06/16/2026
Emily Lee has been a member of the Tappan Zee High School Girls Varsity Swim team since she was in the eighth grade and is an active member of several extracurriculars including the National Honor, Mu Alpha Theta, Spanish, Tri-M, and History Honor societies as well as committing to her leadership positions as once Treasurer and current Co-Secretary in National Art Honor Society and Vice President in Korean Club. She has also participated in VAASA, Tones, and the Math team.
Emily will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point this fall and serve for five years. “I never really thought about attending West Point but after my family member was appointed, I remembered my short time at a lacrosse game there. I recalled how sharp and elite the students looked, and I wanted to leave a strong impression like that to future generations. I also like how they really focus on building community there. All of the class sizes are less than 20 people and I like that structure,” said Emily. “Although I have some time to choose a branch in the army, I’m looking at Chemical Corps. or Aviation. Once I’ve graduated from West Point, my plan is to pursue something in the field of science. I took AP Biology and AP Chemistry here and I’ll admit, they’re really hard classes, but the teachers made the learning fun.”
A memorable aspect of your K-12 experience: “My favorite memories are anything related to the swim team and just every single meet. As this year's co-captain, I feel so proud to be part of this team and we share such a strong bond. Everyone is so welcoming and kind. The meets can be really long but we always made it fun. We’d wear inflatable costumes and cheer each other on.”
Advice to your high school freshman self?: “Don’t procrastinate! As soon as a teacher assigns something, start it right away. Also, go out more and socialize. I made a habit of staying home a lot but it’s important to have fun with your friends as well.” Emily also expresses that a lesson she learned throughout the high school experience is if you are interested in something, like art, music, or theater, fully go for it! “If you enjoy the extracurriculars you do and make the most out of it, I promise you, good things will come out of it," she said. Emily won multiple awards for art, music, and theater, and even received the honor of 3rd degree black belt for taekwondo during her time at TZHS.
Thank you to: “My parents. They pushed me to do extracurriculars and clubs, which helped me get into West Point and boost my resume. Especially now, you need more than just academics to help your chances of getting into the school you want to.”
