I am racing onto the teeming highway of cars. A whirlwind of other cars accelerate ahead of me, each representing another student, pursuing their ambitions at frightening speeds. Struggling to find my place in the fast-paced lane of academic competition, I was desperate to catch up.

After two years of virtual education, the transition to in-person high school hit me like a ton of bricks during sophomore year. Like a falling star, my grades dropped from what they once occupied, as I struggled to cope with the pressure in a post-COVID world. My once bright academic achievement faded, leaving me feeling disoriented and lost. I was aware my peers were selecting more rigorous academic pathways, but my desire to do the same proved futile. A fear of being buried in this learning gap clouded my mind, as I felt unable to fully realize my intellectual potential.

I discovered my unique way of accelerating, harnessing fear to fuel self-motivation. I found positive ways of investing time and embracing new opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom. In this way, my extracurricular activities became an integral part of my everyday life, providing avenues into real-life industries where I could apply my knowledge, expand my knowledge, and sharpen my soft skills.

My long standing passion for soccer ever since I was a kid motivated me to join the Stuyvesant varsity team in my sophomore year. Beyond competition, my love for soccer includes playing with my friends at the park or watching my favorite teams on TV. Soccer frees my mind from the confines of daily life, making every kick a moment of pure exhilaration. With the help of some friends on the team, I founded the Sports Management Club in February of my sophomore year. My goal: by combining my passions for computer science and sports, I could introduce wearable technology to Stuyvesant Sports. As students and athletes embraced our vision, our club gained support from our school administration and received funding from the Parent Association. Four months later, we achieved our goal by forming a partnership with Catapult Sports.

Today, student managers assist Stuyvesant coaches with data-driven decision making. Diverse sources like the Student Union and Alumni Association have funded our projects. From just a small dream to a concrete reality, my search for identity caused an interconnected impact on my school community beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined. This joy of achievement motivates me to continue building on my club’s successes and making an impact on my school community.

Beyond my commitment to soccer and my work for the Sports Management Club, I also love to give back to my community. My involvement in volunteering began when I discovered DOROT in my freshman year. DOROT, Hebrew for “generations”, was founded almost fifty years ago, as a way for teens to engage with elderly adults. Today, after three years of service, I am a core member of the youth leadership council at DOROT, shaping and growing the programs in which I once participated. I have shared experiences and stories with members from fourteen to ninety-four. I’ve heard what it’s like to be Andy Warhol’s roommate, and to have dinner with Martin Luther King Jr. During and after COVID, when the feeling of disconnection was strongest, forging new connections through DOROT changed my life and the lives of those I’ve met. Now, as a leader in the organization, I strive to improve the DOROT experience for upcoming generations of participants.

Today, I continue to improve both academically and personally every day, by expanding my horizons and developing through opportunities and extracurriculars.