Hailee Shehu: The Engineer
Hailee Shehu has been exactly what a Lindenhurst top 20 candidate should in balancing all her AP classes over the last four years at the high school. To describe her senior year in three words she said “Unexpected, unique, memorable” all very interesting ways to describe a wild senior year with the COVID pandemic going on.
Hailee has been fully remote the whole year and from the traditional way to learn in person with classes. When I asked her about what challenges she faced with being remote and doing classes online she said “The most challenging part was figuring out how to learn in a completely new way. I found that I could actually apply most of the things I had always been doing while learning in school to make the transition easier. I continued to use a planner to keep track of my assignments, actively participate in class, avoid distractions, etc. Doing these things helped me stay organized and find what worked for me while learning remotely.”
Some of Haille’s favorite classes while attending LHS were AutoCAD, Italian, Peer Leadership, AP Biology, Architectural Drawing. She will also be attending Stony Brook University with a major in mechanical engineering. Some of her hobbies include reading, baking, cooking, and making 3D designs to print on her 3D printer. She is involved in many activities here at LHS: Class Council, Key Club, National Honor Society, and Peer Leadership. When asked about what teachers left the greatest impact on her she said, “It is impossible for me to choose just one teacher because there have been so many that left an impact on me. The list goes on and on but just to name a few: Dattero, Dito, Vavalle, and Winter”.
Haille will be attending Stony Brook University with a major in mechanical engineering. It seems the lessons of LHS will help here succeed there too. She states, “The most important thing I learned at LHS was how to work as a team and collaborate with others. There were many classes where I had to work in a group and bounce ideas off each other, something I expect to be doing a lot as a mechanical engineering major in college. I also realized the benefits of working with my peers and helping each other out when we have questions or are confused on a topic. Learning to work with my peers and rely on each other is an important skill that I think will be helpful during my years in college and beyond.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has also shaped Haille. She has learned the importance of being compassionate for other people and considerate of what they are going through. “During the pandemic, everyone has faced challenges from it in one way or another and we should always be mindful of what someone is dealing with. I think this is an important thing to remember after the pandemic is over as well.” Haille’s compassion is really a lesson to us all.