Patch: First congratulations, you must be proud.
Lu: Yes, it's a great honor.
Patch: Aside from valedictorian, did you receive any other honors at Bayside High School?
Lu: I also got the Latin award.
Patch: What was your favorite subject in school?
Lu: Latin
Patch: Any favorite extracurricular activities?
Patch: Who was your favorite teacher?
Lu: I have two favorite teachers who really reached me. The first is my Latin teacher Ms. Giannopoulos, the second my English teacher Ms. Rivera ... they're both really passionate about their subjects, which in turn, inspired me to be passionate about the subjects they taught too.
Patch: Who has had the biggest impact on your life?
Lu: Ms. Rivera, I really didn't enjoy English prior to having her. But she helped me realize that literature can be related to the real world — I really enjoyed that about her class.
Patch: Will you be attending university next year?
Lu: I was accepted into The Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter a selective program, which offers a general honors curriculum and seminars that teach students about all of the cultural aspects of New York.
Patch: Were you awarded any scholarships?
Lu: Yes, students in the Macaulay Honors College receive free tuition.
Patch: What do you plan to study?
Lu: Bio-medical engineering.
Patch: What are you going to miss the most about High School?
Lu: The environment — Bayside High School was a really tight knit community.
Patch: What are you most looking forward to about graduating?
Lu: Going out into the world, experiencing life and meeting new people. I can't wait to start college in the Fall.
Patch: How many students are there in your graduating class?
Lu: 800 students
Patch: Any advice for them and the future students of Bayside High School?
Lu: Always be yourself. Don't let people or society change you.
Patch: What are your hopes and plans for the future?
Lu: I hope to become a pediatric oncologist treating kids with rare disease like leukemia. When I was young, I had family members with cancer. Being exposed to these doctors at such a young age and seeing how passionate the doctors were and how dedicated they seemed to helping people get well that motivted me to want to pursue this for my career.
Patch: Is there anyone in particular you'd like to thank?
Lu: Besides my teachers, I really want to thank my parents for always supporting. I am first generation so even though they [my parents] might not have always fully understood what I was doing, they always trusted my judgment and supported my decisions.
