Athletics are an important part of my life throughout the year. I’m on my school’s Cross Country and Squash teams, and I’ve taken up Crew during the Summer in a private program. In addition to these, I enjoy the treadmill and walking outdoors as often as I can!

At Friends Academy, competitive spirit and Quakerism are mutually reinforced when kept in the perspective of integrity and team effort. Students are encouraged to pursue personal goals through cooperative effort and in pursuit of a common objective. We try to teach them that improving oneself is the most important goal one can set and that teachers, mentors and peers can all be a source of strength and knowledge. Sport is a microcosm of life, and the lessons of cooperation, discipline, responsibility and sportsmanship are lessons of life as well as of athletics. 

In addition to my academics, athletics and music, I also enjoy participating in theater and dance.

I took formal ballet lessons for quite a few years, danced in our town’s Nutcracker many times, and now participate frequently in my school’s dramatic and musical stage productions.

My school believes that Dance Education provides a structure that grows with the child, giving them an opportunity to develop both their critical and creative thinking skills.

I am very fortunate to come from a musical family. My father and mother both grew up playing the piano and value music very much. I’ve been lucky and blessed that my parents have always taken me and my siblings to many concerts, musicals, operas, and ballets growing up.
Since my parents both had wonderful experiences with music, they encouraged me to play and instrument also. From a young age, I chose the violin because the sounds this instrument make (when played well!) are the most beautiful on Earth in my opinion and the curved figure and fittings of the string instrument are a work of art by themselves.

I’ve been studying the violin since about age 4, and I added the viola around age 10. My Dad even accompanies me on the piano sometimes, which is always fun. I plan to continue studying and playing these instruments my whole life, as I really enjoy the challenge, and when a scale, arpeggio, exercise or piece of music comes together and I play it well, it’s like no other feeling on Earth! The violin and viola really allow me to express my emotions musically and I love playing as a soloist and in orchestras. I’ve been very lucky to have an exceptional violin and viola teacher in my life for many years as well as an outstanding conductor and mentor.

I’ve also done quite a bit of singing with a few lessons along the way, both solo and in choruses and musical productions. I really enjoy this and plan to continue singing throughout my education.

Please check out my “Violin and Viola Progress Videos” in the links below!!