St. Luke's Top Teens to Watch 2020

How would you describe yourself?

“Two adjectives that I would use to describe myself are helpful and energetic. Whether someone needs assistance with a small

homework assignment or needs a fresh set of eyes to look over an essay, I am always willing to lend a helping hand. I am also a very energetic person. Whether I’m in class, on the tennis court or just hanging out with my friends, I am always excited to tackle a new day with verve and enthusiasm. I think my teachers would say that I am engaged in class and an overall good classroom presence. I always come into the school day excited to learn. I like to participate in discussions, learn new material and spend the time getting to know my classmates and teachers better.”

a community that is welcoming, accepting and supportive. The community is one I’m proud to be a part of, and the school is a place that I’m excited to go to every day.”

Jillian Hetherman

What are your college plans?

“The main thing that I am looking for in college is to find my passion.

I am excited to try different classes that I haven’t yet been able to take in high school and, hopefully, find something that I am passionate about and can build a career around.”

Biyeni Eusebio, Campbell Beaver and Sophia Viscarello middle row: Moli Ma, Josh bottom row: Zachary Tusa, Ro

FRANK “TANK” INTRIERI

QUICK Nicky Winegardner TAKES

Elyse Kim

BRUN SW ICK

ST. LU KE'S

Tip for succeeding in high school: “Work hard. It doesn’t have to come at the expense of other things, like extracurriculars or social events, but putting in the extra time to review material for a test or proofreading a paper one more time goes a long way towards success.”

SCHOOL

ZACH AMENDOLA

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Favorite extracurricular: “Tennis. I loved the sport for a long time, so when I started high school, I decided to go all in. I did multiple clinics a week, took private lessons and played in tournaments most weekends. I have loved playing tennis, and I have made great friends through all the time I have spent on the court.”

Connor Rosow

Currently binge watching: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but my all-time favorite show is The Office.”

Favorite local place: “Dairy Queen.”

Ayla Shively

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Given everything that’s going on right now, what role can teens take now? “I think that What did you like about during these unprecedented top row: St. Luke’s? “One of my favorite times, one of the most important things about my school is the things for teens to do is to follow community. The faculty and the national and state guidelines students have been able to foster on how to keep themselves and others safe. This includes wearing a mask, socially distancing and washing your hands, among other things. Even though we are not at the highest risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus, our actions can still help to minimize the spread of the virus.”

ELYSE KIM

’20

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Y SHADES SHUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHY; TELESZ BY KRISTIE KISTNER PHOTOGRAPHY; ALL OTHERS, CONTRIBUTED

Do you have a favorite subject?

“My favorite subject is math, and it has been for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school, I would get excited whenever we did “Mad Minutes”— worksheets where you had a minute to answer as many of the sixty problems on the page as you could. Now, as I’m traversing my way through more complicated topics in calculus, I still find that same excitement when I finally find an answer to a seemingly impossible problem or when I see an application of a previously confusing theorem.”

CONNOR ROSOW Frank "Tank" Intrieri ST. LU K E'S SC H OOL

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HENRY JODKA

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These 6 deep-thinking, big-hearted, challengecrushing, totally amazing teens are the inspiration boost you need now pg.30

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6 Fairfielders Blazing a Path Forward

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ith a world as complicated as Planet Earth 2020, take heart in the emerging generation of doctors, engineers, performers, athletes, writers and community changemakers. For proof, we present six local teens who are making the most of these years, discovering innate talents and developing a taste for taking a chance on new interests. Space does not allow for all of the accomplishments they have achieved throughout their high school years, but we suspect this is not the last you will hear about these Fairfielders. To our eyes, they make the future look very bright, indeed. b y d i a n e s e m b r o t

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Jillian Hetherman James Flink Allison Telesz

Connor Rosow Claire Cherniske Kevin Miller

QUICK TAKES

CONNOR ROSOW

Advice to high school freshman: “Be prepared to make the most of your high school experience.

Don’t just cruise through the easy classes.

Try to find classes and activities that are fun and fulfilling.”

St. Luke’s School

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ow is it possible for a student to sail through AP, Honors and high-level STEM classes? Ask Connor Rosow. This Fairfielder’s academic talent became clear when in junior year at St. Luke’s School, he took an independent study on sailboat design and prototyping in conjunction with the school’s designLab. He picks up awards—Math, designLab, Stagecraft, the Dartmouth College Book Award, Thespies Theater Awards, Rookie Award and Master Craftsman Award—as nimbly as he navigates marks on the water. An avid sailor, he found time to serve as Junior Commodore at the Pequot Yacht Club, for which he coordinated several events in the summer sailing program, as well as volunteer for the Special Olympics Sailing Games. A STEM scholar, Rosow won his school’s Hackathon for inventing a GPS-based locking mechanism. Also, he knows how to put on a show, learning lighting design for theater and teaching it to other students as well as serving as student technical director. He now attends Tufts, studying mechanical engineering and theater—and will continue to teach sailing each summer.

Favorite subject? // “I’ve always loved physics. It’s super cool to me how you can model real-world actions through the application of fairly straightforward mathematics.

It’s also a significant part of working in engineering—for obvious reasons.

I’ve always wanted to be an engineer, so that played a significant part in my love of physics. On top of that, I’ve had strong relationships with all of my teachers in that area, so that also helped to foster my love of the subject.”

What was a high point in high school? // “My greatest success in high school was my work as lighting designer and student technical director for my school’s production of Pippin during my senior year. My design for the show was extremely ambitious and required hundreds of hours of both setup and programming time—a significant portion of which I completed solo—but I succeeded and created a spectacle that was easily the strongest design I have ever completed in theater. It ended up being my last

If you could have dinner with anyone: “Elon Musk.

Although certainly eccentric, the man is absolutely a genius and is on the forefront of propelling humanity forward.

I think a conversation with him would be fascinating.”

Superpower pick: “Telekinesis would make life so much easier.”

real high school show due to the pandemic, so it holds a special place in my heart for that reason as well.”

study on yacht design and hydrofoils to helping me navigate the patent process.”

Do you have a role model? // “Three come to mind readily. The first is my dad, who has been a massive influence on my life. Beyond getting me into sailing—for which I am forever grateful—he has taught me so much about life from both an emotional side and from a practical side. From teaching me how to cook hamburgers to how to start an LLC, my dad has always been there for me to help in whatever way he can. The second is Mr. Conners, the technical director at St. Luke’s and my former teacher. He was the primary reason I became involved in theater and in lighting design. The final mentor is Mr. Mitchell, head of designLab at St. Luke’s, and my engineering teacher.

He encouraged me to do the St. Luke’s Hackathon, which jump-started my love of engineering. He has also been extremely supportive of my various engineering endeavors over the years, from serving as an advisor for my

Was it all smooth sailing or did you face challenges along the way? // “At one of the Hackathons, my team and I invented a type of secure-locking mechanism that had actually never been patented. We spent over a year working on the patent process, and it was easily the most painful thing I have ever worked on. The number of convoluted forms and formatting requirements was absolutely ridiculous. We finally submitted it in April 2019.”

Summer 2020 in five words: “Atypical but still pretty fun!”

What did you like about your high school? // “The community of both students and teachers at St. Luke’s is incredibly kind and supportive. No matter what your interests, people will support you and applaud your efforts, which is something that I have found to be surprisingly rare. It creates such a positive atmosphere and allows students to grow and thrive.”

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TO WAT C H

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Ayla Shively

Frank "Tank" Intrieri

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Samantha Berman

Charlie Burnett

Elyse Kim

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COVID-19 may be the first unprecedented global challenge these kids have lived through, but it won’t be the last—and from what we can tell, they are ready for anything

here they come! greenwichmag.com

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Through it all, they remained optimistic and even-keeled.

Consider St. Luke’s graduate, Frank “Tank” Intrieri, who has committed to playing football at his dream school, Johns Hopkins University. “I’m just going trust it will all work out. Even if we don’t get to go on campus this year, I still get to play college football for three years at one of the greatest D3 schools in the country.”

Or Brunswick graduate Nicky Winegardner, who is a freshman at University of Southern California. “At first it was heartbreaking. I’m a Brunswick lifer. I signed up for 14 years not 13.75. After watching the news and seeing and feeling the tremendous negative impact the virus had on so many, it made me realize there’s a bigger picture. I see how important it is not to waste time. This pandemic has shown me that the time is now to chase my dreams.”

As for those still coping with the world of high school in the COVID era, Elyse Kim, a senior at St. Luke’s had this take: “It forced my friends and me to see that we take a lot for granted and that we are lucky to live where we do. We're living through an historic moment, so I asked myself, ‘What am I going to do with this moment?’ It was an existentialist realization, for sure.”

For Arjun Dayal, a rising senior at Hackley School who spent the spring producing PPE for medical personnel, it was an opportunity to try something new. “The day my school let out, I actually went fishing with my friends. That was a first for me.”

Global pandemic or not, we always feel a little more confident about the future after we’ve put this issue to bed. After you meet this year’s top teens, we trust you will feel the same. »

very September for the past twelve years, greenwich magazine has had the pleasure of showcasing ten of our town’s extraordinary teens. As always, this year’s group is an impressive lot. Six are now freshmen in college; the rest are still in high school. They represent a broad spectrum of interests—from astrophysics and the arts to social justice advocacy and biomedicine. They are smart, ambitious and dedicated to making a difference in their schools, our community and the world. None of them have taken their intellectual prowess or athletic abilities for granted. Each has proven to be resilient in the face of disappointment and adversity, turning setbacks into teachable moments.

Certainly, these past five months have been a test of that resiliency as they were forced to navigate life in the face of a global pandemic. With the closure of schools, these teens lost out on many of the defining moments that frame a typical spring semester. For those heading off to college, that meant missing such rites of passage as senior prom, senior skip day and graduation. As of press time, some of them were still uncertain about whether or not they’d be attending classes on campus or online. As for the teens who are still in high school, they missed spring sports and other extracurricular activities.

They all transitioned to online learning and made do with social media apps to get their friends fix. Summer internships, specialized academic programs, college visits? All curtailed by COVID-19.

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10 T E E N S TO WAT C H

FRANK “TANK” INTRIERI

How did you cope with lockdown and not having a traditional graduation?

“Lots of lifting, playing Mario Kart with my sister and looking on the bright side.”

St. Luke’s School

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ank Intrieri learned early on that when it comes to achieving life goals, perseverance and hard work pay off. He is a gifted athlete who discovered his passion for football when he joined the North Mianus Bulldogs in fifth grade. “I was awkward and big, and it took a while to figure it out,” he recalls.

Eventually, his skills improved, and he started living up to his nickname, “Tank.” But it wasn’t until he transferred to St. Luke’s as a junior, that his football career took off like a rocket ship. After just one year, he was named cocaptain of the varsity squad. “That was the icing on the cake,” says Tank.

As adept as he is on the field, Tank is equally at home in the classroom. He is a STEM standout who earned academic awards of distinction in every class he took last year. He received the school’s prestigious Pat Thomas award, which encompasses athletic excellence, academic proficiency and sportsmanship. He was also named to the All-Evergreen League, earned an All-New England Honorable Mention and was one of three high school players in Connecticut to earn a $1,000 scholarship from the National Football Foundation on top of being named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete.

In between practices, games and schoolwork, Tank managed to find time to play percussion in the school band and volunteer for his local community, doing everything from checking in bikes at the CT Challenge to cleaning up after the Saint Leo’s Fair with his football team. Oh, and did we mention he also played varsity lacrosse and was on the Thirds basketball team?

Tank says he gets his work ethic from his father, Frank Jr., a 1984

’20

What would you tell your freshman self?

“It all works out in the end.”

Who has been your most impactful teacher?

“If I had to name just one, it would be Dr. Jason “Dubs” Warner, my eleventh grade physics teacher and advisor for my independent study. He is the smartest man I’ve ever met. He always connected with me, never fully answering my questions because he knew I could find the answers. After a year in honors physics, I didn’t hesitate to accept his proposal to work on a study together. I think we helped each other a lot, considering neither of us was very knowledgeable in the area of rocket physics; and it was a great experience to work with him again as a senior.” alum of Greenwich High, where he was a celebrated football player.

“He was captain of the first 12 and 0 team in Greenwich High School history,” says Tank. “He was a really great football player. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be like him.”

Now a freshman at Johns Hopkins University, where he was recruited to play football (another dream box checked), Tank is planning to major in mechanical engineering as a stepping stone toward becoming an astronaut. In fact, he is so intent on getting to Mars, last year he completed an independent study with his physics teacher, Dr. Warner. “I know NASA is eventually planning to send people to Mars in 2030,” he says, “and I wanted to find out how expensive or feasible it would be

to do today. I modeled a spaceship journey between Earth and Mars on an Excel spread sheet with 4,000 rows. I learned—surprise—the people at NASA know what they are talking about.” »

What’s the toughest challenge you have faced?

“Moving to a new school and working to find my confidence alongside new teammates and peers.”

TO WAT C H

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When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, she signed up for a letterwriting project organized by the school’s Centers for Leadership.

“Here we were at home and we didn’t miss a step,” she says. “It was easy for us to forget there were people in those nursing homes who couldn’t have the visitors that are really important to them, and that our notes could make an impact in a small but meaningful way.”

05.

ELYSE KIM

St. Luke’s School

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mbitious, curious, tenacious and compassionate—these are just a few of the traits that set Elyse Kim apart from the crowd. An academic powerhouse, she was one of nine students selected for St. Luke’s prestigious Global Senior Scholar program for 2020. A gifted writer, she was tapped to be editor of the Sentinel, the student-run newspaper, when she was just a junior, a role she will continue this year. A star athlete, she is the cocaptain of the girls’ volleyball team and was invited to the NEPSAC All-Star tournament in 2016, 2018 and 2019. She is also the founder of the Eye of the Storm video club, which chronicles school life in videos and podcasts, a member of the school’s Honor Council and has been an Admissions Ambassador for the past four years.

Elyse says she gravitates to leadership roles, in part, as a result of her time at St. Luke’s. “It’s such a huge part of our mission, and the school does a great job of presenting leadership opportunities from the moment we join the community,” she says. “I was on the student council in middle school, and it was a fun way to learn to lead, which made it easier for me to find my own voice in the Upper School.”

If her drive and ambition is innate, Elyse says she gets her moral compass from her family.

Her father is a West Point graduate who cofounded with Elyse’s mother the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, which provides college scholarships to military kids who lost a parent in the line of duty.

“The Foundation has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she says. “My favorite part is getting to know all the students it helps.”

As a young girl, a trip to the Philippines taught her a valuable lesson about making the best of every situation life throws your way. “We visited a garbage

dump in Manila, where a severely underserved community was living, and they were happy and joyful. Coming back to where we lived, with all the opportunities placed in front of me, I realized how important it is to utilize them to the best of my ability.”

How did you cope with lockdown?

“I stayed connected with friends via FaceTime and Zoom calls, whether talking for hours or just working together in silence. Those relationships are what I missed most about school, so it was important to keep our interactions alive.”

What would you tell your freshman self?

“Don’t waste time comparing yourself to others. Everyone has their own strengths. You have so much to look forward to, so ignore those insecurities and focus on your own path.”

Who was your most impactful teacher?

“Ms. Doran, my sophomore, junior and senior year English teacher. She has a way with words, and her love of literature is contagious. She emphasizes the idea that uncertainty is a catalyst for reflection, growth and artistic beauty. I often place pressure on myself, so I’ve tried to keep this idea in mind and embrace doubt and failure instead of dreading it.”

What’s the toughest challenge you have faced?

“When I was a freshman, my grandmother was placed in hospice care at our house. It was a traumatic and emotional time, but I was grateful to be with her during her last few weeks of life. It turned out to be a truly formative and meaningful experience.”

CONTRIBUTED

10 T E E N S

// black-owned businesses Guide to Fairfield County // special report Inside the Jennifer Dulos Case //

ON THE HORIZON

Remember when everything seemed possible? For these 10 local teens, it is—and it starts with top grades, gold medals, charitable work, founding clubs of every sort, and more.

We should learn from them

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igh school is not what we expected this year—change and stress continues. Yet it is an important part of life, and these local teens are using their creativity, talent and determination to move forward, whether classes are held online or in person. Here, we take a moment to celebrate the unstoppable momentum of these extraordinary teens from area private and public schools. From National Merit Finalists and a 4.73 GPA to a HOBY State Leadership Seminar Student Ambassador and a President of the National Honor Society, they are raising a voice for diversity, establishing clubs, taking leadership positions, helping the most vulnerable in our communities— even learning quantum physics and Ancient Greek—while also taking center stage or center field. They also selflessly commit to volunteer work to help others. Through their eyes, the future is beautifully boundless. b y dia n e se mb rot SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 WESTPORT

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No.1 ZACHARY AMENDOLA St. Luke’s School

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ven back as a ninth grader, Zach Amendola was tackling computer programming, computer science and the foundations of engineering at St. Luke’s.

Now a senior, this Wilton resident has earned top marks throughout school.

Even in his “time off ” from rigorous academics, he’s solving problems and strategizing ways to constantly do better: He’s president of the school’s Chess Club (he was chess champ and a semifinalist), is a member of the Math Team and was an architect for the Eye of the Storm Club website. He calmly tackles problems. He even serves as a facilitator for Community Goals for Learning, which takes on complex topics like racism. He is now turning his bright mind to St. Luke’s Senior Scholars year-long, self-study program. It seems, there is always a solution if one puts in the work, asks deep questions, takes risks and has a talent for making sense of any challenging issue. Just ask Zach.

Do you have a favorite subject?

“My favorite subject is math, and it has been for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school, I would get excited whenever we did “Mad Minutes”— worksheets where you had a minute to answer as many of the sixty problems on the page as you could. Now, as I’m traversing my way through more complicated topics in calculus, I still find that same excitement when I finally find an answer to a seemingly impossible problem or when I see an application of a previously confusing theorem.”

How would you describe yourself?

“Two adjectives that I would use to describe myself are helpful and energetic. Whether someone needs assistance with a small

homework assignment or needs a fresh set of eyes to look over an essay, I am always willing to lend a helping hand. I am also a very energetic person. Whether I’m in class, on the tennis court or just hanging out with my friends, I am always excited to tackle a new day with verve and enthusiasm. I think my teachers would say that I am engaged in class and an overall good classroom presence. I always come into the school day excited to learn. I like to participate in discussions, learn new material and spend the time getting to know my classmates and teachers better.”

What did you like about St. Luke’s? “One of my favorite things about my school is the community. The faculty and students have been able to foster

a community that is welcoming, accepting and supportive. The community is one I’m proud to be a part of, and the school is a place that I’m excited to go to every day.”

What are your college plans?

“The main thing that I am looking for in college is to find my passion.

I am excited to try different classes that I haven’t yet been able to take in high school and, hopefully, find something that I am passionate about and can build a career around.”

Given everything that’s going on right now, what role can teens take now? “I think that during these unprecedented times, one of the most important things for teens to do is to follow the national and state guidelines on how to keep themselves and others safe. This includes wearing a mask, socially distancing and washing your hands, among other things. Even though we are not at the highest risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus, our actions can still help to minimize the spread of the virus.”

QUICK TAKES Tip for succeeding in high school: “Work hard. It doesn’t have to come at the expense of other things, like extracurriculars or social events, but putting in the extra time to review material for a test or proofreading a paper one more time goes a long way towards success.”

Favorite extracurricular: “Tennis. I loved the sport for a long time, so when I started high school, I decided to go all in. I did multiple clinics a week, took private lessons and played in tournaments most weekends. I have loved playing tennis, and I have made great friends through all the time I have spent on the court.”

Currently binge watching: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but my all-time favorite show is The Office.”

Favorite local place: “Dairy Queen.”

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to p d e n t i s t s //// 215 Professionals to Trust Now in Fairfield County ////

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SPECIAL REPORT A deep dive into the Jennifer Dulos case 8/20/20 5:19 PM

TEENS TO WATCH The Future Is Bright for These Stamford Students

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hen you catch a person of a certain age take a deep sigh and shake his or her head while saying, “Teenagers today…,” don’t assume the worst. This person might be impressed. In this story, local students from private and public schools have earned amazing accomplishments. They reveal a range of interests, from soccer and dance to racial bias in the criminal justice system—and, in turn, they are establishing clubs, taking leadership positions and helping the most vulnerable in our community. Of course, they also get top grades in the most demanding academic courses. Truly, that head shaking is admiration, and that sigh is relief that our future is in their capable hands. b y dia n e sembrot

PHOTOGRAPHY: BIYENI BY SHADES SHUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHY; CAMPBELL BY NATASHA MILLER, TASHOGRAPH; SOPHIA BY RICHARD FREEDA; ZACHARY BY DENICE DUTRA-LAVERIS; SYDNEY BY STEVEN VANDERVELDEN | VANDY PHOTOGRAPHY; OTHERS, CONTRIBUTED

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top row: Biyeni Eusebio, Campbell Beaver and Sophia Viscarello middle row: Moli Ma, Joshua Charleston and Salome Alfaro bottom row: Zachary Tusa, Ronald Harvey and Sydney Coffield

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senior at St. Luke’s, Moli Ma, excels in art. She has received awards for her work, including First Place for a painting on exhibit in the Stamford Art Show 2020, the 4th Congressional District Art Competition, and High Honor at the CAEA Youth Art Celebration Exhibition 2019 (as well as the third straight year medaling). She also attended an art intensive at Cooper Union and contributed her impressive artistic chops to design and create scenery for Theater Stagecraft for four mainstage productions. She expressed herself other ways, too. Along with linguistics— speaking Mandarin and advanced French and having received an English Award— she has jumped into cultural and political issues through St. Luke’s organizations.

She co-founded the Feminism Club, served as a member of the Debate Team since ninth grade, contributes to the literary magazine (The Pendulum), co-founded the Asian Affinity Group and serves as a Community Goals for Learning facilitator (taking on racism, politics and other weighty topics).

Further, she presented on climate change in a public policy lab at St. Luke’s and even created sustainable clothing for a fashion show. Creative and determined to make a difference, Moli is destined to take on climate justice or any issue that strikes her passion, undaunted by the scale and scope before her.

What do you love about art?

“I really cherish my little chunk of creative time during the school day, especially since stress has picked up these past few years.

Art class feels like a sanctuary in the middle of very intense academic obligations. It’s a space where I can do what I love most without interruptions.”

What is a difficulty you have overcome?

“The transition when I first moved to America. I was ten. The language part was difficult, of course, but I had to assimilate to a culture so dramatically different than my own in a very short period of time. I kind of got whiplash trying to keep up with fifth graders and their Disney channel references. Honestly, I’m still struggling.”

5 MOLI MA

St. Luke's School

QUICK TAKES People I admire: “Some greatest hits include Kehinde Wiley, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria OcasioCortez and Greta Thunberg.”

Finding a passion: “I started taking art seriously by eighth grade. I’m not sure why but something switched, and I started immersing myself in the process.”

What defines your generation?

“A common recognition that the way our world has functioned so far is flawed, and that it stands to hurt a lot of vulnerable people. It’s so wonderful to see people my age or younger taking charge and actually fighting for our world’s most marginalized—be it people of color, frontline communities affected by climate change, people living below the poverty line, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or so many others previously unheard.”

What role can teens take now?

“Any role that adults can, really.

Maybe even more! We are more connected than ever, and the constant flow of information we get from social media and the internet has played a huge role in us educating ourselves. Teens are powerful, and we are trending towards becoming more and more

influential at important tables where decisions are made.”

Looking ahead, what do you hope for in college?

“College is the time for me to really home in on my craft and my activism, I want to tune out any distractions that aren’t helping me accomplish my goals. I want to explore different types of art and creativity, and I want to take on a more active role in community organizing…wherever that community happens to be. To me, college represents an immense privilege, which is why it’s something I look forward to taking advantage of as much as possible. The fact that I am absolutely immersed in an environment of privilege isn’t lost on me, so I think it is my duty to take what I can from my position and somehow help those who weren’t afforded all these opportunities.”

stamfordmag.com

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9/11/20 7:55 AM