Senior Spotlight:
Daniel Yanko
Katie Huynh (12-2)
How have you been coping with quarantine?
Schoolwork was getting to be nauseous, so I appreciated the break, but I realized that all this relaxation is worse than all the work I had before, so I decided to put my time to good use. One of the things I look forward to the most is online Taekwondo classes. It's a blast to put on your uniform and train hard by yourself, but also with everyone else. Our zoom classes aren't separated by rank/age so it's really fun to see little kids working on their movements along with senior black belts. It's hilarious to see the occasional little kid who forgets to turn their camera off while they sit on their couch watching TV during class, especially when our instructor calls them out for it in front of everyone. I also spend time with my church's youth group on Wednesdays through Zoom. It's a good way to connect with my friends at church and have time for relaxation knowing that we're all there for eachother and that we'll make it through this crazy time together. I've been cycling around the northeast a lot, exploring new locations, having a blast, and trying not to get run over. I love cruising around the northeast looking for old cars/cars that shouldn't be around anymore. It's really cool to see old economy cars from the 80s that should’ve been scrapped and turned into a fridge by now still somehow in good condition on the road. I came across a really big auto yard with tons of old cars that were broken, and I couldn't help but stop and take a minute to look at all of them. I spend my time right now looking for people selling older cars. I'd love an old Lincoln or Mercury, and with the time we have now with quarantine, I would most certainly have enough time to make that old car look and run good. This 'daydreaming' of what I'll do with my first car helps me keep my mind off of things, as well as AP music theory assignments and Khan Academy work from AP statistics.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Yanko (12-4)
Do you plan on continuing taekwondo and music after high school?
I've done taekwondo for around 10 years. As a kid, my dad always wanted me to be physically active, so he signed me up for sports at a young age. It took a bit of exploring with different sports and eventually landed on Judo. It was great - my dad did it when he was in the army, so I naturally felt like doing it. Problem was that it was far away, so we had to find something closer. While judo was 30 minutes away, a taekwondo center was 5. Decided to look into it, and it stuck with me like glue. It was there that I learned self defense and general life lessons that really helped shape me into the person I am today. I grew up with so many people there, but as I stayed and so many left, I could count on one hand the number of people I still remember training with as a kid that are around today. It's with these people that I've really formed great bonds with, and with new people that come in. It's more than sport - it's a family. I really don't want to give it up and plan on keeping up my training through college. I teach taekwondo classes for kids ages 4-12 on a regular basis (when there isn't a pandemic in the area). The community has invested so much in me, and now that I'm giving back, I can confidently say that I’ll be training for as long as I can.
When it comes to music, I've made noises resembling melodies for around 8 years. Started to play Sax in 3rd grade. It was fun, but I really needed a push from my parents to keep it going. Without my dad's involvement in sports and my mom's in my musical activities, I wouldn't be where I am today. I started saxophone early, but with the help of my teacher in elementary school, Ms. Simon, I wouldn't have gotten as good as I am now. When I came to Masterman, I expanded my musical exposure. I HAVE to give credit to Ms Neu for her awesome dedication to our music program - from jazz nights to concerts and shows, she's done it all 110%. She had a lot of patience to help me find a good instrument to learn in addition to the alto and tenor sax. From having my head hurt from trying to play the flute and giving up on the bassoon idiotic controls, she helped me find an instrument that I liked. The oboe is a wonderful instrument, and so is everyone in the oboe section. I love having people who know so much about their instrument and the art of making reeds for them. These same people have a great capacity for patience, especially when my oboe sounds like a duck being strangled. Similar to taekwondo, I’ve been heavily invested. From my first private teacher, Yakov, a Russian from Tashkent, who spent hours teaching me to play beautifully, I now give private lessons to others who are the same age as when I started saxophone. It's because of people like these, who gave me a gift, and the ability to share it with others, that I really want to stay with the saxophone and oboe. I want to keep giving lessons and play on my own, and if my future schedule permits, maybe even join a group!
What is your favorite Masterman memory?
Being in Masterman's Boys soccer team was amazing. It's really the entire experience that is my favorite memory. From taking the 43 to our field across from the Please Touch museum to being called the 'best ball boy I've seen' by a referee, I really enjoyed the entire time I was a part of the team. I initially got into soccer just to try something new out. I didn't know if I'd stick with it, but after a few weeks I knew I could. Even though my touch work was never stellar, I really enjoyed practice with the boys. The teamwork and spirit of the team was and still is amazing. Our coaches Ms. Geiger and Mr. Gallagher made my time at soccer worthwhile. I started off as a goalkeeper and ended up playing anywhere there was an opening. Throughout my three years of soccer, I learned firsthand how even the smallest things you do can help a team out. One of my most vivid memories was during one of our practices where we split into two teams and had a game. Two minutes into the round the weather turned from sunny to pouring rain. At first everyone slowed down, but after a minute we had more energy than when we started. I cherish the time I spent with our soccer team. Especially all of the guys who made it a blast.
What is your favorite cheesy joke?
Wood fired pizza? How will pizza get a job now?