Club guru Emily Kolankiewicz has given her undivided attention to several of Bangor Area High School’s organizations over the past four years. 

As Vice President of Student Government, President of Class Cabinet, Secretary of National Honor Society, and the Public Relations Officer for Spanish Honor Society, Kolankiewicz takes on a lot of obligations; especially now that she’s a senior. 

“As a senior, in all aspects, you are expected to set an example for the underclassmen. This is particularly true in the SGA, especially because I’ve been a member since my freshman year,” Kolankiewicz said. “There is an increased amount of responsibility and accountability being a senior member, but I appreciate the trust the advisors have in me and the opportunities I am given.” 

Kolankiewicz enjoys being a member of many clubs because she loves contributing as much as she can to the school.  

“I like to keep myself busy. It can be overwhelming at times, but it’s nice to know that I’m a part of running events for the entire student body, my class, or the community,” Kolankiewicz said. “I like to be as involved as I can, and it feels really good to be a part of something bigger than what I would be able to accomplish on my own.” 

Even though Kolankiewicz has been impacted by each club in a different way, SGA has had the greatest impact on her. 

“In SGA, I’ve met some really great people and had great opportunities to challenge myself, which has pushed me to be a better leader overall,” Kolankiewicz said. “I’ve also learned a lot about myself, as far as my strengths and weaknesses. I’m definitely more self-aware since I’ve been involved, and I’m grateful for the personal growth it caused me to experience.”  

Helping mandate over seventy members, it’s no wonder that Kolankiewicz has been greatly impacted. As VP, she is in charge of very important matters. 

“I work very closely with Mrs. Brown and Ryan Bailey in order to coordinate meetings and events. Additionally, I am responsible for attending each monthly school board meeting and giving a student report,” Kolankiewicz said. “Essentially, I tell the school board what’s going on in the school academically, athletically, and with clubs and other extracurricular activities.” 

Over the years, Kolankiewicz has helped organize an abundance of SGA events. Out of those many events, decorating the school in time for Christmas has to be her all-time favorite. 

“I have always enjoyed the Christmas decorating that we do each winter. We have a tree decorating contest between the four classes, and we hang Christmas lights and snowflakes down the hallway,” Kolankiewicz said. “While we decorate after school, we play Christmas music and order pizza; it’s always super fun. The decoration seem to kick off the holiday season and it always gets a lot of positive feedback from the student body and staff.” 

When Kolankiewicz isn’t attending a school board meeting or hanging up snowflakes in the hallway, she spends her time focusing on academics. 

Excelling in science and English classes, it’s no surprise that Kolankiewicz would retake Honors Biology with Mr. Hachtman in a hearbeat. 

“I took Honors Biology with Mr. Hachtman my sophomore year and it helped me realize that I actually want to pursue biology in the future,” Kolankiewicz said. “He’s always very energized when he teaches, and he’s very good at getting his students excited about the material they are learning.” 

In addition to Mr. Hachtman, the entire biology department has made a significant difference on Kolankiewicz’s learning experience here at Bangor High. 

“Both Mr. Hachtman and Mr. Thomas have a provided a great support system for me, and really supported me to explore different aspects of science for my future career,” Kolankiewicz said. “I just started taking classes with Mr. Hobbs this year, but he has already challenged me and pushed me to question the material more, and the material has become more of a personal interest rather than just an academic commitment.” 

With guidance from teachers in the biology department, as well as the grueling AP and honors courses she has completed, Kolankiewicz is more than ready to pursue an education in biology. 

“I’m not exactly sure where I want to attend college yet; I’ve applied to colleges in New York and Florida. Now I’m just waiting to hear back from them,” Kolankiewicz said. “I do know that I want to pursue a general biology degree because I’ve always had an interest in science and this degree is flexible and open-minded enough that I don’t have to decide exactly what to do right now. I’ve been tossing around Marine Biology or Neurobiolgy, but I can make a final decision once I begin to take some courses in college.” 

Kolankiewicz would not be able to have the full college experience without joining the various clubs and extracurricular activities they have to offer. 

“I can’t wait to join new clubs and activities in college,” Kolankiewicz said. “Depending on where I decide to go, the opportunities vary, but I definitely want to continue participating in some type of Student Government or leadership activity.” 

Utilizing her intelligence and leadership skills, Kolankiewicz is well on her way to having a successful career in biology.