On Saturday the Abington High School Class of 2018 graduated, prompting the farewell to four Green Wave Gazette staff members, including two-year Associate Editor, Allison Dennehy. The Gazette is grateful for Allison’s strong leadership and countless hours of hard work, but her involvement extends far beyond the newspaper. She served as President of National Honor Society and ultimately graduated as valedictorian. To finish out the year, it is time to shine a final spotlight on Allison.

Why did you originally join the Green Wave Gazette, and what is your favorite part of
being a member?

I joined my freshman year and have always loved editing articles and uploading them online. I think my favorite part of the writing process has been interviewing students and teachers to gather my information because it has allowed me to get to know a lot of them so much better.

What other extracurricular activities are you passionate about?

I have played basketball and been on the Math Team since my freshman year. I joined Peer Leaders my junior year, and it has quickly become one of my favorite clubs. I loved helping out at events at the Beaver Brook Elementary school and working with the younger kids.

Do you have a favorite memory from your work with Peer Leaders?

My favorite memory from Peer Leaders was back at the beginning of this school year when we wrote letters to the residents at the Colony Nursing Home. The woman I had written to wrote me back and thanked me for taking the time to write to her. This was probably one of the most rewarding experiences working with the nursing home that I have had because it’s just a reminder of how a simple thing like a letter can really make someone’s day better.

You have accomplished so much in your time at AHS, so now what? What are your plans for college and beyond?

Next year I’ll be attending the University of Vermont and will be majoring in Secondary Education with a concentration in Mathematics. I’m hoping to become a high school math teacher and would love to coach basketball someday as well.

How has your AHS experience helped shape your interests in math and education?

It’s kind of funny because I always thought I wanted to teach math, but I actually got back a project I did freshman year and I wrote that I wanted to teach elementary education. Math has always been my favorite subject but taking AP Calculus and AP Statistics this year made me realize how much I want to teach higher level math. I liked that these classes were very challenging, and I think that teaching these difficult courses would be challenging as well. I have always wanted to work with kids but I think traveling to Iceland and playing basketball made me realize how much I’d like the opportunity to coach and travel with my future students which made me lean more towards becoming a high school teacher.

What or who will you miss most at AHS?

I think I’m going to miss the teachers in Abington the most. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know teachers outside of the classroom through traveling abroad, playing sports and participating in clubs. In college, I’ll miss having a close relationship with nearly all of my teachers.

What is your best advice for underclassmen?

My best advice for freshmen would be to get involved in any club that interests you, regardless of how others feel about the club. My freshman year I was afraid to sign up for the Green Wave Gazette because none of my other friends wanted to do it with me. Thankfully, I went to the meeting, and newspaper has been one of my favorite clubs throughout high school.