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Class of 2024 Senior Highlights!
Class of 2024 Senior Highlights!
Carine Kwong Loo
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
One of my favorite moments of high school is when the teachers are absent, and I'm able to spend even more time with my friends. I remember literally dying laughing in so many classes. Also, I love going to get food after school, Mochick Tea is an honorable mention. Reflecting on high school now it is kind of bittersweet. I'm definitely going to miss a lot of things at New Utrecht.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
One of my favorite teachers is Mrs. Walker, whom I've known since my freshman year and now have for my senior year. She has had a huge impact on me. She set the tone for my writing, and I'm happy to end it off with her!
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to attend nursing school and possibly pursue a nursing practitioner degree for grad school. Still, I also plan to work a couple of part-time jobs; I want to work as a florist or a barista.
Thomas Leonard
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My favorite memory of high school was the feeling of classes after the AP tests. While everyone was stressed and studying prior to the tests, the weeks after the test were dedicated to continuing to bond with friends and classmates through games and many conversations. It was a great reward after the strong effort put in throughout the school year.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
My favorite teacher was Mr. Gomez from my AP Biology class in junior year. He always managed to strike a balance between teaching the required material (which was a lot in that class) while also keeping the class in a good mood.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to attend Baruch College for Management. While in college, I want to find more time to travel, visiting places across the country during my breaks.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
I don’t think the one year of remote learning really impacted me. I felt like the teachers, for the most part, tried their best to teach despite the challenges that came from learning at home. I really enjoyed being able to stay home and be comfortable while learning.
Quanhui Lin
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
This question is a tough one, but I’ll say when I presented a project in my AP World History class during my sophomore year. This is probably one of my proudest projects yet. It was a podcast episode with interviews for countries that were involved in WW2, and the topic was about the Ottoman Empire’s downfall. I had the idea to translate each of the responses of the countries in their respective languages. It was both funny and amazing, and everyone got a good laugh and amusement out of it.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
I would have to say Ms. Shen, who is a math teacher and also the former math team coach of NUHS. She is currently teaching at another school, but I really do miss her presence. I remember in my freshman year when she invited me to join New Utrecht's math team, and I interpret this as her seeing potential in me. I also liked her teaching style very much; she always prioritized conceptual understanding over memorization, which I also prioritize. Her presence gave me a sense of security, a sense that what she taught me was significant. She even wrote my letter of recommendation for college applications! Although I don't plan on majoring in math in the future, I'm glad that I got the chance to be her student.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be heading to Tufts University on a QuestBridge Match Scholarship! I think that I will probably major in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, with a minor in Linguistics. I think life at Tufts and the overall Boston area will be so much fun! When I went to Boston for the first time in early September of 2023, I fell in love, and now I'm glad to hear that I will be making that my home for the next 4 years! While Boston is fun, I also do hope to get a chance to study abroad somewhere in Europe.
Do you have any regrets during your high years? What do you wish you did differently?
I honestly don't know how to answer this question. It would be dishonest of me to say no LOL, but at the same time, I believe each experience lead me to where I am today. If one of those experiences were to change, the very moment I'm in right now would change. This phenomenon is called the "butterfly effect", in which even a slight change in the environment can lead to significant outcomes. So, maybe I regret not choosing a specific academy, or not joining clubs earlier, or taking AP Physics (don’t take that class, that class is torture). But at the end of the day, these regrets don’t matter; what matters is what I do going on from now and the overall end goal.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
Well, for starters, it was really hard to concentrate at home LOL. It also felt weird; nobody expected us to go into quarantine during 2020, let alone the rapid spread of COVID-19. It didn't feel right for my last year of middle school to be remote, let alone the transition to high school. I did get the chance to do some pretty meaningful stuff though during remote learning, like joining math team and meeting new friends and teachers. At the time, I was actually considering retaking the SHSAT to get into a "better" high school than NUHS, but for some reason I actually kind of liked the atmosphere of NUHS and chose to stay. I think remote learning might have played a role in that. I also learned a lot more about technology during remote learning, like how to use Google Classroom and making sure I check my email constantly to be sure no assignments are missed or whatnot. Remote learning taught me to better appreciate things.
Bekzod Mamasoliyev
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My favorite and memorable memory of high school was talking to my upperclassmen in the Math Team. While I did not fully enjoy math classes, the math team helped me connect with some long term friends like Quanhui Lin and opened up opportunities like getting invited into the Academy of Business and Technology. The opportunities changed my view on the world and who I really was to the point that I changed my major into Applied Economics and Management, concentrating in finance.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
I have had 3 favorite teachers that currently still work in New Utrecht. Huge thanks to Mrs. Chan for helping explore the parts of journalism that I didn’t even know existed. Huge thanks to Ms. Chen for being a great math teacher because I wouldn’t have survived AP Calculus BC without her. Huge thanks to Mr. Levine for believing in me, helping me learn photography, play around with his cameras, teaching me business because it turned out to be my passion, and thanks for encouraging me all the time. Finally, huge thanks to Ms. Shen even if she doesn’t work in New Utrecht as of now, but she was my best math team coach.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan on going to Cornell University, School of Dyson for Applied Economics and Management.
Do you have any regrets during your high years? What do you wish you did differently?
I wish that I had made more memories and stopped procrastinating because I definitely could have time-managed better and had time for school events or make more friends. I used to solely focus on my grades to the point that I isolated myself. I don’t regret my hard work, but I regret not experiencing life at the same time.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you? Please answer in complete sentences!
It made it really hard to make friends because you couldn’t just reach out to people in the private chats without looking like a creep. It also threw off my studying habits because there was constant distractions available in front of me; I would usually end up going to Netflix or YouTube during every lesson because I would get bored.
Ryan Feng
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My favorite high school memory is the time I spent in the Business Academy. There, I gained valuable skills such as using Adobe software and operating 3D printers. But the most significant aspect was the chance to build close and lasting friendships with many of my classmates, which I will always treasure.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
My favorite teachers were Ms. Chen, Ms. Li, and Mr. Levine. They were some of the nicest teachers I ever had and were always there to support me.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to complete college and retire from my parents. My main goal is to ensure my dad and mom are happy without worrying about me.
Do you have any regrets during your high years? What do you wish you did differently?
One regret I have during my high school years is not being social enough. The reason for this is because I could’ve made even more friends and experience a more diverse social life.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
Remote learning has made me less social. In middle school, I enjoyed talking to people and was carefree. However, now I find myself hesitant to engage with new people and feel more socially awkward.
Kobi Li
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
The most memorable and favorite memory of high school is when I went to Yankee Stadium with Mr. Mikulka and the Guitar Ensemble play the national anthem. I felt that it was something that was outside of my comfort zone and novel since I have not visited a baseball stadium, especially playing the national anthem for them. It was nerve-racking since I never had done something for a large audience, unlike the few performances that Guitar Ensemble had for the school.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
My favorite teacher was Ms. Cocoli because she was willing to encourage my fascination with history and taught the class really well. I felt that, in her class, she really enjoyed teaching the subject and wanted to ensure that everyone had something that they learned about after school.
What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation is to commute to NYU to get my degree in history in college. I want to keep a mixture between life and work once I go to college and be able to do well in it.
Do you have any regrets during your high years? What do you wish you did differently?
I have some regrets during my high school years. The thing that I wished that I did differently was to go on that Asian Studies trip during my junior year when I could since it looked interesting and fun. I felt that I would be interested in the trip considering it was to a place that I never have been to and would really enjoy if I did.
Joyce Huang
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My most memorable memory is going to Grover Cleveland High School for Science Olympiad. Last year was my first time joining and I was super lost. I am very thankful for the seniors and coaches that guided me through everything. This year I was even able to win a medal in the competition. I think it is drawing a good ending to my high school life in New Utrecht.
What are your plans after graduation?
I would be going to St. Joseph University and be majoring in Biology.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Give a shoutout.
My favorite teacher is Mrs. Chan and Ms. Li. I had Mrs. Chan as my freshman english teacher. I usually don’t really like english and it was one of my weakest subjects, but Mrs. Chan was able to make it fun and I learned a lot from her. Ms. Li was my AP Chemistry teacher. AP Chemistry is not an easy course but she still managed to make it fun and enjoyable for me to learn.
Do you have any regrets during your high years? What do you wish you did differently?
One of my biggest regrets is not taking an AP course my sophomore year. I wanted to take AP Computer Science but I thought that it was too much. Since my freshman year was in zoom I never had a tour of our school. I took my sophomore year as if I was a freshman trying to navigate around the school.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
Remote learning helped me open more and value the times I spend with my family and friends more. It helped me become a more outgoing person and I got better public speaking skills.
Faith Tai
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
The 2024 Japan Trip was definitely my favorite memory of high school. Traveling abroad to a foreign country with your friends is not an experience that every student can enjoy. I had lots of fun, shopping, eating, and laughing our way through the entire trip.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr. D’Acquisto without a doubt. He was someone I could go to no matter how under the weather I was feeling and I would never leave his room in a bad mood. Mr. D’Acquisto was someone I could laugh or cry with and I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in any way.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to work in the fashion industry, however which part of the industry isn’t something I’ve completely decided on. I hope to study abroad and use networking to further push myself as a brand.
Evelyn Wong
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My most memorable memory was when I went to Japan with my friends. It was really fun even though I was sick and I’m glad I was able to go to another country and be able to experience a different culture.
Valerie Tam
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My most memorable and favorite memories of high school are the shows we have. For example, the Chinese New Year show is always such a fun experience because of all the different performances there are like dancing, singing, and hanfu. This is a chance where everyone gets along and can enjoy a show together to celebrate their culture.
What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation is to go to college and hopefully get a job while still having fun and enjoying life.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
The one year of remote learning affected me by taking away the opportunity of being able to fully experience the high school life. It felt like we were pushed back a year, starting my freshman life in sophomore year. Having to step into a new building, finding all the classes through the map and trying to make new friends. All this leads to now..even still, I feel like an ongoing high school student. But now, I’m in my senior year getting ready to go to college. So, I’m enjoying it while it lasts!
Arba Frangu
What was your most memorable and favorite memory of high school?
My favorite memory of high school and most memorable was going to Italy with the best group ever, and visiting new areas and trying new food which I will remember forever in my life.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
My favorite teacher is Mr.Talarico because he has been my Italian teacher for most of high school, and he is always very caring and understanding towards me.
How did the one year of remote learning affect you?
Remote learning affected me because I used technology throughout my whole freshman year and learning was more difficult, but when I got back to regular schooling I realized how much I missed learning in class and how much more I learned being present in school rather than being at home on my bed all day.
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