Presidential Scholars  2005

Records 41 through 90 out of 141

	Amy C. Gilpin Omaha, NE Westside High School College/College Plans: Massachusetts Institute of Technology   At the age of three, I watched with fascination as my dad gutted catfish. Though I cannot say any desire to see dead fish has prevailed (I am a vegetarian), my love for medicine and science has lasted. My ultimate goal is to become a neonatologist in an urban setting. In the meantime, I keep myself quite busy with school, activities, and work. I have played tenor sax from the age of ten and now enjoy playing in the varsity concert band. I was also involved in fall marching band, spring pep band, and a sax quartet. Throughout high school, speech and policy debate tournaments occupied my weekends. Outside of the school day, I waitress at a local restaurant and tutor middle school students. During any spare time, I love to read (mainly fiction), and spend time with my friends and family.
	Saul Udwin Gorman Newton, MA Noble & Greenough School College/College Plans: Harvard College   Saul has always been proactive in serving his community. At school, he represented his class for several years on the Student Life Council and on the Disciplinary Committee, eventually rising to the position of Editor-in-Chief for the student newspaper. Saul has also served the larger community, tutoring inner-city students and doing construction work both with Habitat for Humanity and on an Indian reservation in Montana. When he is not competing with his varsity wrestling team, Saul has delved into theatre, acting in and directing student productions. He has also grown as an artist through his photography, guitar playing, and writing; Saul is a prolific poet.
	Spencer Gray Great Falls, MT Great Falls High School College/College Plans: Yale University   I am more than 150 words, but I’m less than I want to be, and that explains me. To fulfill the request for biography, my summary: the loving family (mine), the competitive streak (tennis and debate), the creative force (writing and journalism), the artistic endeavor (piano), the favorite subject (history), the local interest (Montana outdoors). Yet that’s not quite me. I like people and paradox and palindromes, and I dislike a mind content with itself. I try not to be deceived by others, nor, more importantly, to deceive myself in anything. But I also like the benefit of the doubt: to give and to take. I like understanding and then describing for others, but not when the subject is myself. After 18 years, I don’t know much about most things, and there is my motivation.
	Natalie Greene North Little Rock, AR North Little Rock High School West Campus College/College Plans: American University   Natalie intends to pursue a career in politics, and plans on overhauling the current government system. If that doesn’t pan out, she wants to work for a candidate who reflects her socially liberal, economically conservative viewpoint. She’s also interested in traveling. When she was growing up, her family would take epic car trips. Her favorite destination included the Paul Bunyan Museum in Minnesota. After graduation, she and her brother are going to backpack through Europe for a month. Natalie also participates in many extracurricular activities in her free time. She is president of National Honor Society and vice president of Beta Club. She’s also the director of her school’s daily television program. The best way to sum up Natalie is to look at her rubber duck collection—quirky and endearing: a potent combination.
	Blair Greenwald Rancho Mirage, CA Palm Springs High School College/College Plans: Palm Springs High School   The middle child in a family of three sisters, I was thrown into everything a little early. Because my parents insisted upon keeping us busy (a likely excuse for kicking us out of the house), all three of us were sent to ballet, tennis, swimming, ice skating, soccer, softball, karate, and even golf. Competing with older kids simply prepared me for the next step: Catholic school. After eight years as the sole Jew—and attending Jewish Sunday school for seven years to prevent conversion—I entered the public high school. One of my first classes freshman year was Emerging Literature for Spanish Speakers, and my peers, all native speakers, marveled at the Spanish coming from the only white kid, yet the differences are what make life interesting!
	Kyle Haddad-Fonda Bellevue, WA Lakeside School College/College Plans: Harvard College or Yale University   Kyle has always been passionate about the subject of geography. He was the 2001 National Geographic Bee champion and captain of the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2001 International Geographic Olympiad. In high school, Kyle volunteered to teach an after-school geography curriculum he designed to kindergarteners and first graders at his former elementary school. He has taught for the last four years. His geography accomplishments have led to a wide range of activities, including his appearance (by voice) as the youngest lifeline in the history of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” He also enjoys playing the classical harp, which he has studied for ten years. For two years, he was the captain of his high school’s state championship Knowledge Bowl team. In his spare time, he can be found running cross-country, swimming, and orienteering.
	Kristina Hanna West Bloomfield, MI Interlochen Arts Academy College/College Plans: The Juilliard School   Kristina Hanna, from West Bloomfield, Michigan, is a senior dance major at Interlochen Arts Academy. In the fall she will attend The Juilliard School to earn her B.F.A. in dance. She began dancing at the age of four and immediately fell in love. Since then she has studied a wide variety of the dance idioms including ballet, modern, jazz, and tap, and has won numerous awards on both the regional and national level in competitions across the country. Currently she is concluding a wonderful four years spent studying at Interlochen, where she has danced in several contemporary dance concerts and in full-length ballets such as Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Most recently, she danced the role of Swanhilda in Coppelia. She would like to express her appreciation and gratitude to all who have made it possible for her to pursue her passion.
	Lydia C. Hardee Beatrice, AL Monroe Academy College/College Plans: Harvard College   If there exists such a person as a neo-Renaissance woman, then Caroleene Hardee is one. Growing up in a small south Alabama town, she appreciates every opportunity to take risks and broaden her horizons. At school, she serves as president for the senior class, the Student Government Association, the Key Club, and the Anchor Club, and plays for the tennis team as well. An avid horsewoman, she competed in the 2003 National High School Finals Rodeo and was chosen 2004 Junior Miss Rodeo Alabama. Another love of hers is music; she has played the piano for ten years and was an Alabama Music Teachers Association state finalist. Always ready to take on a challenge, she plans to attend Harvard College this fall and eventually pursue a career as an environmental lawyer protecting Alabama’s natural beauty.
	Irina D. Hardesty Black Hawk, CO Gilpin County High School College/College Plans: Colorado School of Mines   From a very young age, engineering concepts always fascinated me, and by the time I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to be an engineer. I enjoyed developing personal innovations on previous designs or creating something unusual, yet useful, out of seemingly unconnected pieces. My entire preschool class built a “Sneetch” machine under my direction, after we read Dr. Seuss’ famous story. When I was little, these creations occurred most often with simple children’s toys like Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys, but by high school, these innovations began to enter my schoolwork, especially my science fair projects. Putting my heart into everything that I do, I also enjoy partaking in such activities as working as a county election judge in 2004, repairing buildings/camps on church mission trips, and aiding children to learn and grow by mentoring elementary students and leading groups at a local vacation bible school.
	John W. Hinkle Shelbyville, KY Shelby County High School College/College Plans: Yale University   John has grown up on a horse farm in Kentucky, and has helped his family raise thoroughbred horses from foals to yearlings. Running and soccer have been major interests for John throughout high school, and he plans on continuing running in college. While no standout, he has also dabbled in musical theatre and student government. John has no concrete plans for the future, although if he had to choose now, he would go into animal science and return to his hometown as a veterinarian.
	Jennifer A. Hironaga Dallas, TX Academy Hironaga Home School College/College Plans: University of Tulsa   I love to do everything and anything. I studied piano for ten years; have placed in solo piano competitions; and I enjoy the violin, guitar, bass guitar, Japanese harp, hammer dulcimer, and recorder. I have published poetry and won an art competition for a children's magazine. I love swimming, soccer, surfing, and street hockey. I invented my own languages, wrote, directed, and filmed a ten-minute movie, and published a community newspaper about pets for three semesters. I teach guitar lessons on weekends and volunteer as a pharmacist for a medical clinic. I am a youth group leader in my church, and at a community college, where I started classes as a sophomore, I am vice president of the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. In my free time I love to write stories, read, and daydream. One might say my primary interest is life itself.
	Amy Hollinger Westlake, OH Hathaway Brown School College/College Plans: Undecided   Amy Hollinger is still undecided about where she will attend college and, once she gets there, in what she will major. With her interests torn between the sciences and humanities, she intends to sample many areas with many classes. On the side, she will dabble in tennis playing, guitar-learning, physics research, some sort of school publication, as much cheesecake-consumption as possible, and, if she is feeling particularly daring, a dance club. Her least favorite chore is washing the dishes. She has never babysat. She uses more adverbs than is probably advisable, and always seeks to become more vocabularily-enriched. Although she likes poetry, astrophysics, and eating, she is neither a poet, nor an astrophysicist, nor overweight. Her dog is indisputably the cutest one in the world, and she picks her friends well.
	Jane L. Hur Burlington, NJ Burlington Township High School College/College Plans: Yale University   I am an explorer, not of geographic territories, but of ideas. From chemistry to tennis to music to ceramics, my mind wanders down intriguing paths that engross much of my spare time. As a clarinet player, I have graduated from simple tunes to complex classical concertos and symphonic band repertoire in the New Jersey All State Band. Currently, I am learning jazz improvisation. In order to share my musical interests, I have assisted at the elementary school’s band rehearsals and performed at my town’s nursing home. Other volunteer efforts arise through Key Club, of which I am treasurer, and National Honor Society, which I preside over. I wish to become an explorer both physically and philosophically. Having already lived in Indiana, Great Britain, and New Jersey, I hope to study abroad in Asia during my college years, introducing my exploring mind to uncharted territories.
	Morgan Jessee Anchorage, AK East Anchorage High School College/College Plans: Harvard College   I have always been an adventurer. I blame this on my upbringing in the “Last Frontier,” where gutting a salmon is second nature, and moose are regular fixtures on the playgrounds. As a sophomore, I channeled this adventurous spirit into a foreign exchange to France where I lived near the northern city of Lille and attended a French high school. I enjoy camping, rafting, and kayaking; playing the piano and viola; and volunteering in my community. I have been interested in medicine since an early age and, at age eight, announced that I was going to become a pediatric oncologist. I do not know if this was simply a ploy to get attention, but my goals have not changed. After college I hope to attend medical school.
	David Jiang Forest Hills, NY Hunter College High School College/College Plans: Harvard College   I see myself both as a thinker and as a doer. I’ve always liked to keep my mind occupied, with contemplative as well as analytical thinking. At age 11, I began writing down my own personal theory of life, the universe, and everything, but was surprised a few years later to discover that the philosophers Hobbes and Spinoza had already beaten me to the punch by a few centuries in writing their thoughts. I’m a very active person who has a lot of fun. I play piano and I fence; I’ve debated and worked on my school’s economics competition team. I’ve led my school’s math and fencing teams. I enjoy all of this vastly. In addition, I’ve recently become (to my own surprise) an opera aficionado. Living in New York City for 17 years has taught me a lot about life, and I look forward to what lies ahead.
	Kevin Z. Jiang Gilbert, AZ Mesquite High School College/College Plans: Harvard College   Ever since I confessed to my parents at the tender age of eight of my desire to be an astronaut, a primatologist, and a major league pitcher in the same life, I have been drawn to various and diverse interests. In school, I am the founder and president of Model United Nations, and have competed and succeeded in various competitions. I am also an executive council member of the Ecology Club, which focuses on environmental awareness and protection at school and in the local community. Other various claimants on my time include serving as the vice president of the National Honor Society and the president of the Financial Services Club, competing in math contests, volunteering at the local library, tutoring math, and attempting to play the piano. In my spare time, I enjoy running, listening to music, studying history and politics, and feverishly trying to complete my ever-growing reading list.
	Wes (James W) Johnson Madison, MS St. Andrew’s Episcopal School College/College Plans: Middlebury College   I’m pretty quirky when it comes to academic work. As a lover of science studies, learning more and more about the world around me is my main goal. This, in turn, makes accepting things incredibly hard, so I always exhaust my classroom time with questioning things that I don’t understand. Outside of the classroom, I’m involved in community service projects such as Habitat for Humanity and Stewpot, and have worked extensively with a children’s home in the Hudson River Valley. Camp Rising Sun, a scholarship program in Rhinebeck, NY, that brings sixty students from around the world together for a summer of learning and experience, is easily the most influential and eye-opening part of my high school career, and the enormous foundation for my desire to achieve.
	Jesse M. Kaplan Brunswick, ME Brunswick High School College/College Plans: Harvard College   I have always been a perfectionist of the highest degree and am constantly frustrated by my human inability to be perfect. I love competition of all forms, but at the same time place a premium on respect – I see everyone as an equal. I am well served by a dogged work ethic that has allowed me to accomplish much academically (I am the valedictorian of my high school class and a National Merit Scholar), athletically (I was recently selected as the Gatorade Boys’ Soccer of the Player of the Year for Maine), and in my community (I have volunteered for the local youth soccer league, several area elementary schools, and the D.A.R.E. program). In my little free time, I hang out with my friends and play far too much poker. I look to the future optimistically while at the same time valuing all that has shaped my life thus far.
	Tyler D. Kieft Essex Junction, VT Essex High School College/College Plans: University of Rochester   Most Vermonters love the outdoors, and I am no exception. I run year-round through the snow, mud, and short summers that characterize our state. While on the cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams at our school, I have been a part of nine (hopefully ten!) state championship seasons. I am also a musician, playing the trumpet and singing in various ensembles. In September 2004, as part of the Vermont Youth Orchestra, I traveled to Carnegie Hall to play a program of composers who all had ties to Vermont—an exhilarating experience. I am very interested in the sciences, especially biology. Last summer I participated in the Research Science Institute Program at MIT, an intensive six-week summer science camp. While there, I did research on zebrafish developmental genetics at the Forsyth Institute. In my spare time, I love to eat, read, do crossword puzzles, and watch the Boston Red Sox beat the Yankees.
	Janet Hyojeong Kim McLean, VA Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology College/College Plans: Stanford University   Stanford University
	Nikida C. Koraly Cape Carteret, NC Croatan High School College/College Plans: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill   I love to discover and learn; therefore, I excel academically. Being able to balance a demanding academic schedule with extracurricular and volunteer activities and still have time to pursue my passions in music, photography, dance, and the performing arts, has been the focus of my life. I reached a goal beyond what I ever imagined when my Winterguard team placed second in World Championships this year. I learned that if I work hard enough I can achieve anything! The scientist in me wants to research causes and cures to benefit all of mankind. The idealist in me wants to serve in the Peace Corps after graduation. The realist in me wants to minor in business, and the artist in me wants to pursue my passions continuing to learn about music, dance and photography. My personal commitment is to be the best I can be at everything I do.
	Mitchell A. Kosowski Wheeling, WV Wheeling Park High School College/College Plans: Carnegie Mellon University   Mitchell Kosowski is the son of James and Melody Kosowski and lives in Wheeling, West Virginia. He is a graduating senior at Wheeling Park High School and plans on attending Carnegie Mellon University to major in biomedical engineering. An active member of several jazz bands and a steel band, he vows one day to play the trombone in tune. Thankfully, intonation did not hold him back from attending West Virginia’s Governor’s School for the Arts, where he especially enjoyed performing African dance. He plays many sports, but especially relishes rugby; he currently enjoys that he has his body in one piece and that he will never play rugby again. Mitchell has played too many video games for it to be considered a hobby anymore; therefore, he wants to explore professional work with the video game industry one day.
	Aman Ishaan Kumar Saratoga, CA Crystal Springs Uplands School College/College Plans: Stanford University or Princeton University   Tat tvam asi — that thou art; thou art that. These three small words of Upanishadic wisdom articulate a unity, a reflection of truth and reality, that drives my affinity for synthesis . Life, to me, is about being jolted awake at three a.m. simply because you realize that Newton’s second law is also a second-order differential equation. It’s about tracing the syntactical parallels between Hindi and Japanese, or pondering the relationship between quantum mechanics and the magical realism of Spanish literature. I want to see and be all that I possibly can. I want to live my life experiencing the sheer exhilaration of making connections, finding nuance in a world of cognitive synaesthesia.
	Sonia Lahr-Pastor Lyme, NH Hanover High School College/College Plans: University of Chicago   When I was a first grader, I knew I was going to be a scientist when I grew up. The only condition was that I didn’t like dinosaurs. That’s what all the other little future scientists wanted to study, and I never wanted to do what everyone else did. By the time I reached sixth grade, however, even dinosaurs were okay. By the time I hit high school, my love of literature, always strong, was increasing, fed by a range of books from Moby Dick to Rayuela to Crime and Punishment. I spent my junior year in Barcelona, Spain, and found that back-breaking work was tolerable, given the Mediterranean sun. This makes my choice of college slightly ironic, but I digress. Somewhere along the way, I picked up a deep love of music, a connection to the outdoors, a love of writing, high school debate, pottery, and the list goes on.
	Ross Leavitt Springfield, OR Home School College/College Plans: University of Michigan   When he’s not locked away in his practice studio frantically preparing another recital on his saxophone or listening to Prokofiev, Ross Leavitt spends much of his time bonding with his five younger siblings. Normally this involves pretending to be Jedi Knights and beating each other senseless with foam-covered PVC piping (light sabers) on their back deck. In his more public life, he is a rising saxophone soloist and is also very successful academically; Ross was the only student in the country to receive both the arts and academic nominations in the 2005 Presidential Scholars Program. He has been influenced by the playing of many great artists, but credits mainly the incredible violinists and pianists his age who inspire him to take saxophone performance beyond its accepted limitations. Also instrumental in his life are his three brothers, who help him to keep his focus on his family and make sure that he doesn’t grow up too fast.
	Brittany M. Lee Franklin, TN Christ Presbyterian Academy College/College Plans: University of Georgia   Always one to strive for excellence, my high school career has been one full of fun successful experiences. From being named a Wendy's High School Heisman National Finalist to being on the All-State Soccer and Basketball Teams, I have enjoyed every day as a gift from God. My family has been supportive in every endeavor, and has helped shaped my love for athletics that spurred me on to letter in eight sports during high school. Being named salutatorian for our senior class while at the same time being student body president is an honor. Having to move cities during my junior year was quite an obstacle to overcome, but optimism and my faith helped be to persevere and reach my goals for high school.
	Felicity M. Lenes Mount Pleasant, SC Wando High School College/College Plans: The University of Texas at Dallas   Felicity defies stereotypes. A National Merit Finalist, her school's valedictorian and the reigning Miss Wando, Felicity is as comfortable in a tiara as she is tutoring fellow students. She is the Lowerstate SC SAT Team Individual Champion, a Governor's Scholar and a varsity swimming, Quiz Bowl, and Ocean Science Bowl letterwoman. An editor of Wando's nationally-ranked newspaper, Tribal Tribune, Felicity is first vice president of the SC Scholastic Press Association. She is president of Wando's National Honor Society (NHS) and received the state’s NHS Leadership Scholarship. As vice president of Mu Alpha Theta, she has captained the girl's math team to statewide victories. She played first violin with the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, has won several concerto competitions, and has soloed in London. Felicity plans a major in molecular biology as a McDermott Scholar at the University of Texas at Dallas and aspires to become a physician after a stint as a Rhodes Scholar.
	Emily Lentz Milbank, SD Milbank High School College/College Plans: Drake University   Growing up in a small, anonymous town in the middle of the South Dakota cornfields has proven to be a blessing for me. It has given me a background that is quickly becoming lost to the fast-paced life of urban America. I’ve had the opportunity to be student body president at a school in which I know every student by name. I’ve known my volleyball teammates all of my life, and my forensics team is like my family. Being involved is stressed in my school, and I feel that I have met the challenge. Besides being in volleyball and forensics, I have participated in band and tennis, I have volunteered at Red Cross blood drives and as a youth mentor, and I have served as prom chairman and junior class vice president. I fill what free time I have with reading, swimming, piano, and a part-time job.
	Andre M. Leone Las Cruces, NM Mesilla Valley Christian Schools College/College Plans: University of Tulsa   Andre is a jack-of-all-trades. He is a musician, an athlete, a scientist, a poet-philosopher, and a leader. He grew up playing the piano, has taught himself guitar and accordion, and has played in a jazz band. As an athlete, he runs frequently, climbs every rock he can find, and competes in soccer and basketball. Last summer Andre worked at New Mexico State University doing research on carbon dioxide sequestration and is planning on studying Engineering Physics—the genuine rocket science. He has found poetry to be a satisfying method of expressing his philosophies, and has been a finalist in several poetry competitions. Leadership is integrated into these roles as a worship leader in church, captain of his soccer and basketball teams, and roles in student government. Life has taught him that if something is worth being done, it’s worth doing well.
	Mary Beth Liederbach Petoskey, MI Petoskey High School College/College Plans: Undecided   Into the far northeast coast of Lake Michigan juts a tranquil bay surrounded by hills, forests, and farms. On the shore of that bay rests the busy little town of Petoskey. In Petoskey lies an ordinary street with a simple twostory house and a gravel driveway, and in that modest house live Mom, Dad, Mary Beth, and her four younger siblings. If you visit, you’re likely to find Mary Beth perched on a couch reading a book, but she might be playing her violin, French horn, or piano. She might be outside raking leaves or hanging laundry. She might be joking with Patrick, braiding Margaret’s hair, helping Freddie with math, or changing Sarah’s diaper. She could be off to orchestra, work, youth group, teaching violin, or at a friend’s to make goofy videos. Whatever she is doing, she is doing it quietly, modestly, and with a generous, loving spirit.
	Janice L. Lin Indianapolis, IN Lawrence North High School College/College Plans: Indiana University Bloomington   I'm currently a candidate for a Biology B.S. and an Individualized Major (Romance Languages) B.A., both with honors. In addition, I am minoring in chemistry and economics. On the side, I enjoy volunteering, participating in many extracurriculars, lab research, and the fine arts.
	Christian S. Ling Wailuku, HI Maui High School College/College Plans: Boston University   Although born on the busy island of O’ahu, Christian Ling is truly a Maui boy at heart. Competitive without being overbearing, and studious without a trace of fanaticism, Christian still manages to gain distinction for himself at the state and national level. As a three-time State Science Bowl Champion, two-time State Ocean Science Bowl Champion, and four-year Math League veteran, he has proven his aptitude and passion for science and math. Christian is also a musician; he has been a French horn player for three years and is first seat in the Symphonic Band. In addition, he is learning to play the guitar. Christian also serves his campus and community as president of Maui High’s National Honor Society and a member of Key Club. During his free time Christian enjoys reading, listening to music, and writing poetry. He currently entertains the prospect of becoming a biomedical engineer after college.
	Grace Lu Kennesaw, GA The Walker School College/College Plans: Yale University   Ambitious and creative, Grace's interests are wide-ranging. Her lifelong passion for the arts led her to create Art Club, through which Grace has organized numerous artistic projects, including a 60-foot long mural for a preschool building. Avid in languages, Grace is fluent in English and Chinese and has taken classes in Latin, French, and Spanish. In 2003, she traveled to Nice, France, for four weeks on a student exchange. In the sciences, Grace is co president of Mu Alpha Theta and Science Olympiad at her school. Last summer, she attended the Research Science Institute at Caltech, studying the release of respirable pollen allergens in an attempt to better understand the link between allergies and asthma. Grace is also activities coordinator for the Social Sciences Honor Society and an active member of the National Honor Society and Walker Drama. In her leisure, Grace enjoys jogging, playing volleyball, drawing and playing the piano.
	Marilynn Ly Tempe, AZ Corona del Sol High School College/College Plans: Yale University   I am in love. First and foremost, I love my family, which includes my amazing mother, buddy-dad, and two spunky sisters. I love learning—it’s my favorite thing to do! I devour writing in every form it comes in, whether it be textbooks, newspaper, poetry, plays, or novels. My third love is volunteering, especially with children. It makes my heart smile in a million different places when I get the opportunity to help someone in need. I love to travel because I can create a worldwide family; I have been to Italy, France, Switzerland, Canada, Hawaii, and Vietnam. My dream is to give my family and the world all the wonderful things it has given me. I will begin making my dream a reality by becoming a cardiovascular surgeon; after all, I love so many things that I might as well deal with matters of the heart for a career!
	Cullen O. Macbeth Washington, DC St. Alban’s School College/College Plans: Yale University   I love being involved in the life of my school. At the end of my sophomore year, I earned an appointment as opinions/editorials editor of our school newspaper, and the next year rose to be a co-editor-in-chief. After two years spent debating in the Government Club, I was elected last spring as co-liberal president, given the responsibility of helping organize and run the club’s meetings. This year I have served on the student council as a senior prefect and have spent the winter and spring working with teachers and other students to improve the student body’s understanding of the Honor Council in an effort to heighten community awareness of and dedication to honor. For the past three years I have also rowed crew, and I earned a silver medal in 2003 at the Scholastic National Regatta in the lightweight four event.
	Elizabeth Ashmore MacFarlane Oxford, GBR Phillips Exeter Academy College/College Plans: Princeton University   I am an American living in England. I go to boarding school in the United States. As a child, I was confused about identity, perceived as American in England and English in America. At home we always had visitors from around the world. Hearing about their countries, I came to love my broad identity. I read avidly as a child, learning about as many people as possible. My concern for people brought me to volunteer in an Irish community for disabled children for the past two summers, where I will also volunteer next year. I love English, history, religion and creative writing. I don’t know what I will be. I want to change people’s lives and to help the world, be it through aid work, writing or academics, remaining true to my upbringing by drawing the world closer while expanding my horizons and those of others around me.
	Paul Magyar Providence, RI Classical High School College/College Plans: Dartmouth College   I have always been curious about the world around me. This curiosity has led me to a passion for science, and I have conducted research in environmental science and geology over the past seven years. This work has given me the chance to participate in the Rhode Island and International Science and Engineering Fairs and to be semifinalist in the Intel STS program. I have explored many other areas of science through the National Science Olympiad. Additionally, as an Eagle Scout, I have had many opportunities to explore the natural world. In a different realm, I enjoy learning about the people of the past and have studied Rhode Island’s historical figures. My school’s motto is a quote from Tennyson’s Ulysses: “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield;” this is a tenet I will continue to pursue.
	Dhruv Maheshwari Wayne, NJ Wayne Valley Senior High School College/College Plans: Harvard College   Dhruv is a scholar who is always searching for something new and challenging to investigate. Whenever he comes across an area that intrigues him, he seizes the opportunity to learn more and think of new applications. Over the past several years, this has led him to explore in great depth topical fields such as astrophysics, biochemistry, discrete mathematics, and architecture. He hopes to someday synthesize different, seemingly disparate fields of study to provide solutions to problems being faced by modern society. He is also a leader, having served as the president of his school's student council, Junior Statesmen of America chapter, and computer club, as well as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and captain of the Quiz Bowl team. He enjoys playing several musical instruments in his spare time, and is a competitive tennis player. He serves the community through volunteer tutoring and Vivekananda Vidyapith, a youth organization.
	Kyle Mahowald Fort Lauderdale, FL Pine Crest School College/College Plans: Harvard College   My general philosophy is to work hard at whatever activity or passion I choose to pursue. As co-editor of the school newspaper, I take great pleasure in English classes, although I also often enjoy work in math and the sciences. Perhaps because of my love for words and English, I have a passion for solving and creating puzzles of all types, particularly crosswords. My crossword puzzles have appeared in the Tribune Media Service, Universal Press Syndicate, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times. Another great passion of mine is tennis, which I have enjoyed playing for almost my entire life, and at the varsity level for six years in high school. I also love many other sports and can often be found playing games of pickup football, hockey, and basketball, or cheering on my beloved Dolphins and Marlins at the stadium.
	Andrew L. Malcolm Fort Lauderdale, FL Pine Crest School College/College Plans: Princeton University   As a rare “native son” of South Florida, Andrew has strived to soak up the experiences and diversity of his unique community. From a very young age, public service has been his passion, leading him to serve in numerous leadership roles in political campaigns on the national, state, and local levels. He has sought to expand his campaign experiences into other areas, serving on the student council, editing the school newspaper, and working in the U.S. House of Representatives as both a page and an intern for Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Andrew has strived to serve others and discover his heritage by collecting and distributing books to independent libraries in Cuba through the organization he founded, Libros Para La Libertad.
	Dylan B. Mathieu Madison, WI West High School College/College Plans: Washington University   With interests in the physical sciences, athletics, and social justice, I participate in a variety of activities that range from meteorology research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison to delivering meals to homebound elderly through Meals-on-Wheels. As a captain of a State Premier soccer team and a two-year high school varsity player, I have embraced soccer since childhood. The sport has influenced me beyond my athletics on the field, as I coach underprivileged youth each Saturday and referee in the spring and fall. I proposed, organized, and directed summer soccer camps on a Native American reservation in Sisseton, South Dakota, during my sophomore year, and the camps have since expanded as the sport becomes increasingly popular in the community. Through the West Rocketry Club, I have developed an interest for rocketry that recently culminated in a successful high-powered launch at the Marshall Space Flight Center through the NASA Student Launch Initiative.
	Caitlin L. McAuliffe North Miami Beach, FL Pine Crest School College/College Plans: Yale University   At the age of three, Caitlin announced that she would never go to school and never take music lessons. Her early pronouncement was eventually forgotten as Caitlin eagerly engaged each new subject in school, completing her third grade year ready for Algebra I. In the years since, Caitlin has excelled in math and science competitions, held positions of leadership in her community and school, been a hospital operating room volunteer, and engaged in summer study in genetics and molecular biology. Her interest in science is equaled by her passion for music. From her first public performance at the age of four, Caitlin has won violin competitions, sat as concert mistress in orchestras, founded the Helios Quartet, and performed to live and television audiences throughout South Florida. Most recently she was featured in the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel prior to her performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra.
	Walter F. McClean Woodbridge, VA Gar-Field High School College/College Plans: The College of William and Mary   I’ve bounced around a little bit in these past 18 years. Living in northern Virginia, then living five years in Germany before returning stateside, my family eventually found its way right back to northern Virginia. Throughout high school, I have been participating in the International Baccalaureate Program, which I casually refer to as “AP on Steroids.” Besides copious amounts of homework, I was active in Model United Nations, theater, and academic team. Outside of school, I earned my Eagle Scout Award, am active in my church youth group, and have taken up fencing. I plan on studying economics and government in college, hopefully pursuing a double major, which would lay a nice foundation for graduate school and beyond. I plan to work in politics though I still have not made the decision to focus on national or international politics.
	Ian M. McKinley Sandy, UT Skyline High School College/College Plans: Brigham Young University   Since his birth, Ian has been an international traveler. During the first ten years of his life, he lived in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, New Jersey, and Singapore. He’s a multi-talented student and loves most every subject (with the possible exception of P.E.). He has taken 12 Advanced Placement tests in many categories over his high school experience, with outstanding results. He has long loved reading, cooking, and gardening, and his favorite cuisine, both to cook and to eat, is Thai. Through service, he has influenced many lives as a Skyline High Service Scholar, president of the Skyline Key Club, and vice president of Operation Smile. He will attend Brigham Young University, where he plans to pursue a joint degree in mathematics and music performance. For postgraduate studies, he plans to get a degree in finance and rekindle his love for overseas travel.
	Candace A. Mitchell Gainesville, FL Phillips Academy College/College Plans: Duke University, Columbia University, or Brown University   Candace Mitchell is a 2005 Level I Winner for writing in the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Recognition and Talent Search. She has won the Goodhue Prize, the Charles Snow Burns Poetry Prize, and the Library of Congress Literary Letters Contest Award; in addition, she has won third place in the English Teachers of Alachua County Fiction Contest and won first place in the English Teachers of Alachua County Holocaust Essay Contest. She was a semi-finalist in the Ayn Rand Essay Contest. Candace acknowledges her mother, Cecelia Mitchell, for providing guidance, support, and courage in her artistic pursuits. She has always been interested in writing, but was encouraged to find her voice after reading Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.
	Anish Mitra Lincoln, NE Lincoln East High School College/College Plans: Stanford University   Anish Mitra is an 18-year-old high school senior at East High School. He participates in forensics and won the 2004 Harvard National Extemporaneous Speaking Award, as well as placing fifth in the U.S. in extemporaneous speaking at the 2004 National Forensic League’s National Tournament. Anish Mitra is also an accomplished bassist and has played with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra for the last three years. Anish has won several bass playing accolades, including a top five finish at the 2001 International Society of Bassists 14-and-under Solo Competition, the 2002 Emerson Full Tuition Scholarship to Interlochen Arts Academy Summer Camp in Michigan, and first place at the 2004 American String Teachers Association 19-and-under String Bass National Solo Competition. Anish volunteers actively teaching young bassists at music camps and serves as president of YouthInspire, a youth-run volunteer foundation. In his spare time Anish enjoys reading, running, and listening to music.
	Matthew Mudd Kodiak, AK Home School College/College Plans: Harvard College   I am a self-motivated, often self-taught student, and I currently hail from an area where grizzly bears constitute the local majority. My major accomplishments include rounding up wild horses, surviving eastern Oregon wildfires and a boat fire in Alaskan waters, and living on a secluded island for three months while seeing no one other than my immediate family. My other various accomplishments include serving as vice president of the local Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter, Who’s Who 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, National Honor Roll inductee, and many other things. As I gaze around my room where I am preparing this revealing document, I am reminded of time spent with friends touring Turkey, chilling out in Florida, cruising Rhode Island, walking the beaches of Kodiak, and road-tripping with my best friend Bill. If my epitaph could read one thing, I would like it to say: “If nothing else, he was a good friend.”
	Tracy A. Mumford Portland, OR St. Mary’s Academy College/College Plans: Hamilton College   Tracy has spent the last four years living life. She enjoys staircases, long division, ice cream, the line-item veto, irregularly conjugated French verbs, lawn gnomes, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, gerrymandering, short stories by Canadian authors, Easter eggs, public transit, technical theatre, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Guster, New Zealand poetry, polydactyl cats, Marion berry pie, Greek islands, De Jonge v. Oregon, fire escapes, the Willamette River, orange suits and shoes, Texas airports, Virginia Woolf, gold pens, Jackie Chan, mitosis, minivans, soundboards, the rain, blue hair, coffee shops, pterodactyls, cartwheels, alphaketogluterate, midnight walks to the bus stop, and her friends. Next year, Tracy will be working in the South Pacific to warm up before heading off for school on the frigid East Coast.
	Theresa L. Myers Portland, OR St. Mary’s Academy College/College Plans: Carnegie Mellon University   Theresa, besides working hard enough to become valedictorian, is involved in a plethora of activities. She enjoys running in circles after balls (read: playing soccer and lacrosse), spending time in windowless rooms (participating in theater), adding sugar to the diet of senior citizens (organizing birthday parties at a low-income assisted-living center), and vicariously reliving the horror of imminent middle school (mentoring a fifth grader). To ensure that she has no time for a job, she volunteers—as a tutor to children in transitional housing, as a meal server at a homeless shelter, and as a student leader at Outdoor School. She also pursues such quaint hobbies as eating, sleeping, and acquiring every possible lung-related disease (currently, she has whooping cough; she’s working on catching influenza next). In ten years, she plans to be living in a foreign country, to have been scuba diving, and to possess some sort of degree.
	Arvind R. Nagarajan Novi, MI Detroit Country Day School College/College Plans: Yale University   I am determined to make a difference in the world of children through leadership and dedication. The young ones begging for sustenance in the shadows of the beautiful Taj Mahal is a haunting memory for me. Consequently, my volunteer and paid positions have involved helping children. I teach tennis on a volunteer basis at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Detroit and USTA community outreach programs since I am a nationally ranked tennis player, having played competitive tennis for nine years. At Balavihar, I teach children about Indian history, religion, and culture. I am deeply concerned about environmental degradation. Next month I begin a research project on green roofs. Having been captain of the varsity tennis team for two years and class board treasurer for four years, I hope to lead efforts in sustainable business development to eradicate poverty among children and preserve nature.

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