Marlins are everywhere!


 Meet former Marlin! 
​Class of 2014,
​SGA President & Valedictorian

Hi there, my name is Elena Itämeri, and I attended Arnold from 2010-2014. While there, I played the flute in our marching band, served as SGA president, and played on the women’s golf team. I also took advantage of the many AP classes that Arnold offers and tutored middle school students. 
 
As you write your application essays, don’t try to tailor yourself to the school you’re applying to. It’s beneficial to discuss how you’ll contribute to the community or what opportunities you’re excited to take advantage of, but don’t apply as someone other than who you are. I distinctly remember coming up with what I thought would be an “impressive” reading list for a school that rejected me—mind you, I’d either read the books I mentioned years prior or not read them at all. In my Georgetown essay, I was honest about my aspirations, my frustrations, and my abilities, and that honesty resonated with the admissions committee.
 
Secondly, if it’s at all possible, have a teacher, a peer, and a family member read your essays. Each of those people know you in a different context and may have different perceptions of you, and it is beneficial to find out if you’ve represented yourself accurately in your application. Perhaps you possess a unique quality that you’re fully unaware of yet everyone else takes for granted!
 
After graduating from Arnold, I attended Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where I majored in Justice and Peace Studies with a concentration in Human Rights and Sustainability, and Minored in Women’s and Gender Studies. I was involved in the Sustainable Oceans Alliance, served as a New Student Orientation Advisor, and interned with the former Representative of Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, Gwen Graham. I’m currently a second-year law student at Lewis & Clark in Portland, OR, and I just finished a summer legal internship at the Center for Biological Diversity in Washington, DC. This year I am taking courses such as The Clean Air Act, International Climate Change Law, and Environmental Prosecution. I’m also the Managing Editor of the Animal Law Review and a board member of Students for Eliminating Environmental Discrimination. After law school, I hope to work on climate change related issues. ​
Check back soon for our next featured Marlin! Send me an email if you know someone we should feature!