Salar S.
About Me
Hi, I'm Salar! I'm a full-time Stanford OHS student living in Hong Kong. Ethnically, I’m Persian and Danish but I was born in Palo Alto (full circle to Stanford OHS). My passions for global politics, wrestling, basketball, and opera singing leave me juggling between the court and political debates.
Outside of Stanford OHS, you’ll probably find me singing in the kitchen, trying out a new recipe for my friends. Once we’ve devoured our food (usually my smash burger specialty), we play a game of basketball, either on the court or PS5. I aspire to become a politician or political analyst with hopes of promoting truth in the political landscape. But at the ripe age of 16, who knows! Plans may change and I may instead be an olympic wrestler (unlikely) or singing in an opera house!
Why I Chose Stanford OHS
Several reasons led me to choosing to attend Stanford OHS. I had been a single-course student at Stanford OHS for two years prior, and it quickly became abundantly clear that the instructors are phenomenal. The teachers’ own passions for the subjects they teach shine through and make me all the more excited to go to class everyday. Even beyond class, they were always available to answer questions, engage in conversations outside of the classroom, and support in any way that students asked.
Another large factor for me is the unique and challenging coursework. Even at my brick-and-mortar Hong Kong International School, we were limited to typical high school advanced coursework. Stanford OHS classes are on a whole other level. I get to curate a schedule that lets me deeply pursue everything from my political passions to my scientific interests. Meanwhile, the school also affords me the flexibility to give greater attention to my extracurricular interests, namely opera singing and wrestling. Since starting at Stanford OHS, I’ve improved at both considerably, being able to train more and getting more performance and competition opportunities.
What I Love About Stanford OHS
There is no school like Stanford OHS. What sets Stanford OHS apart the most, to me, is the trust that it places in students. One way that this is shown is in the flexibility given to students. Just like a university, Stanford OHS grants students flexible hours and course planning, trusting that they will make full use of their time in the way that they choose. As a result, each student is able to follow the colorful path that their passions truly outline for them. Of course, this does not come at the expense of quality learning. The rigorous and engaging curriculum is exceptional in pushing students to think critically and engage with peers and the best instructors I’ve ever had. This is only added to with extensive outside support, including generous instructor and TA office hours, and the Writing Centers, Advisors, Peers Tutors, and Counselors.
Personally, I am a huge fan of the format for learning. Prior to class, we can engage with lectures or texts, understand the content and prepare questions, and then build upon it more deeply through classroom discussions. I love digesting content, but am also a very oral learner, so this classroom format has been extremely enjoyable for me. The best part is that I have an abundance of classes to choose from and can create a course schedule which engages me most. When course selection rolls around, it feels like I'm a kid in a candy shop. It’s rare for a high school student to be able to take courses like legal studies, philosophy, and neuroscience with some of the best teachers in the world.
The vibrant student life at Stanford OHS is something that stands out, and one that most people may be surprised by. This again speaks to Stanford OHS’ trust and support of the students, sponsoring clubs and societies which give students the opportunity to socialize, learn from one another, and exercise leadership skills in a fun context.
Of course, there’s one thing that makes Stanford OHS everything it is, and that is the students. The fact that Stanford OHS students are deeply passionate, interesting, and supportive is what makes classes and the community so uniquely engaging and enjoyable.