Top Mustangs

Leszczynski thought transitioning from WWMS to CHS would be tough, but it helped having old friends with him in a new environment. The biggest obstacle was the COVID-19 pandemic and online schooling. The worst part was going in-person after getting used to less work and easier schooling. “I found normal school to be much harder than I remembered,” said Leszczynski. “I struggled but I eventually got back into the swing of things.”

He loved music as a kid, which he still does today. He learned to play the saxophone in fourth grade and guitar a few years later. “I enjoy them just as much as ever,” he said. “If I’m doing something that doesn’t require my full attention, then I’m listening to music.”

Roman Albano rounds out the Top 10 Mustangs as tenth in his class, with an eye to the future. He will study Computer Science at NJIT this fall. His career goal is to become a software engineer at a high-end company or work with AI and Machine Learning. Self-aware, he said that his greatest obstacle in high school was himself.

“Setting mental limits and minimalistic goals hindered me from achieving the aspirations that I truly wanted,” said Albano, 18. “To overcome this mental barrier, I practiced meditation, viewed motivational speeches, and I surrounded myself with individuals who had big dreams.”

Two positive figures around him are his parents, Omar and Maria. “They’ve taught me everything, from oil changes to personal manners,” said Albano. “They’ve taught me to not be afraid of failure and to chase my dreams.”

Albano played volleyball for his first three years at CHS. He called himself a “nervous freshman” and said joining the team exposed him to other extracurriculars. He later joined CHS’ Robotics team and became the vice president of the Computer Science club.

During his freshman year, Albano was active in his church community as an altar server, lector, and an upand-coming student for Confirmation. He’s tutored at Code Ninjas for almost a year, where he teaches children ages 13 and below the basic principles of Computer Science.

He enjoyed AP Calculus AB with Ms. Ariel Ganesh since math is his favorite subject. His favorite teacher was Mrs. Mouna Boutemine for Computer Science. “I hold both of these teachers dear to me since they have treated me with respect and patience,” he said. As he prepares to graduate, he’ll miss his friends the most but won’t miss the early mornings. He encouraged the rising seniors to become confident to be effective leaders.

“If you don’t believe in yourself, why would others believe in you?” he said. “Build your confidence, take failure as an advantage, and you’ll become unstoppable.”