Par High Senior Athlete Following Her Own Path

All this week, Parsippany Patch shines a light on the best and brightest at the township's  and . It's our way of congratulating all the seniors for their hard work and wishing them all good luck in their futures before graduation takes place Wednesday. 

The students were chosen by their respective principals, Natalie Betz and Dr. Nancy Gigante and were given the option to participate. 

Today, we feature a chat with PHS student-athlete Niyah Lamar, 17.

How long have you lived in Parsippany: I have lived in Parsippany since the 7th grade but I did not start attending school here until I was a Freshman

College/work plans: Upon graduation I will be attending Syracuse University, where I will major in social work and minor in law. I will be running track in college as well.

High school activities: Member of student council and the African-American Club. I also participated on the varsity basketball team as well as the track and field team. 

What do you plan to do this summer? I will be attending a six-week program at Syracuse University beginning July 1, that will help me become accustomed to the campus. I will be taking three courses and will obtain seven credits. Because I have done this program for the past two years, I will be starting off my freshman year with 20 credits!

What career are you thinking of, and why? I am thinking of a career in social work [with a focus on] helping battered women and children. I chose this career because helping others has always been my passion and this career will allow me to do just that. Also, my mom is a social worker and just seeing how content she is with her job makes me want to pursue this career even more.

What is the most important thing you take away from your high school experience? The most imporant thing I will take away from my high school career is staying true to myself. In high school, even more so in college, there are many temptations that one could succumb to, but I was always told to stay truth to myself and instead of following after others I should lead my own path. With this in mind, I was able to overcome many difficult situations. I believe that this, by far, is one of the most important sayings a teenager should live by.

What was the biggest challenge you overcame during your high school career? The biggest challenge I had to overcome during my high school career was my three knee surgeries. With the surgeries, I was unable to come to school for a long period of time, causing me to miss loads of work in all of my classes and causing my grades to drop. These surgeries were a huge burden, but with great determination I was able to overcome them and catch up in all of my school work to mantain all As and Bs in my classes.

What was your favorite part of high school? There are too many to choose from, but being able to see my friends in school everyday is always a plus!

What was your least favorite part of high school? My least favorite part of high school was having to wake up early in the morning to learn every day.

What was your favorite class? My favorite class was, by far, English. It has always been my strength. Through the years I have had some very bright and helpful English teachers who have made it fun for me and they also helped me grow as a writer.

Were you involved in volunteerism or community service through a school group? Through student council and the African-American Club I was able to become involved in different volunteer work and community service [projects]. They include but are not limited to: toy and clothing drives for children in need, sending care packages to soldiers and [working with] school supplies drives to help children in Africa in need.

What was your most memorable high school experience? Prom was definitely my most memorable high school experience. Prom is a once in a lifetime thing and it turned out to be the most fabulous night of my life—not only because I got to get dolled up and to look pretty but also because I got to spend it with the people I love the most, my friends. Overall, the night turned out to be a great success.

What would you recommend about your school to an incoming freshman?: Get involved! Whether it be in sports or clubs, just get involved; you will not regret it. Getting involved will allow you to have the best possible high school experiences ever. I got involved and because of that I had a really enjoyable high school experience. Also, be sure to establish relationships with your teachers. They are there to help you.

What advice would you give to someone on how to make the most of high school? GET INVOLVED!! Your time in high school can only be fun if you make it that way.

How did you achieve and maintain your athletic excellence? What were the challenges and what are the rewards? I achieved and maintained my athletic excellence in basketball and track and field simply through hard work and dedication. It definitely was not easy. I suffered through many long and challenging practices, but I was determined to get better, and I did. I have had very successful seasons in both sports, especially track. Next year I plan to run track at the D1 level at Syracuse University. 

Do you credit anyone in particular for inspiring you in your high school education? My inspirations throughout my entire high school career have been parents and family. They have always had high hopes for me, so everything I did was for them. I was determined to not let them down so I made sure to work to my fullest potential in everything I did. My family is what kept me motivated.