Hanover Park Senior 'Embodies Pillars of Character'

Editor's note: The following was written by Lauren Fazzio.

With the Hanover Park Regional High School District's recent designation as a National School of Character, Hanover Park High School chose to recognize students who embody the school's definition of character. 

Emily K. Carlson, a senior at Hanover Park High, is a native of East Hanover and the daughter of Karen and John Carlson. According to her Lauren Fazzio, Carlson is scrupulous, honest and full of integrity. Nadine Siciliano, Carlson's Englsih teacher, said, “Emily embodies the six pillars of character each and every day.”

During her time at the hive, Carlson has participated in Key Club and Environmental Club and also played volleyball for all four years. In her sophomore year, she was named captain of her JV team, and in her senior year, she became captain of varsity. 

“I always wanted to be the captain of the team because since seventh grade volleyball was always a part of what I did,” Carlson said. “So when I became one of the two captains it was awesome.”

Carlson has left her mark not only athletically but also artistically. In fact, her self-portrait pencil drawing was selected for the juried Blackwell Street Student Art Show in Morristown, and it earned an honorable mention. 

Art teacher Judy Cavaleri calls Carlson an “excellent student who is extremely self-motivated and focused.” 

According to Cavaleri, Carlson “continually sets high standards for herself in art and works diligently to achieve her goals,” and in addition “is also mature, kind, caring, and humble.”

Siciliano has seen these same qualities in English class, where she always appreciates Carlson’s “insightful comments in class and on written assignments.”

Carlson is a student who “responsibility for her education and is always willing to help others,” Siciliano said. “Her quiet demeanor is a asset; others know that she will always treat each person with dignity.”

This fall, Carlson will attend LaSalle University in Philadelphia, a school she chose for its widely known nutrition program. “I’ve been a vegetarian since I was in seventh grade, so I was always really into it,” she said. “Then I realized I could do it for a job.”  She looks forward to the opportunity to work one on one with others.

Carlson calls her high school career “short.”  She thanks her sister, Rebecca (HP Class of 2010), for preparing her for what to expect in high school, and for now preparing her for what to expect in college. “It will be an experience,” said Carlson. “I feel like living on my own will be cool.”