Extra Curricula
Drama (festival and musical), Improv club, A cappella
Favorite Class at CRLS
History. For one, every single history teacher I've had at CRLS has been amazing (Ms. Otty, Ms. Read, Mr. Montero, Dr. Lam). But more generally, I love history as a subject because there's just so much to learn, and everything you learn you can find a connection to another event, theme, or person. It doesn't even feel like work, more like just trying to unravel the lore of your favorite movie, and there's centuries of it to work through.
Favorite Teacher
Dr. K, Dr. Lam, Monica Murray. These are my favorite teachers from my favorite subjects at CRLS. Dr. Kaczmarek (Dr. K) has been my teacher for all of junior and senior year, and she fueled my passion for learning about science and biotechnology in particular. She communicated extremely complex scientific issues in a way that made sense, as well as informing about the biotech industry at large and how it works. Dr. Lam teaches in a way that makes every class engaging, to the point where you look forward to an hour-long lecture because it's just that interesting. I was never confused, stuck, or left behind, and in every class I was more than excited to see what we would be talking about. Not only is her teaching good, but her sense of humor and ability to weave fun into everything mean that it's never boring. Monica has been my teacher, director, and mentor since literally day one. I've done some kind of theater with her almost constantly for all four years, and I credit her with making me a better actor and a better person. She's dedicated, diligent, jubilant, kind, and always helpful.
What are some of the out-of-school time (OST) programs that you participated in between grades 6 - 12?
None
How did being enrolled in any OST program(s) contribute to your success in and out of high school?
None
What did you like most about CRLS? Why?
I liked that I felt like I could pursue every single thing I wanted without feeling like I was sacrificing anything. I dug deep into pretty much every subject and took the classes and electives that I actually wanted and that challenged me, rather than just what I was required to. I didn't feel like dedicating myself to theater made it more difficult to explore biotech and history, either, or vice-versa. I also never felt like my personal life was being encroached upon any more than I could handle, there was always time to do what I wanted. CRLS allows you to build your own high school experience however you want.
What is something people unfamiliar with CRLS should know about the school? Why?
You should know that pretty much everyone there is there to help and support you, from teachers to administrators to students. If you reach out and find it, teachers will happily support you, your LC will advise you, and you can become friends with pretty much anyone.
Advice to Incoming Freshmen
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. In both CRLS and the world, nothing will fall into your lap, you have to reach out as far as you can and grab it. So take that class, talk to that cool person, join that club. Always try to get what you want when you want it, and the worst that can happen is they say no, and nothing changes. The best case, on the other hand, is that everything changes.
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