2016’s 20 Under 20: Sydney Timmerman, Hickman High School
Sydney Timmerman, 17.986 years old, Hickman High School
College plans:
Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University
Post-graduation plans (College? Armed forces? Work?):
In theory, I should be working over the summer. But, I got a pretty good scholarship to go to college (to study biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University), so I’m going to be riding on that for a while. At the very least, I plan to work for a year or two in industry before I go to grad school. I’ve been able to do a lot with what little I know now, so I can’t wait to see what I can do after 4 years.
Favorite club or extracurricular in high school:
I joined the Hickman Review my sophomore year, but it wasn’t until my junior year that I realized it’s about more than exposing myself to and learning the value of art. As an editor, it was my job to promote community sponsorship of the magazine, lead the discussion, and defend the incredibly diverse student art and literature pieces that we voted on to include. Here, I learned not only how necessary leadership is to combat negativity, but that this magazine was the only way that some of these students’ voices would ever be heard, and that supporting them was immensely important — for their lives, and for the community.
Biggest lesson learned in high school:
The biggest lesson I’ve learned here has probably been not to look at people as stereotypes. Everyone is so much more than what the world thinks of them. You never know what they’re going through, or what talents or great ideas they’re hiding. Or what part of the world they’ve seen that you never will. That might not make a ton of sense, but I’m still working on figuring it all out.
Future goals:
I am planning to attend Johns Hopkins University next year to study biomedical engineering. I always dreamed of going to Brown, but once I got in, I realized that I wanted a lot more than “an Ivy League school.” I want to study the electrical rhythms of the heart! I want to help people! I want to become a good person! I want to be happy! And, less importantly, I want to be able to pay off my student loans! When my ninth grade English teacher asked us this question, she said that I gave the most mature answer. But, in retrospect, I think I was just being a little bit petulantly precocious. In reality, I think what most of us want is just a little direction. The promise of a worthwhile life.
Also on my list: traveling to Iceland, Turkey, India, and the Patagonia, in Argentina. Also, learning to dance.
CBT’s 20 Under 20 celebrates 20 Columbia high school seniors who are ready to accomplish big things after graduating. Congratulations to the 2016 20 Under 20, and to all Columbia high school grads.