Salutatorian: Annie Lee

HOORIYA KHAN, Contributing Writer

What advice would you give to younger students that you wish someone gave to you?

I would say to utilize most of your time here, and don't be confined to or don't get consumed with academics, go out and have fun. It's important to focus on your academics as well, but it's also important to go out with your friends. Attending school events is also important. Some people think it's cringy and not cool, but honestly, some of my favorite memories were from school events with my friends.

Who inspired/encouraged/guided you throughout your journey at NBTHS? How?

Definitely my STEM academy friends, we had a bunch of classes together, and they always inspired me and encouraged me to keep going, to shoot for higher spots.

What college are you planning to attend and what will be your major? Why did you choose this school/major?

For my first year, I am going to Rutgers Honors College, and then I'm going to transfer over to Cornell University in my sophomore year through their transfer option program. I am majoring in biological sciences. I did this to go on the pre-med track, and also, I just really like biology.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully, working in a big hospital and making money.

What was your favorite memory from your time at NBTHS?

My favorite memory was my sophomore year study hall, before AP Bio, where my friends and I would cram, do our study guides, and just have fun together.

How do you feel about graduating?

It's a bittersweet feeling, because I feel like this is a day that everyone looks forward to, and you feel [it's] so far away, not that it's rapidly approaching; it feels unreal.

What has been the biggest challenge throughout your high school career?

For me, it was finding my passions and putting time commitments to clubs that I really liked. When I was a freshman I just joined a bunch of clubs to try and build my resume, but I found that I didn't like most of them, and it was hard for me to really find my kind of place in which clubs [and activities] I wanted to do.

What advice would you give to anyone hoping to become Salutatorian?

Time management is definitely important. I know procrastination is a temptation that all of us have. I've procrastinated too, but it's important to discipline yourself and to get all your work done in time. [If] you don't have time after school, try to get it done during study halls or lunches, and things inside of school.

Were you involved in any clubs or sports? If so, how did you manage to maintain good grades throughout the year?

I managed both the girls' and boys' volleyball teams, as well as the boys' and girls' swim teams, throughout all three seasons. I was part of the sound booth in the auditorium, and I was a part of SGO for three years. For me, these are things that I really liked and had passion for, so it never really felt like a waste of time. I always managed to work my schedule around all these. Sometimes I had to sacrifice some nights and stay up until 3 A.M., fueled by an unhealthy amount of caffeine, but it was all worth it in the end.

What do you think the biggest challenge students will face in the future?

Motivation-wise, I find a lot of kids just doing things because they have to, not because they want to, and I feel like they go into college just choosing whatever major. I think that people must find what they're passionate about, and what they want to do in life.

What is your favorite memory from the 2024-2025 school year?

There are so many moments because it was my senior year, and I wanted to make the most of it. I did a bunch of things that I usually wouldn't do and I think some of them were definitely football nights on Fridays, because I usually didn't go to them. [However], this year I was like, "it's my senior year and might as well," and it was really fun even though I have no idea what goes on in football.