Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and things you do in and out of school.

A: Hi! I’m Tanay, a sophomore involved with STEM-related activities including Science Bowl, Math and Science Olympiads, and Science Fair. I’m also a board member of the Huron Biology Club and GIDAS, and participate in the Key and Physics Club. Outside of school, I enjoy playing the double bass both in orchestra and at home and play tennis. I also like volunteering, and recently had some fun in helping at the elementary science olympiad. 

Q: What was your favorite Huron event from last year, and what did you like about it? 

A: My favorite event from last year was the orchestra Toronto trip. I had a lot of fun performing and touring around the city, as well as going to the homecoming dance at the hotel. It was also the first time I experienced a Star Wars movie with a live orchestra!

Q: What is your favorite class at Huron and what do you like about it?

A: My favorite class at Huron is orchestra. After all the rigorous and exhausting classes, I enjoy spending the final period of the day to sit down and play music. It lightens the stress of being at school and also allows me to spend time with my friends. 

Q: What is a class you want to take in the future, and why does it interest you?

A: I’m interested in taking AP Spanish. By the time I graduate high school, I think it will be useful to have another language under my belt. I hope that being fluent can allow me to communicate with others better and provide more opportunities in the future.

Q: Who is one of your favorite teachers at Huron and why?

A: One of my favorite teachers at Huron is Mrs. Hale because her AP Biology class involves both working hard and playing hard. We had a lot of interesting activities including sketch notes where we had to draw biological concepts and diagrams. Doing them allowed me to understand the concepts better while also artistically expressing myself. We also did hands-on labs with living organisms, allowing us to see the topics we learned in lectures in the real world. She also helps proctor the biology olympiad exam in the region and advising the biology and GIDAS clubs. She is always there to support us. 

Q: What are your thoughts about personal project? What were some challenges you have faced so far? What are you working on?

A: I thought a personal project was unique from other traditional classes because I had the freedom to choose any topic for the project.My project involved developing a web application that detects Parkinson’s disease by analyzing how a user draws a spiral. The application uses a machine learning model trained to identify patterns or irregularities in the drawing, which are indicative of Parkinson’s, thus aiding in early diagnosis. I had a lot of challenges in debugging the code, especially when building the model and the web app. Overall, the class was a great opportunity to apply what I learned over the years. 

Q: What is your favorite memory from last year and why?

A: Last year, my favorite memory was the trip to Washington, D.C. for Science Bowl Nationals. It was fun to meet and compete with other people across the country and also see the sights around the National Mall. 

Q: If you could change one thing from your freshman self, what would it be? 

A: I would have read more books. I wish I’d branched out to start reading more fantasy and realistic fiction because it really would have sparked my imagination and given me a new outlook on the world. It would have also improved my reading skills which I have found to be very important in high school and potentially college. 

Q: What is something you weren’t expecting about sophomore year?

A: Sophomore year surprised me with how much deeper I had to dive into subjects, especially in English and social studies courses. It made me realize that humanities courses are just as important and interesting as STEM courses.

Q: What is an interesting fact or hidden talent about yourself?

A: An interesting fact about me is that I am avid about aviation. I like flying commercial aircraft on flight simulators and I don’t hesitate to look at live flight maps and take photos of planes at airports. I hope to be a student pilot one day. 

Q: What is a hot take of yours?

A: Cereal tastes amazing with warm milk! Studies show that warmer food further activates our sense of smell, which contributes to an enhanced sensory experience and makes the food overall taste better.