Amelia Reilly’s sensational four year run at Huntington High School is nearing an end. The senior will graduate in June, so she’s laying out plans for the future. She intends to continue her education at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Huntington senior Amelia Reilly.
“Lafayette was just the perfect fit for me,” Ms. Reilly said. “Research opportunities were extremely important to me when looking at schools and the absence of graduate students at Lafayette will allow me to begin participating in research as a freshman. I also loved the idea of receiving a liberal arts education. I am a student who is strong in STEM fields, so Lafayette will be the perfect place for me to expand my horizons.”
The Huntington teenager said that her academic strengths have always been in math and science. “The first time I was challenged by a subject was when I took Advanced Placement Physics,” Ms. Reilly said. “However, the challenge was what made this course interesting to me. After a great deal of hard work, I began to excel in my physics class. I enjoyed combining different formulas from each unit in order to work out intricate problems. It was like solving a puzzle. Once I had fallen in love with physics, I knew that I wanted to learn even more about the subject. This is why I have decided to major in physics.”
President of Huntington’s drama club, historian of the Class of 2018 and a member of the high school’s robotics team, Ms. Reilly has been keeping busy.
The teenager is enrolled in Advanced Placement Chemistry, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Calculus B/C, Journalism, Mystery Literature, Chamber Choir Honors and Senior Competitive Band Honors.
Ms. Reilly has devoted many hours toward thoughts of her future. “I definitely plan on working in the field of physics,” she said. “I’m interested in either working in a lab and doing research or even physics engineering.”
The senior have developed many rewarding relationships with faculty members over the years. “Ms. [Stacey] Byrnes (AP Physics), Ms. [Dame] Forbes (AP Chemistry) and Mr. [Jamie] Fishlow (Project Adventure) have been some of my favorite teachers throughout my high school career,” Ms. Reilly said. “They have all taught me that nothing is impossible and to continue reaching for the stars.”
Lafayette College appears to be an ideal place for Ms. Reilly to continue her educational pursuits. The college was founded in March 1826. It offers undergraduate degrees in 51 fields. The enrollment totals about 2,500 students representing 46 states and 48 countries.
“The highlight of my time at Huntington High School was travelling around Ireland with Ms. [Camille] Tedeschi last spring,” said Ms. Reilly about an EF Tours sponsored trip that was led by Ms. Tedeschi, a veteran high school social studies who has headed dozens of similar privately funded treks. “It was the first chance I had to experience the freedom of a young adult life. I was allowed to roam around a foreign country with some of my closest friends.”
A wonderful student academically, Ms. Reilly will leave Huntington knowing she gave her best during her time in the district.
“I will always remember the lessons I have learned about confidence and hard work from the staff at Huntington High School,” Ms. Reilly said.
