![“Tanning exposes your skin to [ultraviolet (UV)] light, and UV light is a known carcinogen, which means it can alter your DNA,” Biotechnology and biology teacher Gillian Boyd said. “It can change the sequences of DNA bases. The more exposure you have, the more risk you have to develop [skin] cancer.”](https://smhsponyexpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_0071-1200x798.jpeg)
![Remakes [and film adaptations of books] are often criticized for being too repetitive and unnecessary.](https://smhsponyexpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_0193-1200x558.jpeg)
Mahalia Morgan – Stanford, Political Science
“Start sooner rather than later, because you can do something really awesome in a year.”
– Found extracurriculars that meant something to her
– “Give yourself space to reflect on who you are and what makes you special.”
– Persevered through the hard stuff that she didn’t want to do, knowing that it would have a greater impact
Ben DeDominic – UC Davis, Wildlife Biology
“If you don’t know what you want to do, try everything. Volunteering your time is one of the best things you can do to find your passion.”
– Found many opportunities to work around what he was passionate about
– “If you have an idea of what you want to major in, reach out to professionals in that industry and volunteer as much as you can.”
– Show that you are committed to something related to your major
Mandy Bell – NYU, Individualized Study
“This might be a hot take, but having a realistic and negative outlook on what might happen helped me survive the process.”
– Tried not to have achievable expectations during the application process
– “I spent most of my time doing things I really enjoyed rather than signing up for a bunch of things that just look good.”
– Pursued passions over perfect grades
