When something “clicks” a person just knows it. They can sense it and feel it and they are drawn to it. So it is for Aaron Chin. The Huntington High School senior knows that Bucknell University in Pennsylvania is the right place for him and he’s looking forward to pursuing an undergraduate degree in creative writing there.
Huntington High School senior Aaron Chin.
“I chose Bucknell because it just felt like the right place for me,” Mr. Chin said. “I first visited Bucknell in August of last summer and I immediately saw myself attending a school like it. The campus was beautiful and I really saw myself reading in an Adirondack chair on the green rolling hills. When I visited again, it really just felt like home. I also did a lot of research on Bucknell and its various programs. I really want to go into creative writing and Bucknell’s creative writing program, faculty and staff are all top of the line. The faculty is filled with amazing professors that I look forward to meeting. I really feel that the English department, and the school as a whole, is truly the right place for me.”
Mr. Chin has worked hard in his classes and he has the grades to prove it. He has also pursued various opportunities outside of class and during the summer to continue his intellectual growth.
“I really do feel like Huntington has prepared me for college,” the teenager said. “Through my experiences at Huntington High School, I feel like I have grown very prepared for my college experience at Bucknell. Because of my experiences taking Advanced Placement classes, I feel prepared for the academic rigor of college classes. I have also participated in the internship program this year, which has definitely given me a lot of hands-on practice that will be vital for a college experience.”
The senior said he intends to participate in Bucknell’s club program as well as other activities around the campus and in the surrounding community.
“I plan on joining many English and literary clubs, such as the Bucknellian, which is the Bucknell school newspaper. There is also a creative writing club, which I look forward to participating in. I also plan on taking advantage of the many internship opportunities that Bucknell has to offer, such as interning for the local literary magazine. I also would like to study abroad in my junior year, preferably in London.”
Mr. Chin has especially enjoyed taking English classes at Huntington High School, including English 9 Honors, English 10 Honors, AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition.
“English 9 Honors, which is taught by Mrs. [Kelly] Krycinski, was the course that really made me want to go into English in college,” Mr. Chin said. “The books that we read in that class really opened my eyes to the power of literature and made me realize that writing is what I want to do in the future. In fact, I loved the class so much that I applied to be the intern for Mrs. Krycinski this year, just so I can experience the class again. I also loved taking English 10 Honors with Mrs. [Dena] Morell. In that class, we got to research an American author of our choosing and I was so excited to be able to research Stephen King, my favorite author.”
Mr. Chin is very well liked by everyone at the high school and around Huntington UFSD. His pleasant personality and quick wit win people over in short order. He has enjoyed the variety of courses he’s been able to take these past four years.
“In AP English Language and Composition with Mrs. [Victoria] Geier, we studied the use of rhetorical devices and how authors use them to persuade an audience, which was super interesting to me,” Mr. Chin said. “We also read ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which is one of my favorite books of all time. In AP English Literature and Composition with Mrs. [Kelly] Quintero, we read a multitude of very interesting texts, such as ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ by Khaled Hosseini, and ‘Hamlet’ by William Shakespeare.”
The teenager has been especially active outside of his classes, participating in clubs, sports and musical performing groups, including the Blue Devil marching band.
“One of my favorite clubs has definitely been Habitat For Humanity, which is supervised by Mr. Gilmor,” Mr. Chin said. “I love Habitat because its goal is to provide homes for people in need. It has been such a rewarding experience being in Habitat all of these years. This year was especially rewarding for me because I was elected president of the club and it was very challenging and fun to get to come up with ideas to keep the club going strong.”
The senior has also been “heavily involved” in the Natural Helpers program, working with classmates who are facing personal and family related challenges.
“Ever since I joined the club in my sophomore year, Natural Helpers has been one of my favorite activities at the high school,” Mr. Chin said. “Because Naturals’ goal is to provide positivity and kindness to all others, it has always been a second family to me. I have had the pleasure of acting at the club’s vice president/secretary this year, which has been very rewarding. I have also been heavily involved in the music program at the high school, as I have been in marching band, wind ensemble and jazz ensemble.”
Mr. Chin is always looking for something interesting to do and he almost always finds it. The same is expected for him at Bucknell University. He is intellectually curious and he also seeks to make the world a better place through simple, quiet actions.
“I have had a few mentors during my time at Huntington High School,” Mr. Chin said. “One of the greatest pleasures that I have had during my time in Huntington was to get to know Mr. Robert Gilmor, the dean of student support. I first got to know Mr. Gilmor my freshman year when I joined Habitat For Humanity and got to know him more when I joined the JV tennis team. He is one of the nicest people that I have ever met in my life. He always radiates positivity, kindness and support and no matter what, I always feel like I can go to him with any sort of problem that I have. He always provides a shoulder for people to lean on if they need it. I cannot count the amount of times that Mr. Gilmor has made my day better.”
It’s hard to imagine Huntington without Mr. Chin next year. He has been such an integral part of life around the high school. Teachers expect him to quickly become essential around Bucknell’s campus as he undertakes a new stage in his life.
“To me, what makes Huntington special is the people,” Mr. Chin said. “While I have had numerous enriching experiences while learning material in classes, it is the people at Huntington, both the faculty and the students, that make it special for me. I will always miss playing music in the marching band with my best friends, talking to Mr. Gilmor outside of his office in the hallway and performing at the K-Factor. These are the things that make Huntington so unique. Huntington High School is a unique place where you can learn from the best teachers while making bonds that will last a lifetime.”
