Jamesville-Dewitt High School senior Alan Gao summarizes his high school experience as solid. He has enjoyed his time at J-DHS, and is grateful that for all the opportunities he’s had. During high school, he found it helpful to branch out and make great friends. He is thankful for the fact that for the most part he has been able to stay away from drama and trouble.
Many people speak very highly of Gao, one being his cross country coach, Emily Rowles. When asked to describe Gao, she couldn’t think of one negative thing to say. She summarized him as “thoughtful, sincere, mature, kind, and strives to understand why things are the way that they are.” Global teacher and club advisor Vitaly Yanchuk also couldn’t have had more nice things to say about Alan Gao. He called Gao “very smart, very knowledgeable, very caring, and always upbeat.” His positive attitude is noticed by everyone around him. Everyone is aware and shocked how involved Alan is, and how he finds time to excel at everything he does.
Alan Gao: “thoughtful, sincere, mature, kind, and strives to understand why things are the way that they are.”
Gao participates in a sport all year round, including cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. After cross country is over, Gao goes right into indoor track, participating in long distance events, anywhere from the 400 meters to the 3200 meters. He is planning on finishing his senior year by participating in outdoor track. He is involved in Math Team, as well as Model United Nations. “Participating in clubs has been very transformational for me at least from an experience standpoint,” says Gao. He says that both MUN and math team have been great for having an extracurricular life as well as being able to go on trips with friends.
According to the MUN advisor, Mr. Yanchuk, Gao is a “workaholic,” and his schedule proves this to be true. Although Gao seems like he already has a full schedule, he manages to find time to excel at six advanced placement classes. He claims that he likes to be challenged, and the workload isn’t terrible. Gao says that staying focused once he gets home helps him to accomplish everything that needs to be done.
After high school, Gao hopes to go to Yale University, an Ivy League school in New Haven, Connecticut. He realizes that it is very hard to get into Yale, but is working hard to to reach his goal. Gao would like to major in cognitive science and do something with that after he graduates from college. While studying at college, he also hopes to become trilingual in Spanish, English and Chinese.
Participating in a wide variety of activities helped Gao develop skills like leadership and taught him to work hard. All the activities he participates makes him stand out to both students and staff. His positive attitude and caring personality leaves an everlasting impression on everyone he meets. J-DHS will miss Alan Gao when he leaves to do great things in the spring.
