Spotlight Seniors
The Class of 2023 encompasses scholars with many interests, passions, skills, talents, and backgrounds. Get to know some of our exceptional seniors through the Senior Spotlight series.
Click on the scholar you would like to learn more about or scroll down this page to view them all.
Meet Maya Bozicevich! Maya's dedication to advocacy and leadership led her to having important roles in both Student Council and HHS for Choice, highlighting her passion to make a difference. Heading to Occidental College to study Political Science with a minor in Public Health, Maya encourages future scholars to put themselves out there, get involved, and never hesitate to seek help.
Meredith Burke is a product of our Chinese Immersion program. She is a member of the Chinese culture club, part of the women’s soccer team, and member of the Hopkins DECA chapter. She is a violinist in the Hopkins orchestra and this year, she has been interning with the mayor of Golden Valley through the ProPEL program.
Next year, Meredith will attend Occidental College in California where she will major in diplomacy and world affairs with a minor in Chinese.
How has Hopkins prepared you for the future?
The many AP classes I have taken at Hopkins have prepared me to take classes in college, especially College in the Schools (CIS) Chinese courses. I've also taken great electives like typing that made me a better student for high school and beyond. My ProPEL course has also taught me how to build my resume, interview a wide variety of professionals, and get some real internship experience which will be invaluable in college.
What skills have you learned in Hopkins?
At Hopkins I’ve learned how to advocate for myself and ask questions so I can get the help I need or effectively make my voice heard. DECA, orchestra, soccer and my other regular classes have taught me how important communication and teamwork is and how I can be a better teammate.
What will you miss the most about Hopkins?
I’ll miss my amazing friends, the paras who greet me every day and the students at Hopkins who make Hopkin the great place it is. Finally, I’ll miss my amazing teachers. They have pushed me to be a better student and try things I normally wouldn’t. They always have good advice and really want me to succeed. Hopkins has been a great school for me and while I’m sad to leave, I know I’m ready for college and I’ll always be welcome back.
Meet Alejandro Vega! Alejandro has been a part of the XinXing family since kindergarten, and is involved in various activities like Jazz Ensemble, Digital Arts Club, and the Philosophy Club. Next year, Alejandro is heading to St. Thomas, where the plan is to create a new major combining computer science, digital media arts, and music composition.
Marit Erickson is an athlete, musician, writer and advocate. She is involved in alpine skiing, ultimate frisbee, flutist in the band, and the Variety editor for the school newspaper.
Next year, Marit will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
How has Hopkins prepared you for the future?
Hopkins provides many advanced classes that have prepared me for college. My favorite by far was AP Literature. The books we read in that class were so great. I was also introduced to challenging coursework.
What skills have you learned in Hopkins?
I’ve learned to persevere and stop procrastination through the various AP classes Hopkins offers. I also love the environment of Hopkins High School. I think everyone gets along really well, so the school has taught me a lot about the importance of community.
What will you miss most about Hopkins?
I’ll miss my friends, getting lunch at Brito’s, swimming at Shady Oak, and going to football games.
Meet Rhys! In this video, Rhys shares his passion for sports, specifically track and football, where he became captain of both teams. He also highlights the growing community of American Sign Language and believes that learning ASL will not only help him grow as a person but also allow him the opportunities to connect with fellow classmates in college who use it as well. Join us in celebrating Rhys as he embarks on his next journey at Iowa State University, where he will major in mechanical engineering!
Jovani Moreno has a passion for music. He is in pep band, summer marching band, and Jazz band. Additionally, he is part of the ping pong club.
Next year, Jovani will attend the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for music performance with the trombone.
How has Hopkins prepared you for the future?
Hopkins has prepared me to work alongside a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds.
What skills have you learned in Hopkins?
I have learned organizational skills and have gained determination to improve myself.
What will you miss most about Hopkins?
I will miss seeing my friends every day and I will miss my teachers who have challenged me over the years. I will also miss the band program at Hopkins. It has been an amazing experience for me in the Hopkins School District.
Hennesis has immersed herself in the Juntos Spanish Immersion program as well as American Sign Language. She often spends spare time immersing herself in Deaf culture. She is also an athlete. One of her highlights this past year was being captain of the gymnastics team.
Next year, Hennesis will attend Carleton College in Northfield. She hopes to explore many subjects, but she has a strong interest in environmental studies.
“I’m really looking forward to growing in ways I don’t know I’m capable of,” she said.
How has Hopkins prepared you for the future?
I feel confident going into college where I know the academic environment will be rigorous. I’m thankful that Hopkins provides a variety of advanced courses to challenge me. I have also developed impactful relationships with teachers. Many of the staff have supported my learning and my visions for the future. Hopkins has given me a space to grow my social skills throughout many years, and I am excited to use those skills outside of a high school environment.
What skills have you learned in Hopkins?
Independence. I have learned to advocate for myself whether that be approaching teachers to ask questions about work or taking it upon myself to learn about things I need a better understanding of. My communication skills have evolved as I learned to communicate with my peers and teachers. During my time at Hopkins, I built a solid work ethic, especially during the pandemic. I have become much more flexible when it comes to completing work and adapting to new ways of learning.
What will you miss most about Hopkins?
The people. I have been growing up with these people for basically my whole life, and I’ve made many lifelong friends along the way. I will miss the teachers who I developed not only an academically oriented relationship but also a personal one.
Ellie came to the United States in 2016. She worked hard to learn a new language, and fully immersed herself in her new surroundings, which recently included going to state with her Adapted Bowling team. While she's sad to leave behind the place she's grown to love, she's also filled with excitement for what lies ahead.
At Hopkins, Oscar took the initiative and seized numerous leadership opportunities. From serving as the president of Student Council and the DECA chapter, to founding the Philosophy Club and leading the Jewish Student Union, his list of accomplishments is impressive. However, he says his most impactful role was being a Student Board Representative, which allowed him to contribute to decisions made at the district level.
Next year, Oscar will be attending Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and is looking forward to pursuing a career in government.
In this video, Kalista shares her passion for working with third, fourth, and fifth graders at Alice Smith. She loves volunteering and spending extra hours with the students, going on camping trips and joining their field trips. Kalista also talks about her involvement in AVID since eighth grade, a program that helps first-year college students navigate the college application process.
Next year, Kalista will be attending the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she plans to major in architecture and interior design. She discovered her interest in interior design through a class at HHS and realized it was the path for her.
From her early years in Spanish immersion to her involvement in the Royal Connections Program, Megan discovered her passion for teaching and aims to become an Spanish immersion elementary teacher through an education at Montana State University.
Throughout her years at HHS, Megan participated in the PSEO program at the University of Minnesota, was a dedicated member of the HHS band program, and triumphantly made it to State for skiing this year.