Nelly Beato
Nelly Beato is an exceptional student in the School of Culinary Arts at PCTI. Nelly initially chose culinary arts due to her mother’s influence and a shared passion for cooking.
Being named Student of the Month is an immense source of pride for Nelly. She reflects on the achievement, saying, “I’m very grateful and it is a highlight in life because sometimes when you are working hard, you kind of lose focus on how much you’re doing and how proud you should be of yourself. Being selected as Student of the Month highlights that I’m doing a good job.” Her dedication is evident in her impressive GPA of 4.3
Outside of her academic success, Nelly is a standout in several extracurricular activities. She has been a member of the varsity fencing team for four years, serving as captain since her sophomore year. Nelly is also actively involved in the World Language Honor Society and the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), where she participates in improv speech. Additionally, she is a member of the Upstanders Club and the Culinary ProStart Team, which has earned 1st place in the State of New Jersey and 7th place nationally in the culinary ProStart competition.
Beyond her academic and athletic achievements, Nelly is passionate about poetry and math. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing poetry and working on math. She also volunteers as a tutor for younger children, helping them with their studies.
Looking ahead, Nelly plans to pursue a career in actuarial science. She intends to attend a university, where she will work toward becoming an actuary and earning both her master’s and PhD in mathematics.
Reflecting on her time at PCTI, Nelly says, “In many ways, PCTI has made me who I am. My hobbies and interests have grown in this community that has taught me so much and given me so many opportunities to grow and develop. So, the person I am, I can thank PCTI.”
To incoming freshmen and her classmates, Nelly offers this piece of advice: “Don’t lose focus on what you want to do. Especially when you are hanging out with groups of people that aren’t focused in school, everyone should be able to have friends but make sure you know what you want to do and pursue them.”
Congratulations, Nelly! We look forward to seeing all that you will accomplish in the future.
Shahriar Ahmed
Shahriar Ahmed is an outstanding student of the PCTI Academy of Information Technology. His interest in the field and passion for math were influenced by his father, an engineer, and have shaped his academic path.
Upon being named Student of the Month, Shahriar shared, “It was pretty exciting because I wasn’t expecting to get chosen. My friend was chosen last month so I was pretty excited to get chosen too.” His dedication to his studies is reflected in his impressive GPA of 4.2, a testament to his hard work and academic achievement.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Shahriar is actively involved in various extracurricular activities. He is a member of the Astronomy Club, NASA Hunch, Gifted and Talented, FBLA, the Robotics team and a member of the NASA HUNCH Computer Science team. He also enjoys reading, playing video games, practicing coding, and playing basketball in his free time.
After high school, Shahriar plans to attend college and pursue a double major in computer science and math. He aspires to become a software engineer, potentially exploring a career in quantitative finance, a combination of math, computer science, and finance.
When asked how being a part of PCTI has shaped him, Shahriar reflects, “PCTI has shaped me because I met so many people that are so passionate about learning, and so many teachers have helped me learn more and become a better person.”
Shahriar’s advice to incoming freshmen is: “Surround yourself with people that are motivated and hardworking because you see what they do, and it motivates you to work harder and put in more work for yourself.”
Congratulations, Shahriar! We look forward to your accomplisments!
Lily Aspirany
Lily Aspirany’s passion for engineering and mathematics led her to choose the Engineering Academy at PCTI STEM. She shared, “Throughout my life, I’ve always been surrounded by hard working family. My grandfather was a laborer, and my father works in construction. Growing up, I helped him carry sheetrock and 2x4s, which sparked my interest in creating and building. I’ve always been gifted in mathematics, and I decided to pursue engineering as it combines analytics with creativity, allowing me to bring ideas to life.”
Lily is an exceptional student, maintaining an impressive GPA of 4.4. She is known for her dedication to both academics and extracurricular activities. She holds a distinguished position as a member of the Gifted and Talented Panel, President of the Video Club Production, and is also a member of the National Honor Society (NHS), and World Language Honor Society (WLHS). She has participated in Theater Stage Crew all four years and is involved in the TI@Ti program.
Lily was also a participant in the Governor’s School of New Jersey for Engineering & Technology. She recently presented at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Undergraduate Research Technology Conference. Alongside three other students from various New Jersey counties, Lily co-authored a research paper titled “An Experimental Investigation into Fabricating Nerve Guidance Conduits for Nerve Regeneration.” At the event, she presented her groundbreaking findings on improving nerve-repair technology. In recognition of her work, Lily’s paper earned the 3rd Place Best Paper award overall, and it was the highest-ranked submission from high school students at the conference, a remarkable achievement!
Outside of school, Lily is deeply passionate about music and photography. She manages two of her friends’ bands, handling their social media, booking gigs, and taking photos for them. Photography is a hobby for Lily, and she enjoys the creative aspect of it in addition to her academic pursuits. Looking ahead, Lily plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering in college, with a focus on creating sustainable energy solutions. She shared, “Right now, I want to focus on making more sustainable energy sources, so cars don’t have to be fueled by gas and continue emitting carbon. My goal is to contribute to a greener future.”
When asked about being named Student of the Month, Lily expressed her gratitude. “I feel honored and relieved because it’s rewarding to see the fruits of my labor. I’ve worked hard throughout high school, and receiving this recognition means a lot to me.” She also emphasized how being part of PCTI STEM has shaped her journey, stating, “STEM has guided me to be my best self, pushing me to take on challenging courses, and the support programs at STEM have helped me through tough times.”
Lily’s advice for incoming freshmen is simple but powerful: “Trust the process. Everything that is meant to happen will happen, as long as you put in the work.”