GISNY CLASS OF 2014 
    ENTERED GISNY IN
    Kindergarten/Eingangsstufe
    UNIVERSITY
    New York University, Class of 2018
    INTENDS TO STUDY
    Philosophy (with a minor in business or computer science)              
    FAVORITE GISNY SUBJECT
    English

WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE GISNY TEACHER?  Ms. Hegarty (English), Mr. Perekrestenko (American Political Studies, History) and Mr. Pommerening (Music)
 
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GISNY MEMORY?  Choosing only one would be impossible and torturous.
 
WHAT CLUBS AND/OR AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED WITH DURING YOUR TIME AT GISNY?  AP English and Theatre
WHAT LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK REGULARLY TODAY? German and English

WHAT HAS BEING MULTILINGUAL MEANT TO YOU?  Being multilingual has meant being multicultural. Proficiency in a language does not guarantee an understanding of the customs, mannerisms, approaches and opinions of the people it is spoken by: fluency does. I feel strongly that such full immersion has granted me access to a whole other set of knowledge, job opportunities and conversations in a bright future ahead.
 
HOW DID YOUR GISNY EDUCATION PREPARE YOU FOR UNIVERSITY AND BEYOND? GISNY expects its student to challenge and filter the information presented to them. My education reflects this. I have grown confident in asserting my opinion based on empirical knowledge and cogent rhetoric.
 
WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU "GREW UP"?  Myself
 
WHAT ACTIVITIES/CLUBS/COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH TODAY?  As an avid Dressage rider, I have been training, competing and volunteering in the barn for four years and plan on maintaining my passion and dedication toward this equestrian sport through college and beyond. In addition, I have enjoyed playing piano for over ten years under the guidance of accomplished concert pianist, Svetlana Gorokovich, who GISNY frequently refers its students to.
 
WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO CURRENT GISNY STUDENTS TO HELP THEM MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR EXPERIENCE?  Take charge in forming a classroom dynamic that with few students will create a playground of thoughts, ideas and perspectives. Listen to your peers, be vocal and make learning an ongoing conversation. This way, learning will become an inherent part of your daily routine which will preserve your natural curiosity. 
 
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, EITHER PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY, IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?  Wherever my accomplishments take me, I want to be on a clear path toward CEO or department director. Whether this be at the Robin Hood Foundation or at the marketing agency Wieden and Kennedy, at 28 years of age I will be climbing the ladder. 
 
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR?  I have learned that I must always keep checking and correcting myself, especially when it comes to respecting people's sensitivities. Taking charge of your situation is one thing but taking advantage of those within it is another. One must be aware of this slight but significant difference and find ways to act as morally as one does efficiently. 
 
IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?  If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be with a Tralfamadorian from Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. What can beat a date with a comprehensive understanding of time, complete apathy toward cause and effect and, in turn, that cannot take offense in being stood up because it simply choses to live in the moment we were still sitting at the table together...?