The Truth of a Lie

Scott Seator Ambassador Award

This award, established in memory of Scott Seator of the Class of 1987, goes to the senior who has demonstrated the kind of critical thinking needed to solve our world’s most difficult problems and who has been involved in other cultures and contributed to making the world a better place.

Tanisha Mehta

“A natural talent at coding who comes up with elegant solutions to complex problems while seeing who is not being heard and raising their profile and voice.”

Don Bergman Leadership Award

Established in 1999 in recognition of former superintendent Dr. Don Bergman, this award is given to the senior who has demonstrated excellence in one or more facets of communication and collaboration.

Kush Kapoor

“Since ninth grade, he has been passionately and actively involved in representing his peers with the aim of creating a community of inclusion and collaboration.”

Outstanding Graduates

Two Eagles receive the Outstanding Graduate Award each year. These awards are presented to students who have been at SAS for at least two years, excel academically, and exemplify the highest qualities of both our desired student learning outcomes and our SAS core values.

Liam Murgatroyd

“This student embodies everything we want to see from a student—a gentle leader who leads by example, makes sure all voices are heard in the room, and makes every group he works with better.”

Rohan Panday

“This student is a joy—respectful, down-to-earth, smiling, stepping forward to help, taking leadership roles when collaborating with others, and taking risks when exploring and learning new skills.“

SAS Student Advocate Award

This award honors a senior who exemplifies our core values, who has demonstrated a deep commitment to equity and inclusion for all, and whose advocacy and actions have had a significant positive influence on our community.

Jay Prakash

“Seeing a void in our curriculum, this student created a documentary and advisory lesson about the LGBTQ+ community that centered voices that are often marginalized or disregarded.”

Cum Laude Recognition

The SAS Cum Laude system recognizes students who achieve excellence in their academic pursuits over the course of their high school careers. Adopted by SAS in 2018, these traditional Latin distinctions encourage rigorous scholarship while giving all students more incentive to work hard, embrace challenges, and explore their interests. Our three honors levels are determined by students’ cumulative high school grade point averages through the fall of senior year. We applaud the 132 graduates of the class of 2022 who graduated cum laude (with honors), magna cum laude (with high honors), or summa cum laude (with highest honors)!

Congratulations

to the 64 students who graduated cum laude!

to the 42 students who graduated magna cum laude!

to the 26 students who graduated summa cum laude!

“As part of our culture of excellence, we are proud to honor our students’ academic achievement through our cum laude system. Modeled after honor systems in place at many universities, our cum laude system is designed to recognize and praise those students who have achieved the highest academic success during their time in high school. Please join me in saluting our students for this much-deserved honor.”

NICOLE VELTZÉ, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

University

Matriculation

University is one more step in the lifelong education process valued by the SAS community. Our graduates are impressive young adults who have prepared themselves not only for college, but also for life. While the list of colleges and universities attended by our graduates is noteworthy, we recognize that this is only one measure of our success as an academic institution.

The following is the list of colleges and universities that members of the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 have chosen to attend. We report university matriculation for the last three graduating classes in order to protect student confidentiality and provide the most accurate picture of where SAS students—including those taking gap years and completing National Service—choose to attend university.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Adelphi University American University Arizona State University Babson College Barnard College Bates College Baylor University Benedictine University (IL) Bentley University Biola University Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brigham Young University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California Polytechnic State University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Clark University College of William & Mary College of Wooster Colorado College Columbia College Chicago Columbia University Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College Denison University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University Durham University Eastern Illinois University Eckerd College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityPrescott Emerson College Emory University Florida Southern College Fordham University Franklin Olin College of Engineering Furman University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Gonzaga University Grand Canyon University Harvard University Haverford College Indiana University Bloomington Iowa State University Ithaca College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Knox College Lake Forest College Lawrence University Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College LIM College Laboratory Institute of Merchandising Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Luther College Marion Military Institute Maryland Institute College of Art Miami-Dade College Michigan State University Middlebury College New York University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Northwestern University Nova Southeastern University Occidental College Old Dominion University Pace University Pennsylvania State University - Abington Campus Pennsylvania State University - University Park Pepperdine University Pitzer College Prairie View A&M University Pratt Institute Princeton University Purdue University Purdue University Fort Wayne Purdue University Northwest - Hammond Campus Queens University of Charlotte Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Ringling College of Art and Design Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University - New Brunswick San Diego State University Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Seattle University Seton Hall University Simmons University Skidmore College Stanford University Stevens Institute of Technology Stony Brook University (SUNY) SUNY at Albany Swarthmore College Syracuse University Tallahassee Community College Texas A&M International University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The New School The Ohio State University Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University United States Coast Guard Academy United States Military Academy United States Naval Academy University of Arizona University of Arkansas University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles Class of 2022 graduates immediate plans:

83% 7% 7% 3%

USA Canada UK Other

86%

of 2022 graduates going straight to college or university

12%

of 2022 graduates going on to National Service

2%

of 2022 graduates taking a gap year

University of California, Riverside University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado, Denver University of Florida University of Georgia University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Houston University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota Rochester University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Mississippi University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of North Texas University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Puget Sound University of Rochester University of San Francisco University of South Florida University of Southern California University of Tampa University of Texas at Dallas University of Texas, Arlington University of Texas, Austin University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Washington, Bothell University of Wisconsin, Madison Utah State University Vanderbilt University Villanova University Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Wesleyan University Whittier College Yale University Yavapai College

UNITED KINGDOM

Aberystwyth University Fanshawe College, London Campus Goldsmiths, University of London Heriot-Watt University Imperial College London King's College London London Film Academy London School of Economics and Political Science Queen Mary University of London School of Oriental and African Studies University College London University of Derby University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow University of Manchester University of Oxford University of Sheffield University of St. Andrews University of Stirling University of the Arts London University of the West of England, Bristol University of Warwick University of York

ASIA

Ateneo de Manila University Chinese University of Hong Kong Chulalongkorn University ESSEC Business School (Singapore) Keio University Mita Manipal Academy of Higher Education National Taiwan University National University of Singapore New York University Abu Dhabi Peking University Seoul National University Singapore Management University Sophia University University of Hong Kong Yale-NUS Yonsei University Yonsei University-Underwood

CANADA

Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus Dalhousie University McGill University Mount Allison University Queen's University Simon Fraser University Toronto Metropolitan University University of British Columbia University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus University of Toronto University of Toronto Mississauga University of Western Ontario

EUROPE

Bocconi University Dublin City University Leiden University Leiden University College - The Hague Les Roches Maastricht University Technical University (TU) Delft The American University of Paris Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin University College Cork University of Groningen

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Bond University University of Melbourne University of New South Wales University of Otago University of Sydney

College Spotlight

Other notable class of 2022 results

Students applied to 42 US states + the DC and will matriculate to 32 states + DC

Besides the US, graduates will attend university in 10 other countries including Abu Dhabi, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand

6 graduates will be student athletes at their colleges in swimming, water polo, squash, rugby, and soccer

2 students will join the US Naval Academy; one is the first SAS student to be recruited by the Naval Academy for athletics

6% of graduates plan to major in fine arts Matriculated to

124

universities

8.38

average number of applications submitted per senior

16

number of countries to which the class of 2022 sent college applications

Applied to

42

US states Most popular universities to apply to, for class of 2022

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

Boston University

New York University

Northeastern University

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Cornell University

University of California, Santa Cruz

2,240

number of college applications completed by class of 2022

500+

number of recommendations written by SAS teachers Matriculated to

11

countries

Most popular universities to attend, for class of 2022

Boston University Carnegie Mellon University Cornell University Emory University George Washington University New York University Northeastern University Purdue University Santa Clara University University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley University of California, Santa Barbara

University of Toronto University of Wisconsin, Madison

Life

After Graduation

The Eagles of the class of 2022 are soaring off to new adventures around the world! The skills, knowledge, character, and friendships they developed at SAS will help them take on new challenges and rise to new heights. Looking back on their time at SAS and forward to fresh opportunities, here’s what some of our newest graduates have to say about what comes next.

Mateo Boffi

Architecture and Design Enthusiast

Next Adventure: Virginia Tech

Eagle since Tenth Grade

Next year I will be attending Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. I chose VT because of its academics, sports, and atmosphere. Most importantly, VT has a great architecture program, and I plan to major in architecture and industrial design. From a young age, I always admired my mom—an architect by trade—and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Architecture and design are two things that really get me excited!

I was really inspired at SAS by the Quest curriculum. Being able to pursue my passion in a professional setting really helped me solidify my interest in architecture. I also took various design classes that I really enjoyed. Outside of school, I was always on the rugby field. I play for school and for Centaurs Rugby Club, and I also coach on the weekends. I hope to keep playing in college and to contribute to the rugby community at VT.

What I most look forward to is just meeting new people. Making new friends and connections in college is such a normal thing, but it's also so exciting! I believe Virginia Tech’s great community spirit will allow me to meet people and build on that community. What I will miss most about SAS is my friends, as over the last few years I've been lucky to meet amazing people. I’ll also miss the school culture; SAS is such a huge melting pot that everyone has a different background, and as a third-culture kid, it’s easy for me to connect with people that are culturally diverse.

If I had to give students one final piece of advice, it would be to take advantage of all the opportunities SAS offers. Get to know what you like (and what you don't like), so you can pursue that wherever you go next. My advice for rising seniors is, don't get too stressed through the process! Everything will work out eventually—give it your all and you'll be happy where you end up.

Jazlyn Brito

Passionate dancer on a pre-veterinary track

Next Adventure: University of California, Davis

Eagle since Kindergarten

Next year, I will attend the University of California, Davis. I chose this school because of the incredible biology and veterinary program. I have always had a great passion for caring for and learning about animals, so I plan to study biology on a pre-veterinary track. As I step into this new chapter in my life, I am most looking forward to the new opportunities I will have and to meeting new people. Two teachers who have inspired me at SAS are Ms. Elena Cherry and Ms. Heather Rodocker, because I have been dancing since sixth grade and they inspired me to be true to who I am. Also, they taught me to be confident in myself while also being a good leader in the dance community. In high school, I participated in dance club and IASAS Dance. I also served as an officer of Stairway, and I was a member of the Black Student Union.

One of my favorite SAS memories is Play Day in elementary school, when we could run around the field playing games like musical chairs with buckets full of water. Other favorite memories involve dancing in so many shows. Recently, the high school dance club presented “Down The Rabbit Hole,” and afterward all the seniors backstage hugged each other tightly. We all had tears of joy for creating such an amazing show, but also tears of sadness as we realized that this was our last time dancing together after so many years.

My advice to younger students is to get involved, and also to ask your teachers, advisors, and counselors for help whenever you need it. To seniors, I would say, start the college process early—during the summer—and stay on top of all the required tasks, so that you don’t stress about it too much later. SAS is special because of its diversity in cultures, many opportunities, and sense of community. I will miss all this, because SAS has felt like home for 13 years.

Owen Green

International Studies in Ohio

Next Adventure: Denison University

Eagle since Seventh Grade

I’m excited to attend Denison University in Granville, Ohio in the fall. I chose Denison for its four-year residential campus, academic quality and rigor, increasing global focus, excellent facilities and resources, and campus vibe. With interests in current events, global security, and government, I plan to focus on international studies and spend time abroad in Asia or Africa to further my fluency in Chinese—or learn a different language! I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with my older brother, a rising senior at Denison.

In high school, I participated in cross-country and track and field. I also delivered meals to elderly Singaporeans each Sunday with an organization called TOUCH Home Care. The challenging academic workload that we adapt to at SAS will pay dividends down the line, especially in college. Several classes with Mr. Ian Coppell strengthened my ability to present information coherently on short notice, and I am confident this skill will help in both college and the workplace.

While I feel ready to move on to the next phase of my life, I’ll certainly be leaving behind the place where I grew up. I’ll never forget racing my friends from class to the cafeteria in middle school to be the first in line for fried chicken. I’ll always remember the rush of relief after successfully submitting high school essays minutes before a deadline. And feeling a paper bowl fold under the weight of the food inside will forever remind me of Hoe’s chicken rice, and vegetables.

I’m really excited about college, and I want rising seniors to be as well. My advice for them is to fully take charge of the college search and application processes. This will communicate to your parents that you are ready to take charge of your future, and will give you a stake in such an important period of your life. Lastly, I’d suggest taking the time to think about what really matters to you. When life gets complicated, prioritization becomes a necessity. It’ll also keep you grounded.

Allenka Jeharajah

Service in Southern California

Next Adventure: Pitzer College

Eagle since Kindergarten

I applied to Pitzer College at the last minute because my sister told me that friends who went there really enjoyed it. When I did more research, I fell in love with it! What really sold me was that I would get the benefits of a small school without losing the opportunities of a big school. Pitzer’s undergraduate class numbers fewer than 1,000, but it is a member of The Claremont Colleges in Southern California. I can take classes at any of the five colleges in the consortium, eat at any campus, and enjoy what each school has to offer.

SAS’s focus on service has really fostered my passion for helping others. Teaching And Sharing Skills to Enrich Lives (TASSEL) was my biggest interest in high school. I felt I was actually making a difference when teaching Cambodian children twice a week and, one pre-pandemic summer, visiting Cambodia in person. I even got involved with the global NGO to help train other chapters. I have also enjoyed working with XSProject in middle and high school, as well as supporting new students and boosting high school morale through Peer Support.

My favorite thing about SAS is the diversity of the student body. In my 13 years at SAS, I have been fortunate to be friends with people from all over the world. Even if they are only here for a year, I feel like I learn a lot from being in such a diverse community. This is definitely an aspect that I used to take for granted, but it is truly a privilege that we won’t get in many colleges.

For rising seniors, my advice is to stay very organized. When you have so many tasks to complete, it can be easy to miss a deadline. Early on in the application process, I created a spreadsheet that organized my college application tasks by deadlines. I also included all the supplements each college required, so that I was keeping track of all my information in one place.

Arshiya Lall

Brain Science and Boston Winters

Next Adventure: Tufts University

Eagle since Sixth Grade

This fall, I’ll be heading to Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. During the college research process, I found that Tufts had everything I was looking for—a medium-sized school with great research opportunities and a community that embraces diversity. Above all, I fell in love with its campus culture and traditions; I can’t wait to experience them for myself. I plan on majoring in cognitive and brain science while minoring in Chinese. I look forward to unique classes, inspiring professors, and like-minded peers. I’m also excited about attending my first Red Sox game, living more independently, and braving Boston’s brutal winters!

SAS taught me that I do not need to limit my passions. Mr. Steve Early’s Accelerated Biology class in ninth grade inspired a passion for biology and the sciences that continued in junior year, when I took AP Biology with Dr. Adrian Price. Free blocks were spent in the robotics lab fabricating and assembling pieces for upcoming competitions. I spent time outside of class advocating for gender equality and planning fundraising events for She’s the First service club. Each of these opportunities taught me grit, determination, and humility while instilling valuable leadership and communication skills.

The people are what make SAS special. We each have our own set of unique interests that we share with others to create collective experiences and a vibrant community. Our spirited pep rallies, nail-biting IASAS games, impactful service clubs, incredible Interim experiences, emotionally charged senior walk, and love for “Bandini’s chicken-65 day” bond us together as we face the rigorous SAS course loads and classes.

My advice to younger students is to make the most of each experience SAS presents you with. And if you can’t find the one for you, create some! You’ll end up meeting teachers and peers who will root for you through the crests and troughs of the SAS high school experience. I continue to cherish the opportunities SAS provides and hope to apply what I learned from them in future endeavors.

Justin Lee

Entrepreneurship on the East Coast

Next Adventure: Northeastern University

Eagle since Seventh Grade

Next year I plan to be studying at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. I chose this school because I'm really familiar with the Boston area and I have a lot of family there. I also chose Northeastern as I was fortunate enough to get admitted into the honors program with a fouryear scholarship. I'll be studying business and entrepreneurship because I've really enjoyed my time running my clothing business, Ambition, at SAS. I am most looking forward to making new friends and taking steps towards a fruitful career.

At SAS, I learned how to be resilient in the face of social and academic hardships. I'd say every teacher has inspired me to reach the best version of myself inside the classroom. They've done this by always challenging me and helping me when I'm struggling. My most rewarding activities in high school included creating a service-club clothing business named Ambition, where I design and produce merchandise for every school sports team and service club that requires spirit or team wear. To date, I've reached 523 total pieces made! I've also been actively involved in the music community at SAS, having joined a band that performs at Independent Performing Artists’ Union (IPAU) break gigs at lunch.

I will miss all the meaningful connections I've formed with people at SAS, as well as the strong community feeling. SAS is a place that gives students so many opportunities to nurture their passions, and I found this really valuable. My advice for younger students and those entering high school is to create a project that aligns with your passions. You'll form meaningful connections along the way, and it's a great step towards a potential future career opportunity. To rising seniors, I’d say, start the college research and application process as early as possible and make the most of all the resources provided to you.

Ryan Lee

STEM Standout

Next Adventure: Cornell University

Eagle since Ninth Grade

I plan on attending Cornell University next year to study mechanical engineering. I chose Cornell, in Ithaca, New York, because of its fantastic engineering program, unique project teams, and seasonal weather. I’m excited to meet others who are also passionate about engineering and making things, as well as the cold winter!

I spent most of high school obsessed with robotics, SpaceLab, and other STEM-related activities. I’d always been interested in making things, but at SAS I had the platform, communities, and support to take these interests to a different level. I participated in and eventually led student-initiated activities in these areas. The freedom to drive my own learning, combined with the incredible support SAS provides, allowed me to excel, and these experiences cemented my passion for engineering.

If anyone at our school deserves recognition and has inspired me, it’s Mr. James Harvey. Anyone who knows him can attest not only to his incredible skills, but to his constant, genuine care and kindness for all. He is a true friendly constant, and the robotics program and I are hugely indebted and thankful to him.

If there's one thing I would emphasize to younger students, it’s to truly explore during your time at SAS. Find a path that’s interesting to you, and move decisively towards it. SAS has so many clubs, classes, and opportunities, and it really is a fantastic place to try new things. At this point in life, it’s entirely possible to reinvent yourself overnight!

To all those stressed out to-be-seniors, don’t lose yourself in the process! It's not worth seeing your classmates as competition, nor should you compare yourself to imaginary geniuses online. Rather than worry about superficial details like a slightly “lower” SAT score, see what you can do to show off your uniqueness and character. In the end, admissions officers aren’t accepting numbers or statistics, but people they can envision thriving at their college. There is no cookie-cutter path to success in life, and neither is there one to college applications.

Anika “Rex” Rudra

Animation Aficionado

Next Adventure: Ringling College of Art and Design

Eagle since First Grade

Next year, I’ll be living my dream as a computer animation (CA) major at Ringling College of Art and Design! In high school, my love for the visual arts expanded to film and filmmaking, and I decided that animation studies could combine these passions. Ringling, in Sarasota, Florida, has been my dream school for years—their rigorous curriculum covers absolutely everything in the animation pipeline. I look forward to learning about what I love in a bright and creative environment where artistic eccentricities are welcomed and encouraged.

I’ve deeply appreciated the SAS emphasis on character and self-advocacy. The academic hustle among the students can get overwhelming, but all my teachers have stressed the importance of seeking guidance or asking questions. These skills, along with self-reliance and accountability, came in really useful during my Catalyst project. I came out of that class with a video essay on distinct visual language in animation that I am still extremely proud of.

I’ll really miss the little corners of SAS where my friends and I used to meet, like the middle school library sound recording booth, the table tennis tables, and the stairwell between the eighth grade and high school. I’ll miss the high school art suite, too—it’s a wonderful place to get inspired by peers and maybe inspire them in return. In a bittersweet way, it’s another thing that has me really excited about going to art school.

I’ve learned that you don’t need to predetermine your entire future on the first day of ninth grade—to make the most of your high school years, let yourself genuinely enjoy things as you learn and grow. I feel very fortunate to have had the high school experience I did at SAS. The guidance I’ve received from teachers, the inspiration and love from my friends, and the selfassurance I’ve found within myself—so much of who I am today comes directly from being part of such a huge, varied community. I couldn’t be more proud to say I’ve graduated from SAS.

Arnab Saha

Duty Before University

Next Adventure: National Service

Eagle since Seventh Grade

On June 28, I will enlist in the Singapore Armed Forces for my National Service. After completing basic military training, I am hoping to be assigned to something that will push me out of my comfort zone, physically and mentally. I will then join Boston University’s class of 2028. I look forward to focusing on economics and international relations, as well as meeting new people.

My greatest challenge at SAS was learning how to make important decisions by myself and adapt to my attention deficit disorder (ADD), something I have always struggled with. While my mother has always been my biggest supporter and fan, in high school I finally learned how to adapt, live, and make up for my ADD on my own without any help or medication. I have achieved many things I previously thought I couldn’t—thriving in science honor society, quiz club, and student government, competing in Varsity Quiz Bowl, and earning the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish.

My favorite memory was my 2019 Interim Semester, my only “real” Interim due to pandemic restrictions. As the plane landed in Auckland, I realized it was the first time I was away from Singapore without any family, and I felt like vomiting through sheer stress. I knew no one on the trip—yet I look back fondly on how I was able to live in a Maori settlement by the shore, go river rafting, and go surfing at the black sand beaches of Aotearoa.

My advice to younger students is to learn how to divide large tasks into simpler parts, which will save you a lot of time. Also, try things that you wouldn’t think you were capable of, not just academically but socially. You’ll discover more about yourself and change for the better. I will miss the SAS sense of community and teachers like Mr. Matt Hughes, Mr. Shane Fitts, Mr. Kristian Ganske, and Mr. Jeff Pabotoy, who are always willing to explain the same concept again and again until you feel comfortable.