A passion for science at a young age fueled New Hyde Park Memorial High School’s 2020 salutatorian Megha Gopal to strive for excellence inside and outside of the classroom.
When she first came into the high school as a seventh-grader, Gopal said, she made sure to become immediately involved with the Science Olympiad and mathletes programs. Gopal said the scientific research she was exposed to set the tone for the rest of her education throughout high school.
“I tried to become as active as possible with different clubs and activities early on,” Gopal said in an interview. “I’ve done a lot of fairs, projects and events within the scientific field to engage others in experiencing what it has to offer.”
Gopal said she spent time at one of Stony Brook University’s scientific laboratories and worked on research there. One year later, Gopal said, she will call Stony Brook home for the next four years while majoring in biomedical engineering in the university’s honors college program.
“I thought it was a pretty cool and unique thing to major in,” Gopal said on her decision to choose biomedical engineering. “I participated in a science honors program at Columbia which opened my mind up to other courses throughout the scientific field.”
Gopal described her efforts to become a role model for the younger generation of students. She said she and several advisers were in discussions on developing a “science day” for New Hyde Park Memorial students until the coronavirus pandemic began.
The senior also said her experience playing the piano for more than 14 years and violin for around eight years opened the door for other opportunities outside of the scientific research realm. Gopal said she teaches at a music studio in Floral Park where she is able to work with the younger generation and help students cultivate their own passion for music.
“Music was a really important part of my high school career,” Gopal said. “This job allows me to gain face-to-face time with students in the community and understanding how they learn.”
Gopal has also spent time working as a volunteer at the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and described the experience as extremely rewarding.
“Like many people, I have had family and friends who have ended up in a hospital for many reasons and it’s a special experience to have people through that genuinely care about you, how your day is going, and just how you are as a person.”
Gopal said being named salutatorian was a “huge honor” for her.
“It’s a really exciting experience for me, and it’s a reflection of all of the time I spent studying, doing research, just everything in the classroom,” she said. “When I was in seventh and eighth grade I looked up to the valedictorians and salutatorians and it’s weird to think I’m in that position now.”
Gopal praised the community of New Hyde Park Memorial ranging from the students to the administration. Without them, Gopal said, her high school experience would be vastly different.
“We have a really special community of teachers and people here that make themselves available to review materials, answer questions or just talk to students,” she said. “I also would like to thank my parents for always being encouraging to me and my friends for reminding me to take a break from education once in a while.”
Despite graduating in the midst of a pandemic, Gopal said, she implored others in her class and seniors throughout the nation to take a step back and reflect on the world right now.
“We have to think about the world around us and what we can do to instill change throughout it,” she said. “I think we should all be optimistic about how much power we have at our hands because we can do a lot with it.”
