Newman Senior Spotlight 2025: Extracurricular Activities
We are currently in the middle of the school year, and times are getting busy. Everyone’s focus is on the next summative assignment. Despite that, we have to prepare ourselves for college. Of course, our seniors are our front runners, and it is time to learn from their experiences. They know that a well-prepared college application covers different aspects. While none of us can do everything, it is still interesting to see which areas they focus on.
Extracurricular activities in the arts allow students to express themselves creatively and build valuable skills. Many seniors have participated in theater and music, using these activities to enrich their high school experience.
Lucy Keesbury ‘25 was part of “Newman Theater for one” year and Leon Beart ‘25 was part of “theater and organized the Arts Cafe”.
Beyond the arts, some students have focused on academic extracurriculars to deepen their knowledge and gain new perspectives. Their dedication has led them to explore languages, mathematics, and various fields of study.
Novah Wali ‘25 shares, “Personally I have a lot of experience in languages, I take French and learn Persian outside of school.”
Holt Sievers ‘25 explains, “I studied a lot of advanced mathematics through textbooks and summer programs (LearnSTEM).”
Wali describes, “Additionally I have experience in science, math, and music through my old school as well as Newman.”
Music has played a significant role in many seniors' high school journeys, whether through choir, instrument practice, or formal lessons. These experiences have helped shape their interests and provided a creative outlet.
Beart describes, “I was a part of multiple choirs and took singing lessons in 9th and 10th grade, including an honors choir that spanned multiple schools.”
Sievers shares, “For music, I started learning violin in January 2024, starting from almost no musical knowledge, which has been a very rewarding experience.”
Sports and outdoor activities have also been a crucial aspect of student life, helping seniors stay active, build leadership skills, and foster teamwork.
Keesbury states she did “cross country for four [years and] Newman crew for three”. Additionally she “backpacked during the summers”.
Beart lists, “four years of varsity cross country, team captain senior year, led running club, and did other sports in 9th & 10th grade”
Wali adds, “I also spend a lot of time on my sport playing and working in that 'field'.”
The Girl’s varsity Cross Country Team in 2024
Many students have taken on leadership roles and dedicated time to service projects, demonstrating their commitment to making a difference in their communities.
Keesbury describes being an ambassador for four years, “did a leadership institute at MIT in 10th grade, and sat on the advisory board for digital wellness for teen girls.”
Beart explains, “I have been interning for a nonprofit organization that helps youth in Africa for about a year now [and] I am part of Newman Ambassadors as well”
Many seniors have also balanced work with their studies, gaining valuable real-world experience and financial independence.
Keesbury “worked during the summers before 11th and 12th grade, [and] babysat anytime [she] could”
Beart describes, “I do paid cat sitting for a family, going every day for long periods of time”.
Harper Cardin ‘25 shares, “I have worked an after-school job since the summer after freshman year and at the same place since January 28th, 2023.”
Extracurricular activities also include a variety of clubs and organizations that reflect students’ unique interests and passions.
Beart mentions, “I did ModelUN in 9th and 10th grade, and I am currently a student leader for the debate club.”
Sievers adds, “I also gained experience in leadership, specifically in founding the math club.”
Cardin explains, “I also went to South Africa. This is not an activity, obviously, but it's good to talk about in supplemental essays or personal statements. Many of the questions for supplemental essays are about things you've done that have changed your perspective or how they helped your community.”
Keesbury says, “I have done yearbook for four years.”
The Yearbook team
As seniors reflect on their experiences, they share the activities that have meant the most to them. Many have found fulfillment in sports, the arts, leadership, and work.
“Looking back, my favorite activity was learning mathematics. Through that passion, I have been able to meet many people, and have been able to do many things that I would not have been able to do otherwise. The same can absolutely be said for the other activities I participated in — and because of that it is hard to say which one is my favorite,” reflects Sievers.
Keesbury shares, “All of the activities that I was genuinely passionate about were my favorites. For example, yearbook and cross country are some of my longest-lasting activities because I enjoy them so much. I loved my job because it gave me an opportunity to see the world through the perspective of customer service rather than that given in academic settings. I loved backpacking because it was so unlike things that I normally do and let me explore my interests inwardly.”
“Sport, volunteering, and work experience. I am an active, hands-on kind of person. I never chose to do an activity with college in mind. I've always just been someone who likes doing a lot of different things,” explains one senior.
Another senior says, “My work experience was my favorite college-relevant activity because I got to connect with people of all different ages.”
Beart states, “My favorite activities are cross country and theater. Cross country allows me to observe tangible improvements in my race times, theater allows me to enjoy myself and express myself creatively when I am acting, and both of these activities have allowed me to form unexpected cross-grade friendships.”
“My favorites were definitely my sport (polo) and music. Honestly, I think those are just things I am passionate about so learning about them and participating is just super enjoyable. This also allowed me to write really meaningful responses to supplemental questions because I had real-life examples to give related to my interests,” mentions Wali.
Not every activity was a perfect fit. Some seniors found that certain experiences were more stressful or less enjoyable than they had hoped.
Wali reflects, “I do not think I had a least favorite. There are times all my activities got overwhelming or seemed less enjoyable than others but overall I always chose to commit myself to things that I really cared about so doing the work was never too hard.”
Sievers agrees, “I can't really call any of the activities I have done for college my least favorite, because I have been very selective in what activities I do for college, and have enjoyed each one thoroughly.”
Similarly, another senior says, “I didn't have any least favorite activities. I think you should try and enjoy all the activities that you take part in.”
“The activities that I enjoyed the least were the ones that I did mostly to impress college advisors. The MIT Institute was not necessarily my idea of a great time, but I did know that it would bolster my application so I stuck it out,” describes Keesbury.
“I found ModelUN to be less enjoyable because of its structured nature and demanding workload, so I am now much happier in the debate club. Cat sitting can also be annoying when I have to clean up poop or vomit, but it is nice to get paid,” explains Beart.
One student mentions, “Possibly art only because I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect and it became more of a stressor than a stress reliever.”
As they prepare to graduate, seniors offer advice to younger students on how to make the most of their extracurricular experiences.
Keesbury advises, “Try things that seem meaningful to you. Meaningful things are always going to be more impactful on an application and in your life. Honestly, just use this time to find activities, hobbies, and sports that you love, and then see how those fit into the application. Try not to worry about it too much; this time to freely try things out is so rare that wasting it thinking about what colleges will like is not a good use of time. Put that energy into working hard in school and using activities to recharge. They should be fun!”
One senior notes, “Even though it may feel like it, you don't have to do it all. In fact, you can't do it all without some serious natural consequences. Slow down, take your time, and enjoy life while you can because otherwise, you will spend all of the present preparing for the future only to realize you can't enjoy "the future" you've prepared for if you're already ready to move on.”
Another senior says, “Become really good at one activity you're passionate about.”
“Don't let the idea of being consistent with something for college applications stop you from trying new activities or changing the ones you are doing,” Beart adds.
“I wish I knew in ninth grade that one's attention is an extremely valuable resource, and that a number of things — many one is not even aware of — are always vying for a larger share of one's attention,” reflects Sievers.
Cardin expresses, “My favorite and honestly least favorite activity has been my job. I love my job; it has given me many life skills and experiences that will help me in life. However, a high school job should not be a priority. Yes, it is an amazing experience, and you make money that is nice to have when you want it. But making the most of the short four years in high school is more important. There were so many times that I missed out on normal high school things because of work. I wish I could have told my 9th-grade self that a high school job is not everything and that high school is so fast.”
Wali comments, “I would never tell anyone to make their whole life about college - I literally barely thought about it until the middle of junior year - but it's helpful to always keep in mind the 'story' of your application. Especially if you think you know what major you want to apply for early on you can find activities and classes that prepare you for it. This gives you the opportunity to make your application an arc of your life and education. And even if you don't think something you do can go on your application; you're wrong it definitely can. So if there is something meaningful to you that you want the admissions committee to know you can definitely find a way to incorporate it.”
Keesbury states, “I wish that I had known that doing what you enjoy and trying to find activities and interests that you feel really represent who you are is the best way to fill your common app. There is this pressure that many students feel to try to fill their schedules with activities that they might not actually care about because they look impressive, but that is the wrong move.”
As the seniors prepare for the next chapter of their lives, their experiences serve as a reminder that extracurricular activities are about more than just resumes—they are opportunities to grow, discover passions, and form lasting connections. Whether through sports, music, academics, or leadership, each student has carved out a unique path that reflects their interests and dedication. As we look ahead, their journeys inspire us to make the most of our own high school experiences.
The Boy’s varsity Cross Country Team in 2024
