December 04, 2021
Anna Jang Is AHA’s New Jersey Scholars Program Nominee
Anna Jang has been chosen to represent the Academy of the Holy Angels at the 2022 New Jersey Scholars Program. The junior from Tenafly accepted her nomination from AHA, and will now submit her application to the five-week residential program.
“We couldn’t be happier to nominate such a fantastic student as Anna for this prestigious program,” AHA College Counselor Jennifer Trubac commented. “We wish her all the best in this process!”
NJSP is an intensive educational opportunity for rising high school seniors who reside in New Jersey and attend one of the state’s many schools. Next summer, finalists will convene at The Lawrenceville School to explore a topic from an interdisciplinary perspective. NJSP is privately funded, and there is no fee for students beyond personal expenses.
Jang learned about NJSP from her college counselor. After she conducted some additional research, she decided to apply for the nomination.
“I read some graduation speeches from past students that are posted on the (NJSP) website, and it seemed like everybody there was so supportive of each other and pushed each other to be the best versions of themselves,” Jang explained. “That is the kind of environment I thrive in, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to further my academic potential, sharpen my critical thinking, and, most of all, make connections with students from all over New Jersey. What really captured my attention, however, was the theme for 2022, ‘Into the Borderlands: Exploring the Spaces Between Big Ideas,’ which explores the gray areas between spheres of knowledge, culture, and society.
“Throughout my time at AHA, I have participated in several programs and workshops that I learned about from my college counselors! As a sophomore, I participated in the virtual Perry Initiative Experience, where I discovered an interest in orthopedics and engineering,” she said.
Jang has participated in the annual Yale Splash and Harvard Splash immersion programs since she was a freshman. Currently, she takes AHA’s Advanced Placement courses in physics, chemistry, calculus, and U.S. History.
Jang received AHA’s prestigious Mother Caroline Scholarship, and has been named a President’s Education Awards Program Scholar. She recently earned the Silver Maxima Cum Laude medal for her work on the National Latin Exam.
This young leader and entrepreneur runs a small business through which she distributes custom, homemade baked goods that accommodate recipients’ dietary needs. At AHA, she is founder and president of the Red Cross Club. Jang’s involvement with Angels in Anatomy includes participating in presentations and meeting with guest speakers. She is currently a Diversity Council member and a Student Council homeroom representative. Her work as an Angel Ambassador allows her to meet prospective Angels and share her knowledge of AHA. Her athletic pursuits include varsity track and JV tennis. She has been the AHA JV Tennis Team’s captain since 2020.
Jang is also an accomplished cellist who plays for the Academy Orchestra and the Select Strings Ensemble. She is a volunteer cellist for the New York Classical Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the New Jersey Regional Orchestra. This Angel is an ASTA certified cello teacher, and has provided private lessons to elementary school students. In addition, Jang tutors students who struggle in language arts and math due to a Korean language barrier.
She is a member of Tri-M and Mu Alpha Theta, the music and math national honor societies.
Her volunteer activities include service on the Show Me Your Heart Foundation Youth Council, where she helped manage the International Music and Culture Festival and participated in “The Journey to Becoming a Doctor” conference. She assisted preschool teachers as a Tenafly Summer Enrichment intern, and was supplies manager for Masks for All New Jersey, a non-profit that delivers hand-sewn protective masks to those in need. Jang advocated for social equality as a blogger for Community Action Promoting Equality She is now a youth volunteer at the New Bridge Medical Center, where she assists emergency department nurses by running samples, organizing equipment, and retrieving medicine from the pharmacy.
NJSP finalists will be invited to a group interview at The Lawrenceville School in March. Decisions will be announced by early April 2022.
Founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1879, the Academy of the Holy Angels is the oldest private girls’ school in Bergen County. While AHA is steeped in Catholic tradition, this prestigious school serves young women from many cultural and religious backgrounds.