Catching up with Nicole Palmer
Nicole Palmer is the type of student that a teacher never forgets. A sweet nature and delightful personality combined with a willingness to work hard and a penchant for displaying responsibility and respect made the Huntington High School Class of 2008 member everyone’s favorite.
Beginning in elementary school, teachers took notice of Ms. Palmer’s eagerness to learn and sense of adventure. In that regard she hasn’t changed much at all through the years. Now a freshman at the University of Maryland at College Park majoring in biology, a whole new group of people are discovering what makes this Huntington alum so special.
“This semester my favorite class has been Calculus II,” Ms. Palmer said. “The teacher is really animated and always cracks jokes. He teaches in a way that makes understanding the subject much easier and fun. I am also taking Wildlife and Fisheries Management, which is something new to me and has really opened me up to the broad range of career opportunities available for biology majors. I have also participated in courses and activities this semester to help freshman be acclimated to the school.”
During four years at Huntington High School, Ms. Palmer was extremely active in a wide range of activities including participating on the varsity field hockey, fencing and track team. She played with the Blue Devil marching band for three years and with the wind ensemble for four. She was also a four-year member of the student government and a member of the national, French, math and music honor societies.
In Maryland, Ms. Palmer has found a thriving and vibrant educational community that appears to perfectly meet her needs. “What I am really looking forward to next semester is the Science Catalyst Program,” she said. “I was invited to participate in this program upon my acceptance to Maryland. I was selected as one of one hundred from the whole pool of over five thousand entering freshman. This is a seminar consisting of one hundred students that is sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The goal of the Catalyst Seminar is to introduce new students to the diversity of research opportunities available to them at the University of Maryland and facilitate interaction among students and faculty researchers.”
During her years as a Huntington student, Ms. Palmer earned a widespread reputation as a top notch student that could easily handle the rigors of even the most challenging courses. But, she has also excelled outside of the traditional classroom. What will most likely be the highlight of her freshman year will occur next summer when she visits Germany and Austria.
“I will be traveling to Europe with Empire Tour of American Music Abroad, playing the flute and piccolo in their band,” Ms. Palmer said. “I was selected for this program during a live performance at the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Assoc.) musical festival in May 2007 during my junior year. During the tour, I will meet other gifted musicians from all around New York State. We will perform live in eight different European cities, including Berlin and Vienna. I will also sightsee to view the Berlin Wall as well as see famous musical sites related to Strauss and Beethoven in Vienna.”
Seeing where she is today has convinced Ms. Palmer that the past four years has been time well spent. “Looking back, I really feel my experiences at Huntington High School prepared me very well for everything that is happening at college,” she said.
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