Lynbrook’s 18 under 18

Freshman Emma Tu is president of the Class of 2023 and a member of ASB. Tu has been a leader in her class ever since middle school, where she took Leadership in seventh grade and was elected student body president in eighth grade.  “To me, my role is a position of kindness, where I do my best to make the people around me as happy and included as possible,” Tu said. Tu looks back on ...

Whether she’s spending hours practicing for the Class of 2022’s homecoming or leading the worship team at her church, sophomore Kristin Zhao does almost everything with a glowing smile on her face. Known for her positivity and compassion, Zhao’s joy is contagious, lifting the spirits of those around her.  “I like to make other people happy,” Zhao said. “If I'm optimistic, I’m ...

Junior Navya Bhakta is a crucial part of life on campus as a member in Acapella Club, National Honor Society and Link Crew. She also sings in Concert Choir and plays forward on the JV field hockey team.  Bhakta’s first brush with National Honor Society took place when she applied for a STTAR tutor through the club’s program in her sophomore year. Bhakta benefited greatly from the help,...

Sophomore Ian Chen grew up listening to National Public Radio’s “Planet Money” podcast. As he learned about topics ranging from Ronald Reagan’s involvement with unions to reasons why milk is placed in the back of grocery stores, he became increasingly captivated by how the world worked, fueling a lifetime of exploration and a fascination with economics. “I was amazed by how one individual’s ac...

Freshman Andrew Yuan started developing an interest in math when his mother signed him up for Math Club at Dilworth. There, he realized that math could be fun and that he enjoyed solving problems. Yuan’s mother also helped him get involved in other math activities such as Math Olympiad. Both of Yuan’s parents are software engineers, with degrees in scientific fields — his mother in geophys...

Many students devote much of their time to Homecoming during the beginning of the school year. Junior Anastasia Trushchankova is one of them, having helped choreograph homecoming dances since freshman year. Her passion for dance drew her to the position, and she thought it would be a fun activity as well as an opportunity to apply her skills.  Trushchankova started dancing in preschool, but didn’t begin a...

One day, junior Isabela Britton noticed her friend seemed a little down. The next day, Britton slipped her a card with a wonderful message. Britton’s friend wasn’t the first to receive such a gift. Britton, a caring and sweet individual, likes to give her friends hand-made cards to cheer them up. “It's usually when someone's having a hard time or needs some encouragement,” Britton said. “I ...

“Busy,” was sophomore Melissa McCullough’s reply when asked for a word to describe herself. Busy is right. McCullough plays alto saxophone in Lynbrook’s marching band, pitches for the school’s varsity softball team and plays ice hockey for the Redwood City Black Stars as well.  “I have a sport or another activity after school every single day, sometimes two or three,” McCullo...

The achievement that makes freshman Katie Chung most proud and perhaps provides the most holistic view of her character is how she designed and screen printed T-shirts for cancer awareness after the passing of a teacher's mother in middle school. “After the loss of his mother, Mr. Gonzales wanted to start a movement on campus to create awareness,” Chung said. “Mrs. Reed heard, and she knew I...

Although resources such as Khan Academy and Organic Chemistry Tutor have been staples for high school chemistry students for years, junior Jonathan Huang has emerged as an essential guide, with many students identifying his Youtube channel as a resource crucial to their understanding of difficult chemistry concepts.  From spending afternoons at Saratoga Library reading books about recent bre...

Though many students may not know his name, chances are most students have seen his face around campus. Responsible and driven, senior Pranav Kadiyala can be seen in representing Lynbrook in several ways, whether at DECA conferences, during Pre-Med club meetings, at track meets throwing the discus and shotput or during Octagon community service events. These organizations have taught him efficien...

Even after swishing two free throws to give Lynbrook the lead with only 10 seconds left of regulation, sophomore Derrick Cai wasn’t ready to celebrate until he heard the final buzzer, signaling that he had, in fact, won his team the game.  Having played basketball since third grade, Cai is no stranger to scoring clutch baskets and leading his team to victory. From a young age, Cai was enr...

Freshman Adeline* hasn’t known her classmates for very long, but many have already experienced her positive energy and friendliness. Unlike many Lynbrook students, Adeline did not go to Joaquin Miller Middle School; instead, she attended a small private K-8 school, Canyon Heights Academy. She found the culture at Lynbrook quite different from what she had experienced at her former school, mainly d...

After some thinking, senior Abdullah Ashiq decided his group of loud, outgoing friends might likely describe him as the “group therapist.” That makes sense. Most of the aspects of Ashiq’s life are a reflection of his efforts to show compassion and a deep understanding, especially for others and their emotions. Ashiq is the lead editor of Aletheia — a student publication that features st...