Zoe Han
Zoe Han exemplified not only academic and athletic excellence but also outstanding leadership and compassion towards her peers and community, alongside a deep connection to her family, culture, and heritage. During her high school tenure, she held key roles such as senior class vice president, treasurer/secretary for THS biology club, and co-captain for both the THS track and field team and Girls Varsity Tennis Team. Her biology lab leadership was commended by her teacher for her proactive approach in ensuring equal distribution of responsibilities.
Outside of school, she served as president/head coach for the G.R.I.T. (Growth, Resilience, Integrity, Tenacity) program, where she organized and conducted tennis clinics for 60 local, underprivileged children aged 6-15. Additionally, she contributed as a counselor-in-training at Camp Namu Korean American Summer Camp, guiding students aged 8-16 in culture building and sharing Korean American experiences.
In her reflective essay, she credited her acute sense of "nunchi" to her upbringing and Korean heritage. Utilizing this intuition, she noticed a shy camper at the Korean American summer camp and took the time to establish a connection with her. Furthermore, utilizing this intuition, she vividly remembered and painted a scene of her family's kimjang tradition, three generations of women in her family circle around a large metal bowl making kimchi together, thus preserving and honoring their heritage through art.
She emphasized that her keen nunchi not only deepened her understanding of her culture and family but also fostered creativity, compassion, and meaningful connections with others. Looking forward, she eagerly anticipates attending Tufts University, where she will major in biology. Excited for the opportunities ahead, she hopes to engage with fellow students who share her enthusiasm for Korean culture.