World in the Palm of Meghan Rowland's Hand
Meghan Rowland has the world in the palm of her hand. The Huntington High School senior will attend the University of Delaware in the fall, where she will study biology in the honors program.
The teenager recently received $9,500 in scholarships during Huntington's senior academic awards night in the school auditorium. Ms. Rowland's choice of a college major seems perfectly suited to her interests and intellect.
"Science and math have always been my strong points, and it was really Mrs. [Deborah] Beck's AP Biology class that I took in my junior year which sparked my true interest," Ms. Rowland said. A popular Huntington science teacher, Mrs. Beck and the teenager made a real connection, a testament to the lasting influence a talented teacher can have on the life of a student.
"My major is not set in stone, however I am fairly certain that science and math are the two main possibilities," Ms. Rowland said about her college plans. "I know that in the upcoming years my new experiences may inspire a new interest or path for my future, so I don't want to bind myself into anything too early."
A generous scholarship helped seal Ms. Rowland's decision that Delaware was the place for her. Another factor was "the wide variety of majors and programs they offer, so I definitely want to explore all the options I will have," she said.
While Delaware has what many people have described as a "beautiful" campus, Ms. Rowland doesn't expect to stay on it for the next four years. "I plan on studying abroad," she said.
The senior travelled to Italy during her junior year on a private trip organized by Huntington teachers Pamela Piffard and Camille Tedeschi through Education First Tours. "It was my first time out of the country and I loved everything about it," Ms. Rowland said. "It was exciting to experience a new culture while also with a group of my close friends, so all around the trip was tons of fun. It made me think about traveling more in the future, and I think studying abroad for a longer period of time during college would be awesome."
Ms. Rowland will be handed a Huntington High School diploma this Friday evening. "I'm really excited to start college, but at the same time it's also bittersweet," the teenager said. "The past four years in the high school have been really amazing. The years have gone by so quickly, yet I've become so comfortable that it seems as if it's been forever."
So much has transpired over the past four years. "I've grown a lot as a person," Ms. Rowland said. "Being able to meet and become friends with so many different people and participate in all sorts of activities has really influenced me."
Marching Band Looms Large
The Blue Devil marching band has loomed large in Ms. Rowland's life throughout high school. "It's been a unique experience," she said. "The activity itself was a lot of work and, of course, some of the hotter days were dreadful, as were the cold, but although it was a lot of hard work and dedication, it was always so much fun in the end. I think it was really the family aspect of it that has provided me with some of my favorite memories. We all became so close, especially this past season which was my favorite. I couldn't have asked for a better group of band members to end with, and our championship performance left us all in awe. I'm definitely going to miss the band next year."
Ms. Rowland was inducted into the Science, English, Spanish and Math honor societies, serving as treasurer of the Science Honor Society and secretary of the Math Honor society. "We did a lot of great things in all of the groups, from recycling to volunteering at family math nights in the elementary schools," she said. "Serving as an officer was a good experience as well because it meant I was more involved in coming up with ideas and organizing events."
High Honor Roll
Ever since the teenager was a freshman she's consistently been on the high honor roll. "I've taken almost all honors or AP courses throughout my years here," Ms. Rowland said. "All of the AP courses I've taken were definitely very challenging and a lot of work, but I think it has been worthwhile. I've learned so much from all of the classes, and they were all taught by extremely dedicated teachers."
Her favorite courses have been AP Biology, AP Microeconomics and AP Calc BC. "I never noticed until now, but my most of my favorite teachers coincide with these classes," Ms. Rowland said. "Mrs. [Deborah] Beck, Mr. [James] Graber and Mrs. [Doris] Quintilian have been particularly amazing, although almost all of the teachers I've had were great. They each made their courses more understandable and less intimidating and were constantly trying to help everyone do their best. I really couldn't have done as well as I did without all of their help."
Scholarships Galore
Ms. Rowland received the Huntington Lions Club scholarship, Donald A. Pius scholarship and the "Let It Begin With Me" – William F. Oliva memorial scholarship earlier this month. "I really can't even begin to express how grateful I am," she said about the $9,500 in awards. "I'm still amazed at all of this and leaving the awards ceremony that night everything felt so surreal. I'm incredibly honored to have received these scholarships. It really means the world to me."
When the new school year rolls around next September and the marching band's fall competitive season heats up, Ms. Rowland is sure to be missed by faculty, staff and advisors. Teachers say she's just as sure to make herself as much an indispensable part of the University of Delaware as she was at Huntington High School.