For Nya Ping, BT has been a part of her life since 2013, meaning that memories, moments, and friendships have unfolded on campus. Since joining the BT Verbatim staff in her freshman year, Nya has looked forward to reflecting on her time at BT.
Nya shared that her favorite piece of BT so far is the friendships she has built through sports: “I love being with my friends when we all play sports together.”
Sports have played a big role in Nya’s life on campus. She competes for BT in basketball, volleyball, track, and lacrosse, while also being a member of NHS and DECA. Some of Nya’s favorite memories come from basketball season, especially the energy and excitement of playing home games with her friends. Outside of her busy school schedule, Nya relaxes by baking, cooking herself a meal, or doing small crafts.
In the classroom, Nya highlighted her two favorite classes: “I really liked AP Euro with Mr. Smith, and I also liked Strength and Conditioning with Mr. Shukis.”
She explained that these classes stood out because they allowed her to become both a smarter and stronger student. When asked about an influential person at BT, Nya said she has many role models, but Coach Dunlap’s ability to lead has always been admirable to her.
Overall, though, Nya says that the accomplishment she is most proud of was earning a spot on the USA National Team for lacrosse. She explained that growing more confident and learning to manage her time have allowed her to thrive in high school.
When asked about her favorite year of school, Nya didn’t have an immediate answer but noted that freshman year stood out because everything was new and exciting. Still, she expects senior year to take the top spot because of all the traditions and moments that come with the final year of high school.
As for advice to underclassmen, Nya encourages everyone to join sports or activities if they have the chance. She explained that she has met the most people and experienced the most positive moments through BT sports and extracurriculars.
Currently, Nya is in the middle of her college applications. She is considering Marquette, Creighton, and Michigan, and while she looks forward to continuing her education, she would also love the opportunity to keep playing lacrosse at a competitive level.
She knows that she will miss her friends and sports the most, but she is looking forward to everything that lies beyond senior year. After graduation, Nya has big plans to travel to Greece with her cousin before heading off to college in the fall.
While Nya reflected on this last bit of high school, she discussed how she is excited to take on new hobbies in college while continuing to keep herself active and a strong member of whatever community she becomes part of.
Overall, Nya is grateful to have spent a great portion of her life at BT and is proud of the mark she has left behind.
