Spotlight on Helena Huynh (I)
My earliest memory of Helena was in the school weight room when she walked up to me and asked for my vote for her to be the Powerlifting Club’s president. In return, I would receive her vote to become vice president, though I was running in a race with nobody else. I reassured her, telling her that she had my vote, even though I was adamantly set on electing Marvin. I had no clue who she was; why would I have voted for her?
A few weeks later, the election results came back and she had won. She was going to be my superior for the next school year. I was initially reluctant of this power dynamic, but Helena has become my rock whom I can always count on, the joy in writing emails and my senior friend who I feel that I can always connect with. Even though I still mistake her for her two younger sisters, Olivia and Gabby, in the hallway, Helena is a one-of-a-kind package. Sometimes you’ll find her stylishly dressed up for Koreo, in her green puffer jacket that makes her look like a Viet auntie paired with her green backpack or in a horse mask on all fours.
Helena is the kind of friend who will always be there to lend an ear, whether it be to romanticize our lives together or to coach me through an argument. I saw her as the cool upperclassman with my last name and even though I have come to realize I am actually the cooler one, she has become a source of comfort for me. I will always remember fondly her handwriting me notes, “snapping” me through iMessage and always coming up to chat on my way to AP Lang.
Alongside the significant impact she had on all the friends in her lives, she has played a huge role in the school community as well. In the same way you would see her running to make a costume change in between dances at Asian Night, Helena never struggles to juggle her many talents. A highlight of every school event is watching her perform, sometimes singing with her sister and other times slaying her choreography. Not only can she perform on stage, but she is also one of the strongest lifters I know and has always led the team with heart and soul.
Even though we have only known her for a year, we can see her staying in our lives beyond graduation. We know that she will always be a text away (and ready to host us at her dorm anytime we want :3).
Although our paths never crossed at the Murphy or our first four years at BLS, we would not have it any other way. Congratulations, Helena, we love you (PL is going to crumble without you). Go Terriers! ARF ARF!
P.S. We hope this was good enough, Helena. You can Venmo us the commission.
