Pine Bush High School student Nessa Wendell is having a dream summer. This rising senior is spending most of her summer at Stanford University in northern California for an enrichment program that will earn her eight credits and a transcript from one of the most prestigious universities in the country.
The program is a competitive one for high achieving students from around the country and around the world. Nessa is spending two months living on the Stanford campus in a dorm room with exceptional undergraduate, graduate and international students taking actual Stanford classes.
Nessa is enrolled in Introduction to Biotechnology: Detecting and Treating Disease, Intro to Economics and Finance, and Intro to Civil Engineering – building on Mars.
When she returns in mid-August, Nessa will have a couple of weeks to prepare for her senior year here at PBHS. She has been a member of the Interact Club and will be the group’s president this upcoming year. She also has her Girl Scout Gold Award to complete, not to mention a challenging academic schedule.
Her proud parents are Steve and Rayna Wendell.
Nessa is a product of Pine Bush schools, attending Pakanasink and CVMS, before PBHS. According to her dad, Nessa had some very special teachers at PAK who encouraged her academic interests. “It was just the kindness and initiative of several teachers that really got her curious and on the right track,” said Mr. Wendell.
Outside of school, Nessa likes to play bass guitar – she has also played flute, sax, piano and acoustic guitar. She likes to ski, be with her friends and travel, but academics are her focus, according to her dad. And she likes to be of service to her community, which makes the Interact Club such a great fit for her.
Nessa has yet to decide on which university to attend, but her choices are many. Wherever she decides to attend, her acceptance into and participation in the Stanford summer program will set her apart and remain an unforgettable experience.
We congratulation Nessa and wish her the best for the remainder of her time at Stanford’s summer program. We can’t wait to see what this senior year brings!