Maharishi

Name: Skylar Halley

Parents: Michael Halley and Lonica Kufner

GPA: 3.74 (Through end of Junior year)

Class Rank: N/A

Co-curricular activities: I participate in my school’s robotics team, I play the guitar, soccer, and also am the vice president student council.

Community activities: I volunteer with the local Interact Rotary club.

Future plans and goals: I am interested in studying mechanical engineering at college to build a basis of technical knowledge that I can use to start a technology company. The topics which I am most interested in include clean energy, disaster relief robotics, and sustainable architecture.

How will your high school experiences help you in coming years?

I’ve been lucky to get hands on experience with engineering through my school’s robotics team and science fair projects. I believe these projects will help me later if I pursue an engineering degree and career.

Fondest memory of high school?

One of my favorite memories from high school was on a Friday at the end of May of sophomore year. I had just finished my final physical education assessment and walked home in the warm afternoon air. Later I went with some friends to go get dinner together. There wasn’t anything exceptional about that day, though I think it was the simplicity and fun that made it feel exceptional.

Which teachers have had the biggest impact on your education and why?

I’ve always appreciated the teachers I’ve had who consistently connect concepts from our class to examples from the real world as well as with other subjects I am learning. Many subjects share unexpected links which are always a joy to learn about when a teacher points them out.

Who is your role model and how did they influence you?

I don’t have a singular role model as I enjoy figuring things out as I go, however I find it valuable to take notice of the best qualities of people I encounter as it inspires me to adopt those qualities to become more well-rounded.

What is special about your high school?

I value the diversity of my high school. Interacting with other students from a plethora of different countries gives me a variety of interesting perspectives to listen to.

If you could go back to when you were a freshman, what advice would you give yourself?

I would advise myself to get started with any technology related projects I wanted to do as soon as I could. While working on a robot for a science fair last year, I learned that the difference between an idea that becomes reality and an idea that is never developed often lies in having the courage to begin with a draft. Even if the idea fails, there is always the value of experience, and, even more, the satisfaction of knowing that you denied fear and gave it a shot.