Plans for next year: Brittany will attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA after having been awarded academic scholarships valued at $50,000 for each of her four undergraduate years. Brittany was torn between CMU and Hampton University in Virginia, where she was awarded a full honors scholarship. Although both universities appeal to her, Brittany chose CMU because she feels in the long run that it is better academically for her. In addition, Brittany spent the past two summers on CMU’s campus as part of the SAMS program, and that experience endeared her to the CMU campus, its staff, its facilities, and its hometown of Pittsburgh.

College major: Brittany will study Science at CMU, and at the end of her sophomore year, she will be allowed to choose a specific major within the sciences, yet at this point she is leaning toward Biology.

High school course that was most influential: Mr. Roddy’s English 11 Honors and English 12 AP. “Something about the way Mr. Roddy provokes questions and problems seems to unlock different ways of thinking that I didn’t even know I was capable of until I took his course,” says Brittany. “He provides a different insight on life in general and I learned to appreciation for the little things that people often take for granted.”

Words of wisdom to underclassmen regarding their futures: “I wish that the underclassmen would realize how great a staff we have because of how they provide a support system to push us along when we don’t motivate ourselves. I would also encourage the underclassmen to take help from their teachers when it’s offered but most of all to help themselves.” Brittany further urges underclassmen, “Don’t expect anything to be given to you. Earn everything and be conscious of your decisions.”