Senior Spotlight: Callie Handbridge

Callie Hanbridge’s impact on the Metuchen High School community is unmatched. For the past four years, Callie has been leading some of the largest organizations and sports teams in the school. Though she is very involved, her kind spirit never dwindles. Even in a short interview with Callie, it is understandable why she is valued by all of her friends and teachers. She exhibits great determination to take action and help her community, as well as a remarkable ability to make others feel included.

“Callie is, without a doubt, one of the most hardworking, dutiful, and compassionate students I have had the pleasure of teaching. So, it is no surprise to me that she has been selected for the Senior Spotlight. I think it's obvious to anyone who knows Callie that she is a student worth celebrating for her stellar academic record alone, but I wanted to take a moment to highlight her influence on her peers. Callie is someone who cares deeply about those around her. She is the first one to include a classmate in a group discussion, clarify or explain material to a struggling student, or volunteer her time to help others. It is with this innate kindness that she ensures not only her success but the success of those around her, and that is a very special gift to have. I have no doubts that she is going to continue to make a positive impact on the lives of anyone she crosses paths with, and I wish her nothing but the very best.” Ms. Kim

Callie is one of the co-founders of the club Peers to Volunteers, which started last year. It Takes a Borough is an organization in Metuchen that helps people in town give back to the community and build connections. Callie noticed a disconnect between this group and students at MHS who were eager to volunteer. This led her to create a new club, which also fulfilled her Gold Award for Girl Scouts. Her ability to take initiative and stick with her idea led the club to quick success. Within the past two years, Peers to Volunteers has gained over 60 dedicated members spanning across all grades. They’ve donated their time to baking cookies for the Cookie Walk, helping at the Fuce 5k, as well as giving a tutorial on how to use technology at the senior center. As someone who loves to help others, seeing her peers learn the joy of giving back has been a remarkable experience for Callie. In the future, she hopes that the club continues to grow as more underclassmen become involved. She wants the town to see how generous all MHS students are!

“Callie is one of the most selfless people I know and truly one of the most genuine friends anyone could ask for. She immediately makes people feel comfortable when she walks into any room. I’m so grateful to have her as my friend!! I can’t wait to see all the incredible places her future takes her, and I’ll be cheering her on every step of the way!” Kathryn Morano

Along with leading Peers to Volunteers, Callie is also the head of Bring Change 2 Mind, a club dedicated to spreading mental health awareness and teaching students how to cope with anxieties in a healthy way. Callie joined this club her freshman year after hearing about it from a friend. During the second half of her sophomore year, she was offered a leadership position. Callie leads fun and stress free activities like raffles, meeting service dogs, coloring, and making essential oils. She believes that it is important for students to be able to connect with others and make time to take care of themselves, especially because high school can be so stressful. In the future, Callie aims to remain involved with volunteering and advocacy opportunities to build new connections and stay grounded during times of change, such as moving to college.

“Callie and I have been friends for what feels like forever, and I’m so grateful that we’ve only gotten closer over time. She has the most genuine smile, and she’s always someone I can go to and talk about anything. When I’m with her, I feel at home. She never fails to cheer me up or help me, and I truly cherish our friendship. We’re always building each other up. I love having her as one of my best friends, and I honestly couldn’t imagine my life without her in it. Callie is incredibly intelligent in every aspect of life. She works so hard for everything she wants, and she always finds a way to achieve greatness. I admire how much she puts into school, sports, and her friendships with me and others. She shows up for the people she cares about, gives her best in everything she does, and never stops striving to grow. Watching her balance it all with so much heart and determination inspires me every single day.”

• Lucie Pallotta

Since she was 6 years old, Callie has been a part of the Metuchen Golf and Country Club Swim Team. She’s always loved to swim, and even works there as a lifeguard during the summers. She joined the school swim team in middle school and continued all throughout high school. She swims long distances, specializing in the 200 and 500 freestyle. She’s loved being a member of the girls' swim team and is especially proud of the progress they’ve made in the past few years. Last year, they placed second in GMCs, which was a major accomplishment for such a small school like MHS. She believes that although many view swimming as an individual sport, she and the girls feed off of team encouragement, and are always pushing one another to work harder. It’s this strong bond that’s taken them so far. She hopes that the girls' team makes it to states again and that all the freshmen have fun! Callie is considering swimming for a club team in college to make friends and continue with one of her longest-running passions.

“Callie is the kind of person who makes the whole classroom better. She’s always willing to help and puts her best effort into everything she does. Her passion for the health field is obvious in her approach to science—she’s curious, thoughtful, and genuinely invested in understanding how things work so she can help others someday.” Ms. Green

While she’s busy all winter long with swimming, she’s also at soccer practice almost every day during the fall. Callie’s been playing soccer since she was three years old, and now plays midfield for the varsity girls’ soccer team. She’s made some of her best friends on the soccer team due to how much time they spend together at practice. This year, the girls’ soccer team moved up a division, making their matches tougher and longer. Callie is proud of the fact that in every game they had to go into overtime, Metuchen scored the winning goal. She’ll always remember the feeling of rushing onto the field to celebrate a victory with all of her friends! Along with this feat, this was also the first time her team beat both East Brunswick and Monroe in one year. Needless to say, her senior season was one to remember. Through her time on the team, Callie has learned how to be a good teammate and balance her own goals with team goals. She’s grown as a leader and role model for the underclassmen, strengthening the team’s connection with her kindness and encouragement.

“Callie has always been one of my closest friends for the past 3 years and she has always been someone I can count on. She is one of the most genuine people I have met and I am very grateful I can call her one of my best friends. I know no matter what, she will do great things in the future, and I can’t wait to see them!” Victoria Zanieki

Callie has always known she wanted to work to help children, and thought about being a teacher when she was younger. However, it was during high school that she began to research careers that would combine her love for math and science with her skills with children. Upon learning about pediatric nursing, she knew this was the perfect job for her. During her sophomore year, Callie took a pre-med course at UConn for a week, where she took lessons from professors. On the last day of the course, she and the other students were given the chance to perform ultrasounds. The moment Callie heard the human heartbeat, she was certain she wanted to be a nurse. Callie believes that her ability to help others is one of her strongest attributes, as well as one that will help her in nursing. She wants to be a comforting figure for children in an intimidating setting like a hospital. Since she was little, she’s always been talkative and outgoing, which will without a doubt be beneficial as she becomes a pediatric nurse. Callie is thankful for the fantastic math and science teachers she’s had throughout high school, especially Mr. Murray. She has had him as her teacher for both pre-calc and AP calc. He is one of her favorite teachers, and she appreciates his ability to make learning fun for all of his students. Thanks to many supportive teachers, Callie is well-prepared for the journey to becoming a pediatric nurse.

“Callie is a great kid, if only she were a little more hardworking. (Hopefully the sarcasm is coming through loud and clear...) Callie is a phenomenal student: she is very bright, but supplements that intellect with a seemingly tireless work ethic. It has been my pleasure to teach Callie for 2 years in a row (Honors Precalculus & AP Calculus), and besides her A+ average, she consistently brings a welcome energy to class: always willing to participate, always ready to lend a hand to others - a true leader by example. And even though she might be suffering separation anxiety due to not sharing class with Vicky this year, Callie somehow remains upbeat. She will be greatly missed in the hallways of MHS next year!!” Mr. Murray

To underclassmen, Callie recommends practicing good time management skills by keeping track of homework and clubs in a planner. She’s also made a lot of connections through joining sports and extracurricular activities, so she encourages everyone else to do the same. She knows that being involved in the school can build a great support system. While Callie is one of the hardest-working students in the school, she also wants students to know that it’s healthy to take a break from school and prioritize mental health when life becomes overwhelming. Though it may seem like a good idea to join as many activities as possible, Callie believes it is important to concentrate your efforts on a few organizations rather than many, to make high school easier. Her advice would be smart to follow, as it has led her to great success during her time at MHS. Callie has led Peers to Volunteers and Bring Change 2 Mind to become two very impactful organizations, which will, without a doubt, continue to flourish even after she graduates. Her participation in the MHS swim and soccer teams has contributed to monumental wins and tight-knit friendships between teammates. Her kindness has left a mark on everyone she’s met here at MHS, and it is clear to all that Callie’s generosity and determination to chase after her goals will lead her to soar in college and far beyond.