These students have committed 6 hours every Saturday to attending the Alumni Association driven StuyPrep program.

Hi! I’m Corlynn, an 8th grader at I.S. 392. I’m really excited to be a part of this SHSAT prep program. It would be a great honor to be able to get into a school like Stuyvesant High School. I think of myself as determined, outgoing, artistic, creative, and quite bubbly. My favorite subjects are social studies and art. I like to draw, write, listen to music, sing, and watch television in my free time. I used to be sure I wanted to become a pediatrician, but now I’m not so sure. I’m thinking of becoming a journalist, and putting my love of writing to use. I’m sure that this program will do very well in allowing me to ace the test, and I’m very grateful.

Hey! I’m Yujie, a senior at Stuyvesant High School. I’m stoked to be able to work with the intelligent, talented students in this program. I consider myself to be a motivated, artistic, and extroverted nerd with a contagiously sunny attitude. My favorite subjects are art and science (specifically biology for the latter), and I aim to major in design and/or premed. In my free time, I love to paint, sketch, write, study pathology, watch my favorite TV shows, cook, and play the occasional video game. I am confident that this program will be a rewarding experience for me and my tutee!

Hello, my name is Kejuan. I am in the eighth grade at I.S. 392. I like math and reading. I love sports and video games. I don’t know what I want to do or become in the future, but I want to learn about computers.

Hello! My name is Celine and I am a senior at Stuyvesant High School. Throughout my years at Stuyvesant, I’ve discovered new passions and have been exposed to many new and different courses; classes that particularly stuck out to me were computer science related, a major I plan to pursue after high school. Aside from the wide range of academic classes, the eclectic variety of clubs and extracurriculars really encouraged me to try new things and discover what I enjoyed doing outside of school. I love volunteering, photography, designing, and playing badminton. Some of my club positions include StuyBirdies Vice President (badminton club), Indicator Editor-In-Chief (school yearbook club) and Stuyvesant Red Cross Leader (community service school organization). One of the best experiences for me when helping others is seeing the lightbulbs in their minds light up, and when they understand and master the task at hand. This is why I am here to help as a mentor — to assist and to inspire!

Hi, my name is Christopher. I find it easier to study alone. I found an interest in science at a very young age. That is why I decided to become a scientist when I’m older.

Hello, my name is Qiang (pronounced “Chong”). Due to family circumstances, my parents were absent about 75 percent of the time. At an early age, I became an independent child and learner. I matured quickly, took care of myself, studied and learned by myself. I understand that it can be difficult to study or learn alone. Learning is almost always more enjoyable and easier with someone else. That is why I have decided to help out the younger generation with learning.

My name is Dylan and I am in the 8th grade at I.S. 392. My favorite subject in school is math and I love playing basketball since it is my favorite sport. I was recently on the basketball team, and averaged 12 or more points per game, and I am looking forward to the new season for a fresh start. I practice basketball in my free time to build up my skills and to get better, and I also like to draw from time to time in my free time. I used to play the violin, and play on special occasions. For example, I would get to play on Mother’s Day, assemblies, and graduations. I chose to do this program because it would help me improve and gain more knowledge on how to approach the specialized high school test.

My name is Michelle and I am a senior at Stuyvesant. I am interested in a variety of things. For example, while my favorite subject is math, I play the violin and I am a part of the school newspaper and yearbook. I am a little bit of a food fanatic and a complete book enthusiast. Hence, in my free time, I am always either eating or reading. I choose to tutor because it is incredibly fulfilling. In addition, I would like to help students gain the opportunity to attend Stuyvesant because it has helped me grow so much both as a person and as a student.

My name is Curshelle. I am 13 years old and am currently in the eighth grade. I attend the Britou-Moore Academy Gifted and Talented at M.S. 61. I graduated from P.S. 159 with five awards, including one from the Comptroller of New York. As a young child, I dreamed of becoming a doctor. This decision was influenced by my mother and grandmother. My mother worked as a nurse in her home country and my grandmother previously worked as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) here in the United States. I love helping people and wish to save lives. Both my father’s parents died from cancer and my mother’s father died from heart disease, all when I was one years old. I enjoy playing a wide variety of sports, particularly volleyball. I love creating things as well as drawing anything. I took piano lessons but no longer play it because of financial issues. I love studying math but am intrigued by biology and human anatomy, especially since attending Mount Sinai’s Medstart Camp. I work hard to accomplish my dreams, one of which is to get accepted into Stuyvesant. I try to keep my GPA in the upper 90s, and hope to maintain this in order to be successful academically.

Ilya graduated Stuy in 2005, where he was a math team and tennis team captain. Afterwards, he attended Princeton, completing a B.S.E. in Operations Research and Financial Engineering (as well as getting into breakdancing!). After Princeton, he worked for a year in energy consulting in D.C., then began a Ph.D. at NYU in computer science, which he left after 2 years to pursue his passion: music (composition/songwriting). Since then, he has been tutoring (both privately, and groups) and working on music, and loves to teach Math and English. Teachers run in his family (his dad is a chess teacher, and grandmother was a biology and chemistry teacher). He has a huge interest in improving education in general. In the past he’s taught with SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity),and recently started an educational youtube math series.

My name is Royal-Essence and I’m 13 years old. I was born on Long Island, and in 2013, I moved to Brooklyn in the middle of fifth grade. I attended P.S. 115 for elementary school, and I am currently attending I.S. 392 for middle school. I like drawing and anything that is related to art and design, including sewing. I also like to play sports, such as rugby and basketball. I used to do karate and cheerleading. I’m interested in merchandising, photography, sales, and marketing. I used to play violin, and I’m currently teaching myself to play keyboard and guitar.

My name is Nobel Gautam, and I’m currently 16 years old. I was born in Nepal, and lived there for 7 years. I then moved to Denmark and lived there for 4 years. After that I moved to the US, in the middle of 6th grade. I went to PS 139, then to Russell Sage Junior High School (JHS 190). I’m interested in computer science and like math.

Hi, my name is Dorien. I was born in Brooklyn and lived there my entire life. In the fifth grade, I received an award from the state for an outstanding grade on the state test. After graduating from P.S. 156, I started to attend I.S. 392 for my middle school years. During these years, I have shown an interest in rugby and STEM. In the seventh grade, I was acknowledged for my achievements in STEM and was often chosen to go on exclusive STEM-related trips. I have shown a great liking for rugby, and have been participating in the sport ever since. The school rugby team has won the city/state (I am unsure which) rugby cup ever since I started attending the school. The first year I was unable to participate in the rugby cup, but in the second year I did, and I hope to continue to participate in this event.

Rich Pantoliano is an (almost) life-long New Yorker. After graduating from Stuyvesant High School in 2001, he went on to receive his B.S. in Computer Science from Binghamton University and applied that degree working for the U.S. Government in various capacities in the Washington, D.C. area. Starting in 2010, Rich made the transition into non-profit Education, earning an M.S. in Education from Brooklyn College while educating inner-city youth at the Harlem Children’s Zone. Presently, you can find Rich working as a Data Manager and Math Tutor at HCZ’s T.R.U.C.E. Media & Arts after-school program, where he helps to (and also learns to) bridge the gap between art and math. In the Fall, you will also find Rich working as an Adjunct Professor at Pace University, focusing on building skills in (and hopefully love of ) math among Pace’s incoming class of freshmen.

My name is Isaiah. I am 13 years old. I live in Brooklyn, NY. I go to I.S. 392 and my favorite subjects are art, math, and ELA. As of yet, I am still looking into what I want to do for a career. My favorite things to do are sleep and play video games, which is why I am frequently called lazy. One other thing that I like to do is hang out with my friends, which I rarely do outside of school.

Dawei Huang is a junior at Stuyvesant High School. He attended elementary school at PS 130 and middle school at MS 167 before being enrolled in Stuyvesant High School during the fall of 2014 as a freshman. During freshman year, he was involved in the school’s robotics team, math team, and biological research in the honors research biology course. He continued math team and continued his research in a molecular science research course into sophomore year. The activities that he was involved in as both a freshman and a sophomore are Red Cross, Investment Club, Science Research Club, and the school band. He was inducted into the school’s ARISTA honor society at the end of sophomore year. While in ARISTA he served as a committee member in charge of tutoring and as a member of ARISTA’s website development team. As a junior, he is expecting to take weekend classes at the Columbia Science Honors Program and weekday classes at CollegeNow Program after he was accepted into both programs towards the end of sophomore year. As a rising junior, he is currently focused on completing his Red Cross volunteer hours, practicing for an upcoming piano practical examination, and preparing for college standardized testing. Some activities he enjoys doing outside of school are playing music, chess, and a variety of sports. Dawei Huang was able to discover and partake in the aforementioned activities and programs just because he was part of the Stuyvesant community. He strongly encourages aspiring students to consider admission into Stuyvesant High School as a top priority because he feels they would definitely thrive in a community that offers tremendous opportunities for one to pursue their own interests and ambitions.

My name is Trhanton. To me, life is about many things. One of the things I like the most is sports. I really don’t like looking at bad grades, especially if they are mine. One of my many hobbies is playing sports, such as basketball. I play basketball because it’s fun and sometimes it helps me get rid of anger. Another hobby I have is reading. I like to read because knowing knowledge is power and you get knowledge from reading books. It makes me want to read more. My favorite subject is science because of the complex questions and theories that create suspense in what the answer is. I really like to learn new things. I also enjoy challenges. I am a very passionate person who takes pride in what he does. I believe that relationships with people are valued and I treat everyone the way they wish to be treated. I am a respectful person and because of that I get respect. Another one of my favorite subjects is gym because it gives me a chance to move around in school and not only sit in a classroom. Not a lot of things tend to anger me simply because I carry myself in a relaxed like yet presentable way. It was fun doing this assignment and this is what there is to know about me.

Hi, my name is Haley! I am a budding math and computer science enthusiast with a bad taste in music and too much energy for my own good. My favorite feelings are being under a warm, snuggly blanket on a cold night or feeling the light breeze on a warm, cloudy spring day. I am easily won over by witty humor or ice cream. I love helping out in any way I can, which is why I gravitate towards opportunities to help others. During the school year, I enjoy tutoring computer science students and volunteering through Stuy’s Red Cross Club. This summer, I started tutoring at StuyPrep as a way to engage in my community and aid in the effort to fight the education gap.

Hi my name is Martina. I am 13 years old and I attend I.S. 392. I am an 8th grader this year. My life’s goal is to become a pediatrician. I love kids and I love to help people feel better. I could not see myself becoming anything other than a pediatrician and I know it will take a lot of hard work but I am willing to do it becuase it is my passion. I am truly excited to be a part of this program because I know it will help me get one step closer to my dream.

Christina (Class of 1999) works in financial services, most recently at Citi’s San Francisco office. She has worked with Silicon Valley’s technology companies on a variety of corporate finance topics. Her hobbies include travel and the performing arts. Christina graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Binghamton University.

Hi, I’m Tayquan. I was raised in Brooklyn. I loved to learn about math while I was growing up because I felt that was my strongest subject, and it still is. As I was growing up, I didn’t really have a life goal until fifth grade when I finally found out what life was about. I started with five life goals, but then I found out I should take it one step at a time with each goal. I completed two of them, and now I have three more to go.

Hi, my name is Mithila and I am a current student at Stuyvesant High School. I come from a family where education has always been prioritized. I went to a local middle school and was expected to go to a specialized high school. I, as well as many of my peers, went through a summer of SHSAT prep. I’ve tutored students who were very eager and put immense effort in the opportunity to go to a specialized high school because they believe they would prosper more there. I think that while it may be that specialized high schools are more or less rigorous than regular high schools, it’s the environment that really helps a student prosper. Going to high school was a scary transition for me and a difficult one at that. I only had one other person from my middle school go to Stuyvesant and schoolwork was at a difficulty level that I, and many others, had never worked at before. Yet, I’ve seen everyone push through. It’s a motivated environment where your peers are all trying their hardest and it makes you want to push yourself as well. I’ve learned a lot here and it’s a quite diverse environment– being in a school where many people are from different backgrounds-you learn a lot from your peers. Stuyvesant has helped me grow in a positive direction and I hope others can do that too throughout their high school years.