Zak Pompa is a member of Jim Thorpe’s Varsity cross country team, and he is the captain. Zak is also President of Jim Thorpe’s National Honor Society, and a 2 year member. Zak is also an active member of many of our school’s clubs, some being student council, FBLA, prom committee and SADD. Zak was also nominated for the Jim Thorpe homecoming court. He is also the treasurer for not only the student council but the class of 2024.
Which school tradition are you most proud of?
“I’d say the volleyball tournament. It’s a great opportunity to get students involved. Especially as a senior it’s nice to see all of the underclassmen getting involved so when the seniors are gone they’ll be able to step up and fill our shoes in the tournament.”
(Zak’s team, the Turtles, consisted of student council members and placed 5th last year.)
Which event did you most look forward to this year/ are most looking forward to?
“I would probably also pick the volleyball tournament, It really brings everything and everyone together during Christmas time. Everyone is looking forward to winter break and is excited for Christmas, it’s a nice way to end the year. Good vibes all around.”
What is your most memorable school sport memory?
“Running cross country with my best friends Aubrey, James, and Bowden. We all got really close with each other through cross country and it was really fun. Sports teams are a really great opportunity for everyone to get together, meet each other, and make friends that’ll last a lifetime.”
Favorite school memory?
“I don’t have a specific favorite memory, so I’d probably just say being able to hangout with my friends. It’s really awesome being able to be with them as much as I can.”
Favorite teacher?
“My favorite teacher was probably Mr. Morgans, I really liked him. He is a really good guy. He is really good to talk to. If you ever need help with anything, even if it’s not math, he’ll talk to you and help you out. He’s really nice.”
Plans for after high school?
“After high school I’m going to go to Lehigh University and major in a business and engineering program. I’m going to do that for four years so I’m really looking forward to that. I chose Lehigh because I really like the connections of the school to Jim Thorpe. I also appreciate how it’s not too far from home. It’s also a great school for both business and engineering.”
Which subject do you think prepares you most for life after high school? Why?
“I’d say math because you use math in every aspect of your life, so by learning math you’ll be set up for anywhere you end up. In any class you take, even if it’s a science or business course, you’ll have to do math in some way.”
Favorite subject?
“My favorite subject is math. I really enjoy math and appreciate how there’s a method to everything. I like that there’s a lot of problem solving. I prefer it to subjects like science because I like how there's less memorization and more application. I find it more enjoyable.”
What about high school challenged you the most?
“I struggled with finding motivation at times. Sometimes the work could get overwhelming but I got through it by telling myself that it’s all worth it. I told myself to just do all my work and not to fall behind because I’ll be glad I kept up in the end.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“In ten years I see myself working as a successful businessman, working in the top ranks in a company that does good things for the world.”
What motivates you?
“What motivates me is my drive to succeed in the world and making my parents proud. I want to do good things for our world and get to a place where I’m financially stable enough to support myself as well as my future family.”
Advice for freshman/other high school students?
“Stay on top of all your work and actually involve yourself in school activities. You’re going to regret it if you don’t. Whatever you don’t do is going to stick with you, so do everything you can throughout high school.”
How have your hobbies/ extra curricular activities influenced your future plans?
“My hobbies and extracurricular activities brought me out of my shell and got me more involved and talking with new people. They made me realize that I should actually get moving with my life and look forward to the future. They opened my eyes a lot to the real world.”
What will you miss most about high school?
“I’ll definitely miss being able to see all of my friends everyday. The friendships I made are the best parts about highschool to me. Being able to be in such great a learning environment while also having my friends by my side means a lot to me.”
What are you most proud of accomplishing in high school?
“Probably my grades, I’m really proud of all of my grades. I’ve managed to keep pretty high grades and all A’s throughout high school and I’m honestly really proud of myself for that. I hope that follows me into my future.”
Who have been the biggest influences in your life during high school? Why?
“Probably my parents, they’ve always been there for me. They have always supported me and have pushed me to keep going as I’ve gone through all of my years at school. They’ve always been there to tell me ‘Good job! You’re doing great!’ And that really helped me keep going.”
What are you most looking forward to after graduation?
“I’m really looking forward to summer. It’s my last summer with all of my friends and I think it’ll be really fun. We’ve all been so close since we were little, literally since kindergarten, and it’s really sad that it’s our last time to be all together before we all go our separate ways with college. I do really hope we all stay close friends through college as well.”
How was the experience of becoming NHS president?
“I felt pretty important, it’s a big honor. It was honestly pretty stressful having to go up and speak in front of everyone at the ceremony but after it was over I felt great about it. Once I started speaking I felt very confident and I was proud of myself for achieving it.”
What are your hobbies?
“Outside of school I really enjoy being active, I like to workout a lot and run. I also really like biking. I don’t really like to sit around much so I just make sure I’m always staying active and always moving.”
Advice for juniors about senior year?
“Definitely make sure you don’t waste time on getting your college applications in, they are really important. Try to have an idea on what you want to do. When your senior year starts try to start looking at submitting your college applications as soon as you can. Try to figure out what you want so you can narrow it down with the time you have left.”
Sadie Strack & Ava Schafer, Entertainment Writers
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