Recently, six seniors from Hillsborough High School were nominated for the Presidential Scholars Program. Scholars are selected based on their superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, character, and involvement in their communities and school activities from over 3 million students expected to graduate in 2021. Emily Pan is among those distinguished seniors and has an impressive amount of accomplishments and a mountain of aspirations for her future.

Pan is a National Merit semifinalist, a National AP Scholar, as well as a member of the Spanish Honor Society. While Pan is still waiting on college decisions and is unsure of where next fall will take her, she does plan on majoring in chemistry or physics wherever she does ends up. Pan has been involved in plenty of school activities since freshman year and wears her Boro pride loud and proud.

Since freshman year, Pan has not only been an exemplary student, but a Hillsborough Raider athlete as well. Being a member of the girls tennis team since freshman year, Pan earned the captaincy for her senior season. While the tennis season was a success, many precautions were taken to ensure everyone’s safety in terms of COVID-19. But that’s not the only league she’s part of. Pan is also a member of the Science League where she participates for the chemistry team combined with the physics team. Unfortunately, the Science League was temporarily interrupted due to the Coronavirus.

“I feel very honored that I even have the chance to be recognized as one of the country’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors,” Pan said.

Pan feels her most impressive, official academic achievement to date is earning second place at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Chemagination Competition. “But personally, I think being able to get through the school year during this pandemic deserves a pat on the back, too,” Pan said, which all of her fellow Raiders would agree with.

While COVID-19 has even taken its toll on Pan by causing school to be less engaging, Pan has remained positive and seen the upside as her workload is a lot more manageable this year. However, before COVID changed the way school operates, Pan’s favorite high school memory was finally relaxing and playing “Guess the Song” Kahoots with her friends in chemistry class after taking the dreaded AP Exams and a year’s worth of hard work.