Class of 2025

By Yeeun Hong and Khant Htoo Naing

As graduation approaches, the HIS Class of 2025 prepares to enter the next chapter of their lives. Each student carries a unique story—of struggle, growth, and excitement for what lies ahead. Each has their own goals, be it for the present or a distant future. Here, all the seniors have opened up about their experiences on college applications, their passions and ambitions, and their heartfelt advice for future graduates. 

Introduction

Madison Timney

Madi thought that applying to universities was quite simple—until she had to submit her portfolio. “Each school had different requirements,” she explains, “so I had to rework my portfolio to align with each one.” Receiving decisions was stressful, but in the end, she was accepted and happy.

Madi reflects with mixed emotions as graduation draws near. “It’s bittersweet,” she shares. “I’m excited for the next chapter, but sad to leave behind the memories and friendships I’ve made at HIS.”

Due to her lifelong passion for making art, Madi intends to pursue a degree in fine arts. "And to not have my job taken away by AI," she adds humorously, adding that her dream is to use her artistic voice for something worthwhile.

Her advice to future HIS graduates? “Don’t overload your schedule during senior year. Make time for the people around you—you’ll want those memories.”

Nanako Dobashi

Nanako admits that the application process was more difficult than she had initially thought and that she began it later than she had intended. “Writing essays about myself was harder than I thought,” she says. For her, the most stressful part was the lengthy wait for application decisions, particularly given her self-doubt regarding her SAT results; however, receiving acceptance was a huge relief.

She is now looking forward to graduation and all of the adventures that lie ahead. Even though she will miss her friends, she "absolutely can't wait to explore the world."

Nanako's interests in language, philosophy, and law will motivate her in her studies of political science and international relations. Her goals are broad: she wants to travel the world and pursue a fulfilling career that allows her to express her humanity. She also hopes to improve access to education worldwide and become fluent in five languages.

Her advice to younger students? “Take care of yourself. Don’t force yourself into activities that burn you out. Treasure your real friends. And read—lots of books.”

Khant Htoo Naing

According to Khant Htoo Naing, applying to universities was a fairly easy process. He submitted early applications to three universities, and after a few minor tweaks to his personal statements for each university, everything came together. “I was fairly confident in my SAT and IELTS scores, so I wasn’t too stressed out,” he shares, having been accepted to his top-choice university.

As graduation nears, Khant reflects on his bittersweet feelings. “I’m excited to graduate and move on to the next stage of my life, but it’s sad to leave behind friends and a time that has been so special,” he says. “I’ll try to stay in contact, but it’s definitely a mix of excitement and sadness.”

In the future, Khant intends to pursue a graduate degree in business administration after earning an undergraduate degree in economics. He says, "I think economics and business studies will give me the tools I need to succeed in my goal of starting a fashion business."

Khant’s future dream is clear: “I want to merge my love for art with the practical side of business. By learning about the economic and business aspects, I plan to build my own fashion business one day.”

His advice to future HIS graduates? “Don’t overload yourself with too much work in senior year. I only took two AP courses, but they were two of the hardest ones offered at HIS. I managed fairly well, but it’s important to have time for friends and relaxation. Don’t stress yourself too much—prepare for college, but remember, you don’t want to add more stress than you already have. Though I admit, it’s ironic coming from me because I do tend to stress out a lot.”

Dimitry Boreyko

To Dimitry, the college application process “seemed intimidating,” but later on he realized so many others have to do this. His advice? “Ensure you know how to pay for application fees and find a friend who can help you/collaborate with on college essays (Thank you Nina!).” While many seniors will warn against procrastination, Dimitry offers his own unique perspective: “This doesn’t matter in the long run, life will find its way. The most important part is not being drowned in debt—this will ruin your life.”

When asked about excitement for graduation, he gave an honest “nope.” But he adds, “Going to miss my friends like crazy though.”

Dimitry plans to study aerospace engineering along with a master’s in business administration. “I love money, I love engineering. Works for me.” Still, he keeps an open mind: “Flexible with what I end up doing—I won’t let myself get trapped doing something I am miserable doing.”

As for his dream? It’s simple and powerful: “Be happy. Be free. Learn from my mistakes.”

His advice to future HIS graduates:

• “Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.”
• “Don’t be afraid to say what you think.”
• “Enjoy now, enjoy life. You can get nearly anything back except time and health.”

Mareto Wakabayashi

The college application process was not easy for Mareto. Some of the results were disappointing, and the overall journey was not smooth all the time. However, in the end, it yielded good results. "It wasn’t smooth and some results were depressing, but overall turned out really well," Mareto reflected.

As graduation nears, Mareto feels both excitement and sadness. “I’m excited to move on with my life,” he shared, “but I’ll really miss my friends.”

Mareto plans to major in Human Biology in college. He has been interested in human anatomy since he was young, and his passion for sports had a significant influence on his choice of major. “It’s the perfect combination of what I love and what I want to explore further,” he said. And his dream? "I want to go to Barbados.” – a goal that reflects his adventurous and free-spirited nature. He also did not forget to give advice to HIS juniors. "Listen to Mr. P and Ms Harmon because they give you the best advice."

Nina Tadano

For Nina, the college application process was one of the most challenging times during her high school years. Applying to more than 15 schools required thorough planning, early preparation, and strong perseverance. Even amid the stress, she improved her writing skills through the essay-writing process and gained a deeper understanding of herself. “I learned to trust that I’d end up where I was meant to be,” Nina said. That belief helped her endure the tough moments of rejection. 

Now, on the brink of graduation, Nina feels both excitement and sadness. There’s excitement about the future but also sadness about leaving behind the people and routines that shaped her high school years. “It’s bittersweet,” she said. “I’m ready for the next chapter, but I’ll miss everyone.”

In the future, Nina plans to major in Cognitive Science. She found this field particularly interesting as it explores the intersection of psychology and linguistics, discovered by chance through her AP Research class. What is Nina's dream? “To be successful enough to buy a beach house,” she laughed. Her advice to her juniors is as follows: Don’t forget to have fun during high school!! It’s really easy to get caught up in the stress of school, grades, college, etc., but make sure to have fun with your friends too — that is what you will cherish and miss the most.

Yeeun Hong

When she first began applying to colleges, she was full of confidence. “Honestly, I thought I’d get into every school I applied to. Lol,” she recalled. But that overconfidence didn’t last long. Rejected by her first choice, she faced a series of disappointing results. It wasn’t until late April that she was finally accepted to ICU. “Looking back, I think I grew a lot during that difficult time.”

As graduation approaches, she feels a mix of disbelief and relief. “Anyone who knew me in 9th grade knows how hard it was for me to adjust here,” she said. With a language barrier and personal challenges, adapting to HIS wasn’t easy. “Sometimes it still feels unreal that I’m graduating from this school. But when I look at what I’ve achieved, the pain feels worth it. Honestly, I have no regrets—I’m just ready to leave and explore the world.”

She plans to major in media, driven by a lifelong love of film and video production. Her dream? To one day see her name in the credits of a movie. “So please, stay for the credits — you might spot my name there someday.”

Her advice to future HIS graduates is simple: “Study. Work.”

Annabelle Cooke

For Annabelle, the college application process was not too overwhelming. She applied only to four colleges that did not require recommendation letters, so she was able to prepare everything with little stress. “The hardest part was answering the open-ended questions — especially ones like ‘Who are you?’” she admitted. “But overall, I had enough time and finished everything without too much pressure.”

For her, who has attended HIS since second grade, graduation had long felt far away. “I used to be nervous about being away from my family,” she said. “But now, I just want to go out and see the world.”

She plans to major in economics in college. It's not just a choice for simple career success, but part of the preparation to someday open her own restaurant. After earning her degree, she wants to attend culinary school to develop professional skills that she will need in the kitchen. Her path is clear, and her motivation is strong. As she looks ahead, Annabelle blends practicality with passion — a recipe that’s sure to take her far.

She also has advice for juniors. “Don’t stress. Don’t overthink everything. Just have fun and don’t care what others think about you.” After 11 years in HIS, now Annabelle is ready for the next chapter — with a plan, a passion, and a calm heart.