The school year is coming to an end, and we want to congratulate Jessie Lu for being announced the salutatorian for the Wayne Hills Class of 2021!

As a student at Hills, Lu was the co-President of the Model UN Club and a varsity player on the tennis team.

Outside of school, Lu also participated in many extra-curricular activities: she was a member of the Chilton Medical Center Junior Fundraising Board and volunteered as a tutor for elementary school students to help them with STEM and English. As a student who loves all sciences, Lu has also done research with a chemistry professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

We interviewed Lu on her experience at Hills, and what she has planned for the future.

Q: What was the hardest part of high school for you? Is there anything you wish you would’ve known earlier, or something you wish you could’ve improved on?

Lu: For me, the hardest part of high school was probably managing my time, and I definitely wish I was better at finding that balance between my classes and my extracurriculars, and my free time. I also struggled with finding a good balance between pushing myself to be better and setting realistic expectations for myself, and I think this is something that I’ll need to continue working at.

Q: What was your favorite class that you took at Wayne Hills? Who was your favorite teacher and why? How do you think that teacher helped you develop as a student?

Lu: I really enjoyed all of my classes at Hills, but if I had to choose one class as my favorite, it would probably be AP Physics 1 taught by Ms. Sherger. The class was definitely challenging, but it really developed my problem-solving skills and I loved connecting physics concepts that we learned to things that I observed in the real world. I’m really thankful to Ms. Sherger for being such a dedicated teacher who always encouraged us and made the class so enjoyable.

Q: You’re an athlete, which must mean that you probably have to juggle both school work and practices. How did being a part of a sports team affect your school experience, and how did you manage to juggle everything?

Lu: I actually think that school sports made it easier to juggle my time because practices and meets would in a way force me to be more efficient in planning and finishing my schoolwork ahead of time. I really enjoyed my experience, so I didn’t see practice or meets as a burden; they were more of a fun activity that I was lucky to be a part of and a welcome break from my schoolwork.

Q: What college are you planning on going to, and what will you study? Why did you choose to study this, and what do you hope to get out of it?

Lu: I’m planning on attending the University of Virginia. I’ve always loved all types of science, but I haven’t been able to narrow it down to a specific field yet, so I’m currently undecided. All I know is that whatever I end up doing in the future, I want to be actively creating and working on projects that are useful for different communities around the world.

Q: Who are the people that supported you and influenced your success as an individual?

Lu: I think my family and friends all really supported me through high school. I’m also especially appreciative of my counselor and all of my teachers for being so encouraging.

Let’s all give a round of applause for our 2021 Salutatorian!