Class of 2021 Student Spotlight: Andy Han

We are highlighting some of our recent graduates for our annual Senior Spotlight! Firstly, we spoke to Andy Han about his time at AISG being Executive Council President, his plans for the future, and what being part of RamNation meant for him.

 

Now that your senior year has ended, was there any moment or event this past year that made a defining impact or lasting impression?

Definitely the senior lock-in. As students who were busy with IB deadlines and separated due to COVID-19, the Class of 2021 did not have a lot of time to be together. However, the senior lock-in provided us the opportunity to do so. It was great to have the whole class come together and take time to bond with each other. Coincidentally, the senior lock-in occurred on my birthday. I still remember how Ms. Erica took me outside as if I was in trouble so that the class could prepare a surprise birthday celebration for me. This event will be something that I will remember for a long time and I would like to thank Paoping Yen for preparing the birthday cake.

 

How did the IB curriculum affect your perspective towards education?

The IB is a rigorous course without a doubt. It requires time and effort to sit down and study the materials at a level slightly outside of our comfort zone. However, rather than being scared and demotivated, I set my mindset to believe in myself to study hard. With this focused mindset, I was able to see myself gaining high results throughout the process. From this, I realized that self-belief plays an immense role in education. I also learned that there is always enough time to finish assignments when we do them right away and this prevented me from procrastinating.

 

In regards to the outbreak of COVID-19, what was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?

Being the Executive Council President, the biggest challenge I and my fellow ExCo members (Sabrina Chu, Gwynnie Guo, and Alex Kim) faced was hosting our annual Open Mic Night. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were not able to gather students after school for any event. However, discussing our situation with Ms. Siemens, we were given the opportunity to host this event during school hours. Despite major adjustments compared to the original Open Mic Night, we still managed to host the event to raise school spirit and were happy to see everyone have a great time together.

 

Where will you be going to college and what are you looking forward to the most?

I am still waiting for university results, but I will be going to either be Singapore or Korea to study engineering. As of now, I have my mind set on Singapore, as it is a well-known university for its reputation and ranking. I also believe that it will be a better fit for me as it uses English. In university, I am looking forward to meeting and collaborating with students who have similar passions to me. I have been at AISG since pre-school; therefore, university will be my first time moving to a new environment with new people. I am excited to see what will happen.

 

What at AISG has prepared you for your adult future?

AISG helped me to be independent but at the same time taught me that help is always around when needed. I learned that asking for help should not be a scary or embarrassing task and that people are willing to help. This is an important lesson that I am going to take into my adulthood because life will get hard at some point. When tough times come, I will not hesitate to ask others for advice from their experience and knowledge.

 

What does being part of the RamNation mean to you?

Being part of the RamNation is like being part of a family. We are always taken care of and are welcomed back after graduation. Furthermore, being part of the RamNation is like having pride in the accomplishment our community has made. This helps me make friendships with other people because they realize the RamNation and how dominant our school is. RamNation is a tag that I will be carrying wherever I go, and I will proudly say that I am from the RamNation.

 

What accomplishments do you dream to achieve in the next five years and how will your education at AISG help you achieve these?

My dream is to be the top student in the engineering field at the university I am studying. I want to then contribute to the public by applying the knowledge I learned in real life. My education at AISG will help because it made me persistent with studying. I have the grit to stay focused on my education. Moreover, the IB syllabus already covered the materials taught in the first year of university. Therefore, the contents will be easier for me, and I will have more time to focus my studies on sections where I need improvement.

Extracurriculars, awards, and athletic achievements while at AISG:

  • Student Council (Grade 10: Class Vice President, Grade 11: Class Vice President)
  • Executive Student Council (Grade 12: Executive President)
  • Math Club (Grade 11: Member, Grade 12: Coordinator/Leader)
  • Varsity APAC Tennis (Grade 9-11: Member, Grade 12: Team Captain)
  • National Honor Society (NHS) (Grade 12: Member)
  • Crossroads (Grade 10 & 11: Member)
  • Journalism (Grade 11 & 12 First Semester: Member)
  • Honor Roll (Grade 9 Semester 1 & 2)
  • Highest Honor Roll (Grade 10 Semester 1, Grade 11 Semester 1 & 2, Grade 12 Semester 1 & 2)
  • ASDAN Math Tournament Honorable Mention in Algebra
  • AISG Grade 12 Math Award
  • AISG Varsity Tennis MVP
  • AISG Tennis Doubles Tournament Champion

A big congratulations to Andy for completing his studies at AISG and we wish him well on his journey to university and beyond! Once a Ram, Always a Ram!