Erin Ye is set to realize a longtime dream. The accomplished Huntington High School senior will be attending Stanford University in California.
“I’ve known that I’ve wanted to go to Stanford since I was 13 and I’m so excited and grateful to be attending in the fall,” Ms. Ye said. “Stanford places a big emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and exploring different disciplines before fully committing to a major, which allows me a lot of academic freedom. The campus is also beautiful and there’s an amazing student culture there that is super collaborative and supportive.”
Ms. Ye continues to work hard in all of her classes and is just as active in extracurricular activities as she ever was, but she’s also looking ahead to life beyond high school.
“I’m planning on studying linguistics and symbolic systems, a Stanford-specific major that blends linguistics, neuroscience, computer science, philosophy and math,” Ms. Ye said. “I’m still deciding, but I would like to work in academia and with artificial intelligence as a future career.”
The teenager has worked exceptionally hard in all of her classes and participated in internships to help advance her learning and knowledge.
“This year, I’m really enjoying Advanced Placement Latin with Mrs. [Kristin] Fortunato, AP Micro Economics with Mr. [James] Graber and AP Physics with Mrs. [Stacey] Byrnes,” Ms. Ye said. “All of these classes are challenging, but rewarding and I’ve definitely learned a lot. Some teachers that I am close to are Mrs. [Kristin] Fortunato, Mrs. [Monica] Racz, Mrs. [Deborah] Beck, Mrs. [Lauren] Desiderio and Mrs. [Lori] Kenny, who have all been so supportive throughout my time in high school. I’m going to miss them a lot next year.”
Ms. Ye is The Dispatch newspaper’s editor-in-chief. She’s the recording secretary of the Class of 2022 and vice president of the student government. She competes on the Blue Devil track team, specializing in race-walk and distance events.
“Prior to the pandemic, I had traveled to many different countries with my family,” Ms. Ye said. “Some of my favorite places include Thailand, Cambodia, Italy and Peru. I’d also love to study abroad during my time at Stanford.”
Remarkably articulate and creative, Ms. Ye is highly regarded by her classmates and teachers, who all respect her work ethic and are in awe of her intellect.
“I want people to know that being a student at Huntington definitely shaped my character and who I am today,” Ms. Ye said. “I’m so thankful to have supportive classmates, passionate teachers and an environment that encourages students to do what they love. I think our district’s strength lies in our diversity; having people with different perspectives and worldviews around me has made me a better friend over these 13 years.”
A kind, compassionate and generous soul, Ms. Ye always stands ready to help whoever needs it and asks for her assistance.
“My experience at Huntington has been great and I would not have wanted to go anywhere else for high school,” Ms. Ye said. “I was able to get involved in so many activities and was given opportunities I never could have done otherwise. Even through the pandemic, I feel like I learned every day and made connections that will last me a lifetime.”
