Seniors of Hopewell Valley Central High School have big plans after graduation. This year’s top 10 graduates by grade point average aspire to make the world a better place as aerospace engineers, civil servants, veterinarians and more.
The high school does not rank its students, but the class valedictorian and salutatorian will be revealed at the June 21 graduation ceremony. The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at Ackerson Field.
This month, the Hopewell Express is profiling these 10 academic high achievers. The students are listed alphabetically.
Navruz Baum plans to attend the Honors College of Rutgers University to study mechanical engineering. He hopes to work in the aerospace industry. Baum attended Timberlane Middle School as well as CHS. He is the president of the Student Council and was the vice president of Model UN. He is also a member of the Robotics Club and RC Plane Club.
Equestrian Kyla Chasalow is an entrepreneur as well as a star student. Chasalow, who has been riding horses at the Mercer County Equestrian Center since she was 9, also started and runs her own dog-walking business.
She doesn’t know what she will study at Cornell University, but she is interested in statistics, international studies, government and writing. Chasalow is the president of the Recycling Club and a member of the National Honor Society, the Youth Environmental Society and the Leadership Corps.
“I am interested in combining all my interests in a career that involves analyzing local and global issues, finding solutions, and promoting peace and respect for human rights,” Chasalow told the Express.
National Honor Society president Ketaki Gujar plans to go to NYU to study economics and public policy. She is also the president of the Future Business Leaders of America and is a member of Model UN, the Debate Club, the Leadership Corps, the French Honor Society and Model World Health Organization. After graduating from NYU, Gujar hopes to study law.
Megan Helmbach is planning to attend Rutgers University to study chemical engineering. She hopes to work at a chemical advancements company as a business consultant in the future.
She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Latin Honor Society, a Student Council representative and she has been a member of the Debate Team for four years. After Helmbach graduates from college, she would like to attend grad school to get her MBA.
Scottish Highland dancer Emily Janoski has been dancing since 2003 and is qualified for seven U.S. Championships and is ranked sixth in the U.S. She plans to attend Barnard College of Columbia University, where she would like to study economics and political science. Janoski is a member of the National Honor Society, French National Honor Society and Model UN. In the future, she would like to work for the federal government in the State or Treasury Department.
Robotics Club president Hannah Morin will study molecular engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of Model UN, the Recycling Club, and the Shakespeare Club as well as a musician in the Marching Band and the Jazz Band. She ran track and was on the varsity in her first year of high school.
Future Princeton University student Maya Naphade would like to study either chemical engineering or aerospace engineering. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Leadership Corps and Model UN. Naphade swam with the varsity swimming team all four years of high school. In the future she would like to be a chemical or aerospace engineer.
“If I do aerospace, I think it would be really cool to work for NASA or SpaceX and build rockets,” Naphade told the Express.
Blair Shields will attend the University of Vermont to study sociology. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Pablo Picasso Chapter of the Spanish National Honor Society.
This year, Shields was the co-captain of the swim team, having competed at the varsity level for three years. She hopes to continue her sociology studies after earning her undergraduate degree, looking forward to doing research and earning a Ph.D.
Future veterinarian Alex Valle will attend Texas A&M University in College Station to study biomedical science. He attended schools in New York, Texas and Pennsylvania before coming to Hopewell to finish high school.
At CHS he is a member of the National Honor Society and Young Republicans. Valle ran cross country and spring and winter track.
Abigail Waugh will attend the University of Pennsylvania to study chemistry. She is the co-president of the Global Connections Club and the secretary of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of the Student Council and Student Ambassador.
At CHS, Waugh ran track and field and played soccer. Her goal for the future is to become a chemical researcher.
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