Competed on a five-member team analyzing eurozone economic policy; placed first at the regional round and advanced as a national semifinalist, presenting to a board of economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Mentored underclassmen teams for the Euro Challenge economics competition in junior and senior years after aging out of eligibility, coaching research and presentation skills
Selected by competitive audition for the ILMEA District One Orchestra (freshman through junior year) and All-State Orchestra (sophomore and junior year); served as principal cellist of District One (sophomore year) and All-State (junior year)
Earned principal cellist chair by competitive audition for junior and senior years in a regional youth orchestra drawing musicians from across Illinois and the Midwest
Competed in Radio Speaking and Original Oratory throughout high school and served as co-captain of the speech team in junior and senior years
Interned for two summers and volunteered year-round at a civic-education nonprofit; researched enforcement of ethics laws, municipal board structure, and First Amendment procedures, and delivered an end-of-program presentation
Served as principal cellist of the school orchestra (junior and senior years), played in the pit orchestra for a state-winning musical theater program, and mentored younger musicians through the Big Buddies program providing private lessons
Competed on the school math team all four years; the team placed first at regionals and qualified for the state competition each year
Co-captained the economics club senior year, organizing meetings, mentoring members, and running competition and stock-market simulation activities
Served as a trained high school peer juror through the Elmhurst Police Department, hearing cases from first-time non-violent juvenile offenders and helping them build restorative plans of action