FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 26, 2017 • KIDS & EDUCATION • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
school spotlight COMPILED BY BOB HARRIS AND ROBERT POZARYCKI
Ozone Park student
Making junior year
is an active leader
something special
at Hillcrest
Kanza Choudhry, the junior class president
of the Martin Van Buren High
Chaaya Jonathan of Ozone Park is a
School Student Organization, works to
junior at Hillcrest High School, and has
make the junior year important for the
been designated as a student government
students as they approach graduation.
assistant. As such, she assists student
She works with Brian Greenspan, student
government adviser Haydee Recinos
aff airs coordinator, to plan events including
and other student leaders in activities
a talent show, international night,
such as the senior pep rally, a blood
alumni visits, birthday balloon sales, fi eld
drive, Senior Week, UNICEF collections
trips, club formation and various school
and a coat drive. One special task she
spirit activities. She’s thinking of applying
has is to make the announcements each
to the Sophie Davis Biomedical premed
morning on the public address system
program and has already taken
on Principal David Morrison’s behalf.
She is considering attending LaGuardia
college-level courses administered by
Queensborough Community College.
Cambria Heights
student excels in tech
Demarique Spencer, a senior at
Benjamin Franklin High School for
Finance and Information Technology
in Cambria Heights, does a great deal
of tech work for the school. He is certified
in Adobe and IC3, and he helps to
fix computers, smartboards and other
tech equipment in the school as part
of the Works Based Learning Program.
He’s also a disc jockey for the school’s
radio station and mentors other students
in the field. Spencer is a member
of the National Honors Society
and has taken multiple AP college-level
courses.
Community College and becoming a
therapist. Senior leader helps
meet peers’ needs
Senior Venese Edwards at Martin Van
Buren High School is a peer leader who
recruits students to take part in group
and one-on-one counseling sessions
meet their academic needs. She also participates
in college planning sessions,
current events discussions, creative writing
and acting activities during free periods.
She aso organizes trips to movies,
museums and other places of interest
during school breaks and holidays. She
plans on attending SUNY Purchase or
Hunter College to study law and pursue
a business degree.
Hillcrest High
president is leading
the way
Michelle Rendon is the president
of the Hillcrest High School Student
Organization and works closely with
adviser Haydee Recinos to organize various
school activities including blood
and food drive, pep rallies, the senior
prom, the annual Breast Cancer Walk
and a senior trip. She also works with
other students from the leadership class
and the student government to keep the
entire student body informed of fundraisers
and other events. She’s in the
Teachers of Tomorrow Small Leadership
Community, tutoring at local schools,
and is also involved with volleyball and
indoor track and fi eld. She’s applying
for a Questbridge Scholarship to help
her gain acceptance into Columbia
University or Stanford University. She
plans to pursue a career in the medical
fi eld as a nurse or a physician’s assistant.
Van Buren senior ‘gets the job done’
Urooj Malik, a senior at Martin Van
Buren High School in Queens Village
and a Bellerose resident, is president of
Th e Scholars community service group.
Under the direction of adviser Pamela
Fried, Malik plans events, coordinates the
volunteer work of the other scholars and
makes sure they keep their grades high.
Some activities in which she participates
include the student government, which
she serves as secretary; the yearbook committee;
Helping Queens Village
students apply to college
Martin Van Buren High School again
has St. John’s University college advisory
graduate assistants working as interns in
the College Offi ce for the current school
year. Th ey work with college adviser
Christine Stamberg to help the seniors
apply for fi nancial aid, evaluate colleges,
prepare applications and make sure they
have met all requirements for attending
college. Shown in the college offi ce
are Interns Justin Young and Elizabeth
Gallo, both of whom reside in Queens.
the tennis team; and the guidance
department. Fried describes Malik
as “someone who has a way of making
everything look easy when other students
are overwhelmed” with AP classes
and other work. Malik is in Van Buren’s
pre-med program and hopes to study
pharmaceutical medicine at St. John’s
University.