Senior Profile: Valedictorian Jonas Kantola Pursues Passion for Biology – The Vermont Standard

Jonas Kantola from West Windsor is Woodstock Union High Schools valedictorian for the graduating class of 2017.

In the fall, Kantola will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he hopes to study biological engineering or aerospace engineering.

Kantolas passion for biology began when he was a high school freshman. I took AP biology as an independent study in my freshman year. I was able to go as in-depth as I wanted to and I really enjoyed it. I especially liked microbiology because it is the foundation of how our body operates. Proteins were also very interesting as they regulate almost all of our bodily functions, he said.

Im interested in aerospace because I love the idea of exploring space. Innovative companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are pushing the possibilities of space travel, and I believe that humans will become interplanetary during this century. It would be an incredible experience to be on the forefront of such a momentous change, he said.

Biology and aerospace engineering are not Kantolas only interests though. Woodstock Union High School has provided a variety of sports opportunities for him. I have been involved in soccer, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing, and lacrosse.

In addition to sports, Kantola has been involved in band during high school, I play alto and soprano saxophone for the jazz band. My favorite piece to play is Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard. I would like tocontinue playing music in college in a small combo band, he said My favorite activity besides jazz band was Change the World Kids, Kantola said. I dont plan on playing a sport in college, but I do plan on joining the Outing Club and maybe a chess club.

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Senior Profile: Valedictorian Jonas Kantola Pursues Passion for Biology - The Vermont Standard