July 1, 2019

Outstanding Student: Hannah Faughnan

1.7 min read| Published On: July 1st, 2019|
Hannah-Faughnan

By Leigh Neely

Outstanding Student: Hannah Faughnan

1.7 min read| Published On: July 1st, 2019|
Hannah-Faughnan
Hannah-Faughnan
Hannah Faughnan

Leesburg High School graduate

Interviewer: Leigh Neely // Photo: Nicole Hamel

  • Born in Altamonte Springs.
  • Parents: Jim and Janine Faughnan.
  • Siblings: Derek, Douglas, Liam, and Siobhan Faughnan.

Favorite subject:
Science.

Favorite way to relax:
Binge-watch TV shows, read, sleep.

The biggest influence in your life:
My mother.

What’s important to you:
Being authentic and honest while doing the best I can in everything I do.

Future goals:
Become a pediatric reconstructive plastic surgeon, earn a medical degree at Harvard Medical School, earn a degree in molecular biology from Princeton University. 

Favorite movie:
“Ghostbusters.”

Favorite TV show:
“Law and Order: SVU” or “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Best musical performer:
Macklemore.

Favorite guilty pleasure:
Popcorn.

Best advice you’ve received:
Learn how to fail at something early on, but more importantly, learn to overcome that failure.

Favorite quote:
“‘You want to grow up to be a lady, don’t you?’ I said not particularly.”—Scout responding to Uncle Jack in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee.

Honors you’ve received:

Full scholarship to Princeton University; A Honor Roll; QuestBridge STEM Scholarship recipient; Florida Girls State delegate; delegate at the National Congress of Future Medical Leaders; Take Stock in Children Scholarship recipient; Take Stock in Children 2+2 Scholarship upgrade; Leaders 4 Life Fellow; QuestBridge College Prep Scholar; QuestBridge National College Match finalist; QuestBridge Scholar; Lake County STEM Regional Scholar; Leesburg High School Band Gold Service Award; Leesburg High School Band Most Outstanding Officer; Florida ACT Student College and Career Readiness champion; Superior at District Solo and Ensemble Music Festival (six individual times); Superior with Distinction at State Solo and Ensemble Music Festival (four individual times); Most Outstanding Underclassmen for National Beta Club; Harvard University Academic Award of Excellence; Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Honorable Mention for Outstanding Community Service; Lake County 2019 Top Scholar. 

Clubs and organizations:

  • National Honor Society, three years (president, one year; secretary, one year).
  • National Beta Club, three years (president, one year; secretary, one year). 
  • Science National Honor Society, two years (treasurer, one year; secretary, one year). 
  • Mu Alpha Theta, a math honor society, four years (president, one year; secretary, one year). 
  • Tri-M, a music honor society, four years (historian, one year; vice president, one year). 
  • Leesburg High School Band, four years (officer, one year; colonel, a top officer, one year).
  • QuestBridge, which connects to students to college scholarship opportunities.
  • The Villages Regional Hospital volunteer.
  • Take Stock in Children, four years.
  • Students in Action, one year, with more than 300 service hours earned. 
  • Hi-Q, an academic team, four years.

Hannah Graduated from Leesburg high with a 4.98 GPA

About the Author: Leigh Neely

Leigh Neely began her writing career with a weekly newspaper in the Florida panhandle, where she not only did the writing, but delivered the papers to the post office and dispensers. She has been writing ever since for a variety of newspapers and magazines from New Jersey to Leesburg. With her writing partner, Jan Powell, Leigh has published two novels as Neely Powell.

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