Andover students keep themselves as busy during the summers as they do in the school year. This year, student summer plans range from working in laboratories, competing in national law competitions and attending athletic recruiting camps. Luke Hansen ’11 will be working at the Research Science Institute, a program held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At RSI, Hansen will be working with a mentor in the fields of biological and molecular technology. Hansen will also work in the same laboratory that he worked in last summer at Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering. “[Last summer] I worked with a protein called GCSF that stimulates white blood cell growth after chemotherapy in cancer patients,” said Hansen. “We want to make it more efficient so patients don’t need to go through as many injection cycles.” Hansen said that he feels passionate about his work because it enables him to work with living organisms and improve quality of life. Hansen brought his studies from the summer to Andover in the form of his Biology 600/610 project under the guidance of Dr. Christine Marshall, Instructor in Biology. Hansen said, “At the end of this past summer, I sat down with some students and I brainstormed how I could bring my Dartmouth project into a lab at Andover. We ended up using a chromosomal integration system and had a great experience.” Hansen said that he did not get involved in Biology until he took a Biology class his freshman year at his old public school. The professor he worked with ran bio-tech labs and Hansen was able to get involved. “I started by cleaning dishes and helping graduate students, but I really began to improve and eventually got to the position now hold,” he said. Jenny Zhou ’11 will travel to China, St. Louis and Germany this summer. In China, Zhou will research for her CAMD project on Asian stereotypes. Zhou hopes to shatter the myth that Asians are inherently smart by examining the cultural origins of this stereotype and researching Chinese values. Zhou will also attend a national Mock Trial tournament in St. Louis to improve her understanding of the law and her public speaking skills. The tournament is titled Learning for Life Mock Trial tournament. “Last year, Andover Mock Trial placed fourth in the nation and we hope to take home the gold this year,” said Zhou. “I also want to bring back new skills to teach the newer members of the club this year.” Finally, Zhou will participate in a language program in Braunschweig, Germany. Zhou said, “I love learning new languages and I might want to do something in international relations. I’m really glad I’m able to explore these options while I’m still young.” “I am very nervous to go to a new country but at the same time I know my German skills will get much better,” said Zhou. “Being in the country works wonders for understanding the culture and learning colloquial language skills.” Madeleine Kim ’12 will explore her interest in fashion design this summer. Kim plans to attend Parsons: The New School of Design and take courses in fashion and drawing designed for pre-college students. “Fashion design has always been a passion of mine,” said Kim. “Combined with drawing, another of my top interests, this opportunity will be the chance of a lifetime.” Kim hopes to build her portfolio and undergo what she calls, “a great learning experience.” Kim plans to utilize the skills she learns at Parsons The New School of Design in her Andover experiences, including the West Quad North Fashion Show and her artwork for The Phillipian. Kim said, “At this age I haven’t clearly chosen a path for my future, but attending Parsons will give me a once-in-a-lifetime chance think about a career in fashion design. I relish any chance I can to explore a possible future.” Joe Kruy ’12 will improve his athletic prowess this summer, attending a series of lacrosse camps, tournaments,and recruiting showcases. Kruy said, “I will be ‘laxing’ this summer.” A member of Laxachusetts, a Boston area club lacrosse team, Kruy will practice several times a week, traveling up and down the East Coast for lacrosse tournaments and recruiting camps. Kruy, who has played lacrosse for seven years, said, “I know I can always get better and continue to work to fulfill my full potential.” Kruy said he will play at Duke University this summer with the intention of deciding whether he would want to play college lacrosse at Duke. “I plan on talking to the head coach at Duke, attending the lacrosse camp and possibly committing there early for college,” said Kruy.
