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Swim captain reflects on value of sports as final season approaches

December 13, 2024

By Avery Slaughter
STAFF WRITER

Luke Suh, a senior at Andover High School, is entering his final year on the boy’s swim team as a newly-appointed captain.

While he won’t be continuing to swim competitively in college, the sport has played a vital role in his relationships and identity as a person.

Though he had been swimming competitively since first grade, joining the school’s team in his freshman year was a big adjustment. The focus on community was very different from what he was used to on his various club teams, but the change was an overall positive one. While club swim had a more individualistic approach with an emphasis on personal skills and abilities, the AHS team focused on how they made each other better.

“On the high school team, I definitely feel like I’m doing something more than just for myself,” Suh said.

The emphasis on being a cohesive team assisted Suh in finding many friends at AHS through swimming. This was especially true when he was an underclassman. The shift up to high school was made significantly easier by his position on the team.

In addition to gaining a sense of community, competitive swimming has also helped him build character and leadership skills. As someone new to AHS, the sport assisted him in finding his place in the school. Alternatively, as a sophomore and junior, it allowed him to develop perseverance and discipline in an environment removed from academics. As a captain, that responsibility will be emphasized, but he plans to meet the new challenge head-on.

“I’m supposed to be a good example and all that does definitely build character,” Suh said.

Like many of the sports at AHS, the boy’s swim team is a large commitment. During the season, they meet every weekday for around an hour and frequently meet on weekends as well. Despite the long hours on the weekdays and the occasional meetings during Winter Break, Suh has kept a firmly optimistic attitude regarding the crowded schedule.

Suh said a student should do clubs and sports because they enjoy them, not because they feel obligated to do them. In addition to swimming, Suh also participates in DECA and the Quiz Team. Because of these three activities, he doesn’t have a surplus of free time. His mindset has helped him balance all of his responsibilities.

“It’s a commitment that you make,” Suh said, “and so I just tell myself that I’ve decided to do this, and I’m going to do my best with whatever I’m assigned to do.”

While he still loves swimming, Suh won’t be continuing his competitive career in college. Regardless, he will continue to swim as a recreational activity. It helps him maintain his physical health, but, more importantly, there is another major benefit he gains from it.

“I’m doing [swim] because I enjoy it,” Suh said. “So I don’t care how much time I have to spend or how much sleep I lose. I don’t care. It’s just about doing well.”

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How Much Pep Could a Pep Rally Rally, If A Pep Rally Could Rally Pep

December 13, 2024

By Jillian Slotnick
SPORTS EDITOR

Student Government and the Jungle organized the celebration, which consisted of pie-eating contests, tug-of-war, and team competitions. This year, students took a major role in planning, as opposed to last year’s rally, which was mainly coordinated by Interim Principal Betty Taylor. The rally was attended by the entire school and had participation from students, teachers, and even Principal Jimmy D’Andrea.

The pep rally is a tangible example of all the work student organizations, such as Student Government and the Jungle, do. Senior Salma Ali, a member of Student Government and one of the main pep rally organizers, said, “We want to get more people excited. A lot of people want to skip the last day or skip the pep rally, so we want to get people more excited, which is why we’re having the Jungle leaders as MCs. [Hopefully] they’ll get people hyped and push them to get involved and be a part of it for the next [few] years.”

Student participation is the heart of any successful pep rally, and at AHS, the energy students bring is unmatched. From chanting school cheers to yelling for their friends, the enthusiasm from the students sets the tone for the event. This year, a number of fall sports, from girl’s swimming and diving to golf, participated in the pep rally. The event planners hoped that competing in events like tug-of-war will serve as bonding experiences and demonstrate team unity.

Unlike in past pep rallies, there was no teacher dance or speech from football coach Ernest Perry. Additional activities are the balloon relay, band performances, and Jungle Leaders also acting as MCs. These changes will hopefully allow for greater student engagement.

STAFF PHOTO/ Jillian Slotnick
Students collide during relay game.

The planning and care put into the pep rally is obvious, and reflected by the palpable excitement shown by the students during the event. Connor Acheson, a captain of the football team, said, “I love [the pep rally]. I think we should have more [of them]. I think the team and everybody in the school get super excited, and it’s a lot of fun: super high energy. And it definitely helps before the big game.”

Perry expressed a similar opinion. “The school really likes it and the players seem to like it [as well],” he said. ”Everybody’s really into it. The energy is great, especially so close to the game. I think it really gets us into that mindset of the Thanksgiving [game] and needing to give it our all because it’s the last time we’ll step on that field this season.”

According to Ali, the annual pep rally does not only increase excitement for the Thanksgiving Day football game, but also elevates overall school pride. By bringing the whole community together, it forms a stronger bond between AHS students. Even administrators have noticed the positive change pep rallies and the presence of the Jungle has on school spirit.

Athletic Director Wayne Puglisi said, “I think that the Jungle has had some great turnouts for our home football games. They’re very supportive of other sports [as well,] which is great to see since that’s not been the case in the past. I feel like school spirit is slowly coming back [after COVID and our changing leadership]. Just the way that students act in the Jungle, how they cheer, and what they do for the different teams and different programs; it’s pretty cool.”

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Germs Gone Viral

December 13, 2024

By Samantha Sun
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

As the crisp autumn air gives way to the chill of winter, the familiar sounds of sniffles and coughs fill the hallways of Andover High School. Inside, classrooms are sprinkled with empty tissue boxes, weary faces, and feverish temperatures.

For many students, this is a yearly struggle: balancing rigorous schoolwork while battling illnesses that leave them drained and struggling to keep up.

Junior Aki French knows the struggle all too well. On a recent chilly Sunday, a dull headache settled in, followed by dizziness. “I noticed my head [started to] hurt [and] I got super cold,” French said. Outside, she bundled up in six layers, trying to fight it off despite the weather. Already, she suspected that the illness might be more serious than the average cold.

The confirmation came swiftly—through a COVID test, she discovered the coronavirus had struck for the second time, the first time being in 2021 over quarantine. French wasn’t surprised; a friend of hers had recently tested positive for COVID. French theorized she caught the virus from her friend. French’s first and second experiences were similar; her days were filled with fevers, headaches, and resting to recover quickly. However this time, the sickness felt more daunting as a junior in high school.

Finally returning after a week of recovery, she found herself with a mountain of work. “I missed three quizzes and two essays because I got COVID,” French said with a sigh. As a hardworking student taking two AP courses, she had to put in extra effort to catch up with the rest of her classmates. This meant staying after school for tutoring from her physics teacher, finishing quizzes during H-Block, and getting through homework as quickly as possible.

“It was very hard to manage… I think I managed it,” French laughed, reflecting upon her efforts to catch up. “But a lot of teachers and my guidance counselor helped me to arrange the schedule of testing and homework.” This was something French gratefully advised all students to do: ask for help from counselors, teachers, and parents.

Health teacher Candice McVeigh expressed a similar opinion. “It’s important to advocate for yourself if you are feeling overwhelmed,” said McVeigh. Oftentimes, getting support helps lessen the stress and burden of getting back into school and making up work.

Cases like French’s are all too common. Students often find themselves buried under work after just a few days away due to illness. Due to less sunshine and being indoors more, it’s easier to contract an illness, McVeigh explained.

“Schedules tend to get busier with the change of seasons,” said school nurse Heidi Katz. “People get run down and self-care is often not high on the priority list.”

The most common illness? The common cold, which prompts the most visits to the nurse’s office. The flu is the second most common contender at AHS.

The flu and common cold are contracted through coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces. The best ways to prevent them is by washing your hands thoroughly, getting lots of rest, and drinking enough fluids. There are also annual flu and COVID vaccinations, which can help lower the chances of catching them.

“Everyone is so busy and anxious about missing school, clubs, sports, they don’t allow themselves to fully recover,” said school nurse Melissa Sucharewicz.

While it can be nerve-wracking to miss a lot of school from being sick, if illnesses are not properly treated, they can potentially increase the length and severity of the sickness. It is best to let the body heal on its own before tackling school work, extracurriculars, or sports.

McVeigh observed that a lot of upperclassmen, especially those taking harder classes, often prioritize school work over their health. “First and foremost, I believe—maybe it’s because I’m a health teacher—that you have to take care of yourself to make sure that there is a balance [in your schedule],” she said.

She emphasized that finding a balance includes taking care of homework assignments, having downtime, and taking care of the body properly.

Finding time for each of these factors is the hardest part, as time management is not an easy task. Too much or too little of either of these can create a dysfunctional schedule. While schoolwork is a priority as a student, so is taking care of our health. It’s important for all students at AHS to remember that self-care is equally crucial as keeping up to date with homework and tests.

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TEDxAndover Uplifts AHS Voices

December 13, 2024

By Janaesa Macasaet & Ariana Teasdale
STAFF WRITERS

A room full of people. A stage, bathed in light. The spotlight on Graham Igo. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd as the unexpected 15-year-old confidently strides out onto the stage. As cameras face him, he takes his spot in the middle. Clad in a professional blue velvet suit and tie, Igo captivates the audience’s interest.

Igo spoke at the inaugural TEDxAndover event held at the Andover Country Club this past October. As he stepped on stage, Igo posed the question “how many of you have ever heard the term ‘be yourself’?” His speech, “The Cost of Fitting In,” featured personal anecdotes and skillful commentary on the societal pressures to conform, and the emotional effects of those pressures.

“I focused on others instead of myself, and when I did experience short-term satisfaction, I felt unfulfilled,” Igo said. “I was [just] doing what others were doing, which built up a lot of emotions.”

TEDx events, different from TED conferences, are local and independently organized events. TEDxAndover is a newly established platform, organized by Andover resident Menka Hariani, that provides people with an opportunity to share meaningful ideas. Hariani was determined to create a platform in which she could empower diverse voices. Driven by a strong sense of purpose, she started working on the event application last year, and obtained the license for it in August.

“As an organizer I was responsible for everything:” Hariani said, “finding the right speakers… pitching them… refining their scripts, finding the venue, all of the marketing… [in addition to] developing and designing the entire website.”

In just eight weeks, Hariani organized the first event, featuring five speakers and one performer. With overwhelming support from the Eagle Tribune and the AndoverMums Facebook page, the event was quickly assembled, and sold out with 100 people attending.

STAFF PHOTO/ Janaesa Macasaet
Organizer Menka Hariani introducing the first speaker.

“With very little time, and not having enough background in event management, there were a lot of challenges…,” said Hariani. “I feel very fortunate and lucky that I got to work with people who delivered very high quality…work and made it…successful.”

Featured speakers presented on a range of topics, from health and well-being to life strategies. In the lineup was AHS sophomore Graham Igo. Sharing the stage with highly accomplished individuals—an Olympic gold medalist, a Harvard professor, two CEOs, and an NBA dancer—Igo was surrounded by those with far more experience. As a high schooler, he provided a unique, younger perspective. Drawing from his middle school days, he discussed his own struggles with identity and how he was pressured by peers to fit in.

Even as a first-time formal public speaker, Igo was confident in his abilities to deliver a talk. In order to prepare, speakers work with volunteer coaches to completely memorize their speeches. After intense practice, Igo presented with ease.

“I read my speech a million times,” Igo said. “Just went over it line by line, trying to remember each part.”

Igo was not the only AHS student on stage, however. Hariani’s daughter, sophomore Jiya Jotwani, was the host. Hariani proposed the idea, though Jotwani was still required to go through the application process, with the chance of being rejected. With note cards in hand, she warmly introduced the speakers, supported by friends in the audience.

“At first it made me really nervous. I felt a lot of pressure to not mess up,” Jotwani said. “But then, when we took a break… all of my friends told me I did super good and so I felt a lot more confident.”

Though initially attending the event to support host Jiya Jotwani, sophomores Grace and Hannah Arnold were quite impressed with Igo’s courage.

Grace Arnold said, “[Igo’s speech] was really interesting…because he’s speaking to a room of primarily adults, by himself, and…giving a speech on something that a lot of people might…not accept him for. I think that was a really good example to set.”

The journey to uplift Andover voices has yet to end, however. A full-day TEDxAndover event is scheduled for June 2025, with hopes for ten speakers and two performers regarding the topic of invisible threats, which are problems people often disregard as harmful.

Hannah Arnold, approached by Hariani, has newfound inspiration to deliver her own speech after seeing well-established speakers and fellow classmates gain the chance in a lifetime. From her own experiences, she’s interested in speaking on learning strategies as well as how to handle chronic pain as a longtime soccer player.

Hariani encourages people of all kinds to speak. “When I am looking for a speaker, I am only looking for great ideas. I don’t care what the background of the person is, I don’t care where they’re coming from; I’m only looking for diverse voices and great ideas that are worth spreading,” she said. All she hopes for is to “strike conversation in the community”.

Interested in being a TEDxAndover speaker? Applications open January 2025. Refer to tedxandover.com for more information.

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The Empowering Role that Principals Play

November 13, 2024

We are all in different places in our educational careers. Some of us are just starting high school, while others are getting ready to move on to college. But as we walk different paths forward, we have one thing that unites us; one thing that makes us all smile in the mornings, a constant presence in our lives. In the crowded hallways of AHS, we all can stand on common ground: our love of our new principal, Jimmy D’Andrea.

We believe he is the key to raising school spirit and community at AHS. This year will be filled with a continuation of the joy that Jimmy has brought so far, and we can’t wait to see it. His enthusiasm is infectious, as we see him show up game after game and concert after concert, Every morning when we hear Jimmy’s bright voice over the loudspeaker, when he shows up time and again to sports events, concerts, and club meetings, his love for AHS is clear. He has demonstrated true care and commitment to the student body, even in his admittedly short term, and we love him for it.

Jimmy’s legacy at AHS has just begun, and we can’t wait to see him continue to build the school community.

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AHS Students Travel and Serve with Global Pathways

November 13, 2024

Anushka Dole

ONLINE EDITOR

AHS students are going to Japan over February vacation and Costa Rica over April vacation as part of the Global Pathways program.

The Global Pathways program is an AHS club and three-year experience that is open to students starting sophomore year. This year, the Japan trip is open to all AHS students, while the Costa Rica trip is specific to Global Pathways students.

Global Pathways is an immersive experience that allows students to explore international life and develop a global lens through which they can view the world. Over the course of three years, students embark upon at least one international travel experience, which can take place over a school trip or a trip with friends or family.

However, the Global Pathways trips are different from a typical venture of casual tourism. Daniel Brennan, a staff advisor of Global Pathways, elaborated on the distinction between the two. “There’s a difference between a traveler and a tourist. When we’re tourists, we’re…using a lot of resources and not necessarily adding much to the place that we’re traveling to,” Brennan said. He went on to clarify that the goal of a Global Pathways travel experience is to broaden student perspective through community engagement in international communities.

“What we’re looking for in the program is more of an immersive experience where we’re…interacting with community members…and doing things that aid that community, ” Brennan said.

During the Global Pathways 2019 Costa Rica trip, students worked on a community service project that aimed to bring drinkable water to regions that didn’t have access to it, and during the 2024 Thailand trip, students worked in elephant sanctuaries. During the upcoming Costa Rica trip, students will continue the initiative. The Japan trip doesn’t have community service built into the travel plan, so Global Pathways students may seek to fulfill their required “glocal” – globally minded local service – elsewhere.

Even for students who are unable to partake in the international trips, various global activities are offered by the program. Judy Elkotory, a senior and one of the leaders of the program, detailed the many activities that were designed for the program over the years:

“We helped plan [the winter fundraiser]…we planned to do a movie night with hot cocoa in the cafeteria…. [and] we also started painting the rock…because our theme last year was saving the ocean.”

Each year, Global Pathways adopts a new theme centered around one of the seventeen of the United Nations (UN) sustainable goals, and student leaders like Elkotory design activities related to the theme. Elkotory mentioned that the program has also collaborated with the exchange program that brought international students to AHS.

“[We attended] Korean exchange H-blocks…and we got to do Ddakji, like [the] squares [game]…from Squid Game…[and] we had Vietnamese students also come in and talk about their school life back in Vietnam and their food and culture,” she said.

Global Pathways continues to draw new sophomores each year who are eager to embark on their global journeys. Connor McGovern, a sophomore and new member of Global Pathways, spoke about his enthusiasm for gaining a global perspective by joining the program. “I thought it’d be really interesting to talk to people from other countries and get to travel to other countries and do service… . It shows you how many different places there are in the world and gives you… a sense of your options for the future,” McGovern said.

Each student’s journey in Global Pathways is a unique experience, and this is by design. Brennan highlighted that ultimately, students are the ones to define their own adventures in the program.

“We try hard to make it so that students can kind of make [the program] their own. We call it ‘walking their own global path’,” Brennan said.

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Mice appearing in classrooms?

November 13, 2024

Staff and students debate a hygienically concerning event

Kaveri Dole and Arshiaa Prem

STAFF WRITERS

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is an animated movie we all love, with various foods falling from the sky in a blissful buffet. Obviously, this is everyone’s dream, but how would you feel if the meatballs were a little less appetizing and a little more hairy?

Health teacher Betsey Desfosse’s freshman class was horrified when they saw dead mice on their floor, just inches from students. It was around 8:30 a.m. on an early October morning, and the students were still groggy and tired. Was it fake? Was it perhaps a meticulously placed practical joke? That is what prevented the class from “screaming bloody murder,” Desfosse said. That is, until ten minutes later when two students approached Desfosse asking about the creatures.

“I was a lunatic, I was screaming,” Desfosse said while recalling the incident. “I fell short in the bravery department that day.”

However, Desfosse was not the only teacher who encountered these pests. Science teacher Jennifer Rodier also had similar experiences. Rodier valiantly threw away not one, not two, but three dead mice, all from Desfosse’s classroom, earning the title of Mrs. Desfosse’s knight in shining armor after running into the room after hearing her screams. Finally, Desfosse exclaimed, “That’s it, I can’t do this anymore!” and ran out the door.

“I get there are mice in the building and it’s starting to get cold and we eat snacks all over the place,” Desfosse said. She was very logical after the fact, confirming, “This has never happened before but it’s not shocking.”

Her theory is that a mouse likely gave birth, producing more offspring. However, she recalled a similar incident from about fifteen years ago, when a mouse fell out of a hole in the ceiling tiles and landed in a student’s backpack.

Freshman Ishwa Dharan, who was present in the health class where the mice reappeared, reflected on the experience. It was a total shock to her, so much so that it didn’t seem real. In fact, at first, she thought it was fake. “I started laughing because I didn’t know what to do,” she recalled.

Her reaction highlighted another issue; students at Andover High School are unprepared for such situations and unaware of the health concerns associated with these pests. Without the proper knowledge of what to do in these situations, students are at risk of mishandling the animals in an attempt to kill or dispose of them, potentially contracting a disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out the dangers of physical contact with vermin, which can be a threat to our students. “Contact with rodent droppings, urine, and saliva can spread by breathing in air or eating food contaminated with rodent waste.” The CDC added that infestations of rodents through buildings are the main cause of disease spreading from rodents to people. In addition, many diseases carried in mice don’t show apparent symptoms, meaning there is no visual difference between an infected and a healthy mouse. These diseases range from bacterial, viral, and even parasitic and can be transmitted directly or indirectly.

So what can we do to reduce the spread of these diseases? Candice McVeigh, a health teacher at AHS, advised community members “to start being mindful of the food we bring into classrooms and how we clean up after ourselves.” However, in her opinion, the mice aren’t a real issue unless the problem worsens. “All buildings this size have mice,” she says. The real concern is not eradicating the rodents, but instead keeping them under control. This mirrors Desfosse’s thoughts as well: “I don’t know how in a building this size with this many people and so much food that you wouldn’t have mice.”

As for measures taken to combat this problem, Desfosse stated that rat traps have been set. However, they remained empty after a few weeks.

These rodents are indeed becoming pests for our students and staff. They bring hygienic concerns and, in general, cause chaos and disarray. Mice or meatballs, you wouldn’t want either in your classroom, would you?

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Mrs. Breen Steps Up to New Ninth Grade Coordinator Job

November 13, 2024

MADDOX TO

STAFF WRITER

After 23 years of teaching in the Health Department at Andover High School, Holly Breen has recently taken up the role of 9th grade coordinator.

For 23 years before her new role, Breen taught 11th and 12th graders, taking a one-year break during her time as a health teacher to focus on taking care of her children. Breen has also been the senior class advisor since last year, and she said she’s “always really actively involved in the student body and other activities outside of teaching at school.”

The 9th grade coordinator job was created last year, offering a position that Breen read and thought fit her perfectly. “Working with a variety of stakeholders like parents and students and teachers and community members [sounded amazing]… I absolutely love that part of my job,” she said.

Joanna Ganci was hired as 9th grade coordinator last year. So in the time being, Breen decided to get her administration degree so that when the opportunity became available again, she would be ready to apply for it.

Due in part to perfect timing, Ganci changed roles this year to become an assistant principal, leaving Breen—now qualified with an administration degree—ready to take the job.

Breen is now participating in administrative meetings to get properly integrated and comfortable in her new job position.

“It’s hard right now because I’m really doing both jobs,” Breen said. “Although Mr. D’Andrea has been awesome about trying to not let me get too overwhelmed because [one of] my main priorities right now are my classes.”

“Mrs. Breen is an awesome addition to the office and our staff administration,” Principal Jimmy D’Andrea said. “She’s been working very hard for the past couple of weeks to complete her set training for [the] qualifications of becoming the new 9th-grade administrator and we’re very lucky to have her.”

Even though Breen has shared the happy parts of taking up a job that she loves, she expressed that it’s still hard to let go of her longstanding history of education in the health department.

Breen said, “I will not be teaching any longer, which is bittersweet for me because I really love teaching. I just felt like it was time to broaden my outreach to the school and take on a different role in that way—to meet kids in a different way.”

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AHS Students Showcase School Community Involvement

November 13, 2024

Shreya Soni

STAFF WRITER

Though often confused as the same thing, the Student Government Association (SGA) and class boards are two different leadership bodies that tackle different issues in AHS.

There are a multitude of opportunities at AHS to get involved in the community as a leader, two of which are SGA and class boards. SGA is responsible for solving problems involving the school as a whole and prevalent town issues, while class boards aim to solve problems involving their respective grades. If you are a student interested in tackling the issues concerning the entire student body, SGA is the perfect place to showcase this passion.

“One of the responsibilities of the student government is to participate in 10 community events,” said senior Daniel Shin, the SGA president. These events include attending a School Committee meeting to gain more knowledge about problems that the student body and faculty have faced, and the annual holiday fun drive, which provides gifts for low-income students at AHS during the holiday season. A notable event that SGA is responsible for organizing is the pep rally, which Shin mentions has benefitted the student body by fostering school spirit and a sense of community.

As a four-year member of the SGA, Shin has seen the positive impact that it has had on school rules and his peers, emphasizing the pivotal role that SGA plays in vocalizing student opinions. “We’re the only club that revises school policies and has direct communication with administration,” he said, “[and we have] helped to get feedback on policies and formulate them”. One of these policies that SGA has been instrumental in modifying is the bullying policy, which can be viewed online in the student handbook.

However, if you’re a student wishing to take on a less ambitious goal and provide an impact specific to your grade, joining a class board is a great option.

“Some of the responsibilities of the boards are to be consistent with attending meetings and to be prepared to share ideas,” said Akshara Vijay, a sophomore and member of the Sophomore Board. A member of the Freshman Board last year, Vijay decided to join the board once again so that she could work with other motivated students to solve the pressing issues in her grade and plan out events for them.

“Last year, the freshman board planned out the freshman dance,” Vijay mentioned. “And this year, we are going to do fundraisers to raise money for events like field trips, such as a field trip to Boston or Six Flags.” Another initiative that the board has been interested in pursuing is finding volunteer opportunities for students, such as working at the snack shack at football games and setting up a donation booth during lunch time to promote community events.

As a result of the dedication and perseverance of the class boards, Vijay has noticed that her grade has become “more inclusive and united,” with many individuals fostering friendships with other students that they hadn’t interacted with before.

Because the deadline to apply for these committees has passed for this year, students can support them by attending their respective events. Additionally, interested students can find out more information by asking the faculty advisors or student members and applying next year in September.

Strength in Struggle: Teaching on the Path to a New Kidney

November 13, 2024

Isabella Yan

ARTS EDITOR

This past year has been a journey of perseverance and uncertainty for English teacher Elena Emory who has been battling chronic kidney disease and kidney failure since August 2023.

Kidney disease has long been a part of Emory’s life. The disease is genetic in her family, and for years she has endured its slow and inevitable progression. In October of this year, Emory matched with a living donor, a 73-year-old man.

“It’s a good kidney,” said Emory, “[I will] probably get 15 [or] maybe 20 years out of it.” The transplant can happen within the next two to six months.

Emory revealed the limited choices patients have during the kidney disease treatment process. “You don’t get options in this journey,” she said, adding, “[but] my surgeon gave me options.”

Emory has the option to take the kidney from the donor or have a Kidney Paired Donation (KPD). KPD matches incompatible donor-recipient pairs with other donor-recipient pairs to exchange kidneys. Through KPD, the kidney of her living donor can go to someone who is of a closer age or more compatible, while she can receive a younger kidney.

In the past year, Emory has had to balance her teaching life with the challenges of kidney disease. In the face of her medical journey, she has expressed an unwavering dedication to her students. “It’s a hard thing because you have the appearance of all is well, and it’s not,” Emory said.

Emory remains open to her students about her kidney disease. “I couldn’t keep it packed away,” she said, “they’re my kids… they get a sense of their teachers and something like this.” In sharing her experience with kidney disease with her students, Emory explained, “The kids will be on the journey to transplant…they’ll see the other side of it, [that’s] the beauty of that.”

Junior Aneesa Hazarika previously had Emory as a teacher and reflected on how Emory’s experience with kidney disease shaped her relationships with her students. “She would relate to us in an emotional aspect because she was dealing with a struggle of her own,” said Hazarika. “When it came to talking with her, it was a lot easier because she was understanding in that [emotional] aspect.”

Hazarika added that her story not only sheds light on the disease but also sheds light on what people––especially teachers––may be experiencing beyond what is seen at the surface level. “It’s not like they’re only surrounded by academics. They have their own personal life and personal struggles, and seeing that made me realize…they’re similar to us in more ways than one,” said Hazarika.

Emory shared that she has received enormous support from family and community members during her medical journey and has been incredibly thankful for the patience, love, and sacrifice she has received. “[People have been] reaching out,” she said, “[and] people do what they can.” However, the support that she has experienced from her students has been especially meaningful. “My kids have been the saving grace for me…they are everything,” she said. Hazarika pointed to the attentiveness, respect, and well-wishes of the students in her class upon learning of Emory’s story.

Despite the recent hopeful turn in her journey, the road towards securing a donor has been a challenge in itself. Around 17 people tested to be a living donor for Emory. Among these people was Emory’s husband, who completed numerous tests over three months intending to be a donor for Emory. However, on the final test, Emory and her husband received disheartening news: her husband was discovered to have Fibromuscular Dysplasia, a condition that involves the twisting of arteries including the ones that connect to the kidney, disqualifying him from being a donor. “As devastating as [the diagnosis] was, this was a ‘God-Moment,’ one of the many,” said Emory. “My husband and our family now have this information and can keep our eyes on it.”

Since finding out that she has matched with a donor, Emory shared that the biggest thing for her has been answering the question, “How do you pay this forward?” One thing is spreading the message that there are many people who are in need of a kidney. “It’s really important to think about…What can you do to help someone in need?” Emory said. She encourages people to learn about the importance of being an organ or blood donor. “Kindness takes many hands and many forms,” Emory explained, “everyone can do something to help someone else out and every gesture makes a huge difference.”

By sharing her story, Emory is a voice for many others experiencing kidney disease or other health challenges. “My journey is far from over, I have learned so much,” said Emory. With remarkable strength and courage, she takes on the role of an educator in an inspiring way. “The road to transplantation is never straight, can be lonely, and is not without ‘bumps,’” said Emory, “and that is indeed part of the journey.”