cheer, gymnastics, tennis, track, link crew Essay: “My grandmother”How you have changed, from freshman to senior year: “I have gotten more independent, and learned to work harder to achieve what I want.”Proudest accomplishment: “Getting the Army ROTC scholarship.”
10 June 16, 2021Feature
In Loving Memory of Alex NivenCAROLYN HANEditor
The class of 2025 moves forward knowing not all seniors are with us. Known for his sunny smile and golden heart, Alex Niven (12) passed away in April of 2020. Though he will not walk on stage during graduation, the impressions he made stay.
Mr. Godley, his Spanish teacher, noted how Niven was never caught up in nitpicky things. Characterized as an old soul with a grounded sense of the world, Niven’s ability to go with the flow was phenomenal. His aunt, Ms. Pauley, recounted one example. Stuck in traffic, the two were late for an important event. Seeing her concern, Niven simply responded, “It’s ok. At least you cared enough to worry.” In a moment where many would have sulked, Niven accepted what life gave him and prioritized another person’s feelings.
Embedded in his acceptance of life was an embracement of all experiences. Classmate Luke Lee (12) emphasized that Niven seemed to live fully, experiencing the bad and good with passion. Indeed, Niven defined happiness by his own terms. Even after leaving the school orchestra, Niven continued taking private violin lessons, his father, Mr. Niven, shared. The lessons were something Niven looked forward to, and he never wanted to be good—he
just enjoyed playing. Niven also had a playful persona,
one that shined through in his love of rollercoasters. The scarier the ride, the better: Niven was amused at how freaked out everyone was.
One universally-held belief is that Niven was not afraid to be himself. Spanish teacher Ms. Swann underlined an all-time career highlight: the class where Niven passionately performed a self-composed, pages-long rap about the environment. Hyping up his classmates, Niven’s authentic originality made everyone love him even more.
Citing him as the prime example of an awesome human, Niven’s friend, Huan Vu (12), affirmed that Niven’s support of others was out of this world. Mr. Niven shared these sentiments. Never complaining about anyone, Niven preferred cooperation
over competition. During every game store visit, Niven would always choose a collaborative board game. Whenever asked what he wanted to do, Niven’s first response was to do whatever his
sister wanted.It was not just
selflessness that characterized Niven’s relationships, however. He had a genuine care in connecting with people. During a chat about reading (one of his favorite pastimes) Ms. Pauley remembered that Niven would go in depth about not the plot, but the characters and their growth.
After moving, Zoë Lawson
(12) found her first Washington friend in Niven, who helped her deal with
the Pacific Northwest culture shock. They bonded through their interest
in crime scene investigation and forensic science, a path Lawson will soon pursue with Niven in her heart.
Music was another vehicle through which Niven connected with the world. Ms. Pauley recounted how he loved to talk about his own music production. Agreeing how metal music’s organized cacophony could be therapeutic, the two explored music and discovered an album: Night Demon’s Curse of the Damned. Reliving the memories of her and Niven playing air guitar to that album, reminisced Ms. Pauley, brings her comfort. Highlighting his music recommendations, the Instagram account, @the.alex.music.project, run by Niven’s sister, is an avenue through which friends can continue to connect with him.
Niven inspired happiness and awe. For his friends and family, having the time to share music and laughter during challenging situations was undoubtedly special. Warming our hearts, these shared moments will never be forgotten.
Their Next Adventure: Service AcademyERIC HANReporter
For most students, finishing school means going to college or joining the military. However, some seniors are superhumans and will do both.
Each year, thousands of applicants apply to a service academy. Awaiting every hopeful is a lengthy application. Luke Lee (12), an incoming freshman at the US Coast Guard Academy, warned applicants to start early: “The summer goes by in a whiff ...there’s a lot you need to do.” Soleil Xie (12), who will be attending the US Naval Academy, offered her application experience as proof: “I opened my applications around mid-October. As a result, most of my stress was compacted into one month.” Further emphasizing the busy schedule, Xie shared, “The West Point [admissions] officer also sent me an angry email scolding me
for not starting earlier.”
Only 4,000 slots are available each year for all five service academies. This route is incredibly uncommon, so what attracted the attention of Xie and Lee? Both had role models interested in the same path: Xie’s older sister and Lee’s older cousin applied to West Point. Speaking about his cousin, Lee said, “I really looked up
to him. He was a really nice guy and had a really good heart.”
Xie she found herself drawn towards the Naval Academy after an alumnus of her swim team came to visit. Planning on majoring in computer science or cyber operations,
she found the Naval Academy more enticing
than West Point, in part because
the Naval Academy is more heavily STEM-focused. Lee, who plans on majoring in mechanical engineering, also found the STEM-focused Coast Guard Academy to be the best option.
The focus of the academies is to prepare cadets to become officers. However, the majority of officers come from the more recognizable ROTC programs. Xie applied for an Army ROTC scholarship, saying, “That was my backup plan if I didn’t get into an academy.” Lee, on the other hand, explained, “I would have probably gone to UW if I didn’t get in.” Elaborating, he emphasized that he would not want to do “part-time college,and part-time army.”
Soon, Lee and Xie will embark on journeys to become leaders in the armed forces. Best wishes to both!
Image courtesy of Luke Lee (12). With a freind, Lee stands proud in his academy t-shirt.
Images courtesy of Ms. Pauley and Mr. Niven. Alex Niven (12) pictured at Gasworks park (above) and during one of his NTV movie reviews (right).
