In a voice call, Elizabeth Chen (12) and her friends settle down as she clicks the button to queue up another round of social distanced, online One Night Ultimate Werewolf. The cool, muted colors of Elizabeth’s room are a far cry from the bustling activity around the lunch tables in Manzanita Hall, but the friends still grin in anticipation as the narrator begins the game.  

For Elizabeth, the pandemic prompts new, creative ways to bond without the need of proximity. Whether it be coordinating online games or enjoying anonymous cupcakes, Elizabeth’s can-do attitude and desire to empathize with others makes her a reliable friend for anyone to lean on. 

Above all, she values being genuine to others, to herself and to the pursuit of her interests, especially as it applies to volunteering.  

“I’m always glad to see people using their talents, their abilities to help others … not to fulfill a graduation requirement, but for the sake of helping,” Elizabeth said. “If people saw that both big and small steps can work wonders for the world, the community or even just a friend, we’d be in a better place.”

Close friend Vivian Jin (12) highlights Elizabeth’s ability to empathize with peoples’ sentiments and offer perspectives.

“She really cares about people, so she’s also very eager to help them,” Vivian said. “I’ve seen her get better at understanding how others want to be helped rather than how she wants to help them. She’s just a really good person to talk to.”

The energy that Elizabeth dedicates to her interests is recognized by Shalini Rohra (12), Elizabeth’s friend of four years, who looks up to Elizabeth’s work ethic. 

“She’s very dedicated to whatever task she’s focused on,” Shalini said. “For example, she’s very dedicated to the flute, like she practices so much. She’s a really excellent flute player and just very proactive and on top of things in general.” 

This year in Orchestra, Elizabeth will be playing one of her favorite pieces, Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez. 

“[Danzón No. 2 is] a lot of fun, it’s energetic, and now I’m a senior playing a piece that I played as a freshman,” Elizabeth said. “It gives me a lot of nostalgia and reminds me of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown.”

Since picking up the flute in fifth grade, Elizabeth has blended her musical interests with her affinity for volunteering by becoming a music mentor for the lower school’s wind ensemble. 

“The ideas that help others learn more and improve themselves are also the ideas that help me better myself,” Elizabeth said. “Knowing that I can impact someone very deeply and help them, for example, learn something new such as how to be more expressive with their music or if I want to do something else like programming, how to do a certain algorithm or new concept [is amazing].”   

Upper school computer science teacher Anu Datar, who has taught Elizabeth in her sophomore and junior years, describes Elizabeth as “a model student” with a brilliant, independent mind. 

“I think her personality is one of Elizabeth’s core strengths. She’s not the kind of person who would be the loudest or the most talkative in the room, but she has a quiet strength. Everybody hears her when she speaks,” Datar said. “I feel she can get across anything that she wants with minimal effort and very few words.”

Elizabeth applies her hard-working, optimistic mindset to all aspects of her life. She conducts herself with aplomb at all times, her friends note.

“Whenever I’m really frustrated or she’s frustrated, she maintains a very calm demeanor even in the most anxious situation,” Shalini said. “She can be frustrated but will continue to keep her cool.”

This fun-loving, yet level-headedness as it’s brought into friendships is a habit that Vivian is appreciative of. 

“Elizabeth has a really clear head,” Vivian said. “She’s definitely one of those caring types who manages herself really well and because of that, she has the emotional strength to care for her friends as well.”

While her supportive parents have influenced and shaped Elizabeth to be the kind, mature friend she is now, much of it was because of her own personal development and choice. 

“I appreciate it when someone can be genuine and honest. To other people, of course, but also honest to themselves,” Elizabeth said. “Being kind to others is [so] important for me, and it’s something that I noticed can make this world a lot better.”