Sophomore Student Excels Across Many Different Fields
By Clare Mitchell
The Launchpad | January 2025 | Page 4 | Spotlight
It takes many people years to discover passions and challenge themselves to their fullest extent. Taking risks takes courage, especially as a student. This has not stopped Oscar D’Amelio, however, from making his mark. Even as a sophomore, he has made himself known. He has charged headfirst into honors classes, sports, and student involvement, and he has no plans to stop.
Teachers warn students going into honors classes that they should opt-out if they are not looking for a challenge. Many students end up deciding against honors paths, figuring they will be too difficult. D’Amelio, however, loves the challenge. Currently, he is taking almost exclusively AP and honors courses. He is constantly open to opportunities for growth.
“I can give him some strong constructive criticism on his writing and he’s never flustered or angry about it,” said Ms. Lani Buskey, English 10 Honors teacher. “He just gets right back to work and shows me it when he improves it.”
D’Amelio plans to take many more AP classes during his high school career, mainly STEM-focused, to further a possible career in engineering.
D’Amelio’s hard work does not stop outside of school. He runs cross country and track three seasons a year, plays on a club soccer team year-round, and plays baseball during the spring. He provides a positive atmosphere to every team he is a part of.
“The biggest thing that we all enjoyed about having Oscar on the team was the energy and the pure joy that he brought,” said Noah Daigle, Boys Cross Country captain. “No matter how hard a practice was or how bad a race went, he always had a positive mindset afterward and always went back to congratulate his teammates for finishing.”
On top of athletics, D’Amelio is a member of Pinkerton’s Leadership Council of Athletics, or LCA. He is also the vice president of the Sophomore Class Office, as well as a member of the Math Honor Society.
Such extensive involvement in academics and extracurricular activities has the potential to cause extreme exhaustion and burnout. D’Amelio knows how to prevent this. He clears his mind by meditating for 15 minutes every day and writing a reflection on the day. He values the time to himself to take breaks.
“It’s always good to give yourself some time to yourself to really just do what you want,” said D’Amelio. “I just feel like if you give yourself some time some break, it helps a lot.”
D’Amelio uses free time wisely, taking advantage of class time and study hall to get work done.
D’Amelio’s accomplishments are nothing short of astonishing, but it is truly his positive outlook and attitude that make him such an incredible person. His joy and sense of humor have a way of bringing people together and brightening any atmosphere. Whatever the future holds for D’Amelio, he is ready to face it with a smile.
