Gabriella DePinho
IHA NEWS EDITOR

In eighth grade, Lindsey Carpenter didn’t know what her four years at IHA would be like, but now looking back, it’s easy to see they were busy, stressful and a great time all at once. Lindsey originally didn’t want to come to IHA but said, “my parents made me because my sister went here. I’m grateful they made me come because I’ve met my best friends here and I don’t think I would have had the opportunities or be where I am today if I went to my town high school.” Lindsey Carpenter has achieved so much academically and personally during her years at IHA and we are very proud to call her a Blue Eagle.

Lindsey originally didn’t want to come to IHA, though. “My parents made me because my sister went here,” Lindsey says. “I’m grateful they made me come because I’ve met my best friends here and I don’t think I would have had the opportunities or be where I am today if I went to my town high school.” Lindsey Carpenter has achieved so much academically and personally during her years at IHA and the IHA community is very proud to call her a Blue Eagle.

Lindsey Carpenter has been a very active member of the IHA community and her own community within the past four years. She was a jumper, hurdler, and sprinter for the IHA Varsity Winter and Varsity Spring Track teams and was team captain during her junior and senior years for both teams. She qualified for and competed in the county and state meets for both seasons during her freshman to junior years. She has even coached recreational Track and Field in Paramus. She was also on the Freshman and Junior Varsity Soccer teams, playing midfield and

She was also on the IHA Freshman and Junior Varsity Soccer teams, playing midfield and forward, and was even captain during her junior year of high school. Lindsey has been an active member of the National Art Honors Society since sophomore year and has been treasurer during her junior and senior year. She completed 30 hours of art service every year she was a member, including projects like organizing an art show for middle schools and doing stage makeup for a musical.

Lindsey has also been a member of the National Honors Society during her junior and senior years at IHA and is the math department liaison that coordinates math tutors. She has also been an active member of IHA’s CARE club and has volunteered her time for programs like Buddy Blessings and Several Sources.

Lindsey’s time at IHA has been very formative; she credits Mrs. Kearns for her realization of her love for math and Mrs. Encke for her discovery of her love for art. “Mrs. Kearns shaped me into the student and critical thinker I am today; she never gave up on me,” Lindsey says.

Mrs. Encke made her work hard, even after her portfolio was done, and Lindsey found a home in her art classes. Lindsey gives her art classes a lot of credit saying, “Taking art classes were a nice break to my other classes where I could express myself creatively. I don’t think I would have done as well in school without taking art classes because they were a big stress reliever and helped to break up the grueling school day.”

“Lindsey was a student in both Advanced Painting and Drawing and Honors Studio this year,” says Mrs. Encke. “She is an active participant in class discussions and offers perceptive comments during class critiques. She devotes time out of class to complete homework assignments for both classes. She always comes in ready to work. She is always a positive influence in class.”

Some of Lindsey’s favorite memories include sports events such as IHA soccer and track, competing in the New Balance Nationals with her shuttle hurdle relay team, and going to Penn Relays every year. Other school events she enjoyed were the pep rallies, prom, and social events such as all of the sweet 16s during her sophomore year, and going to the Bergen/Bosco games.

When asked what she would miss about IHA the most next year, Lindsey couldn’t decide on just one. “I’m going to miss all of my friends next year, locker break, F days, the comforting feeling I had in school, the close relationship I had with most of my teachers, my close track team, and going to Penn Relays,” she said.

Next fall, Lindsey will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and she will be majoring in Architecture.

IHA wishes Lindsey the best of luck in the next chapter of her life and offers her a place to come home to when she decides she misses seeing kilts everywhere.