Meet Aiko

Aiko (’24) is always in the center of the action. In early 2023, she represented AHA at the United Nations 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. She was also one of 11 students selected to study the Russian language through the U.S. Department of State National Security Language Initiative for Youth. Aiko successfully completed this immersion course, and was able to use her skills at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive in New York City. Aiko has been accepted to this highly-selective classical training program several times.

She has been taking the Classical Ballet Pre-Professional Training Program at a local studio since she was in the ninth grade. Aiko has also participated in the New York Youth America Grand Prix Competition and the Philadelphia Youth America Grand Prix Competition. She performed a solo at the Ballet Rockland Spring Gala, and landed the lead role of Clara in the studio’s 2022 production of “The Nutcracker.”

Aiko is a Commended Student and earned the Advanced Placement Scholar Award. She is a Mother Caroline Scholar, a Nonna Dunphy Scholarship winner, and a Johns Hopkins Book Award winner.

In the past two Le Grand Concours National French Contests, Aiko earned the Bronze Award in Level 3 (2023) and the Silver Award in Level 2 (2022). Her scholarship, leadership, character, and service earned her membership in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (math), the Science National Honor Society, and the Société Honoraire de Français, of which she is co-president. This fall, Aiko was named tutor coordinator for AHA’s chapter of Mu Alpha Theta. She will also be inducted into Rho Kappa, the national social studies honor society.

She is also co-president of the Asian American Cultural Club, an executive board member of Bridges, a Diversity Council member, and a student representative to the Middle States Association. In 2023, Aiko helped teach the AHA Summer Experience leadership seminar and served as a freshman orientation leader.

Aiko participates in the Englewood Hospital Surgical Science Program, which allows selected AHA students to gain experience with research and fundamentals of in vivo surgical methods. She is also involved in the Wellesley College VOICE Program.

Aiko takes advantage of the Middle College Program, which allows Angels to earn AHA credits and Fairleigh Dickinson University credits simultaneously. She completed the introduction to the humanities and now takes intermediate French, “The Modern World,” and calculus. She took Columbia University’s “Identity in the Digital Age” and AHA’s bespoke Oxford Study Abroad course in critical thinking.

Her volunteer activities include assisting at the People to People Food Bank, and sharing her talents by dancing at the Garner Arts Festival.