Senior Spotlight: Lucie Pallotta

Lucie Pallotta is a fierce athlete and outstanding student driven by passion and determination. She’s been a core member of the MHS girls basketball and soccer teams, where she’s encouraged both teams to numerous victories. Along with this, she is an avid learner in her science classes, and has a special interest in nursing, where she’s looking to work to enrich the lives of others. This kindness and resilience are both noted by her close friends. Whether she’s winning games on the field or the court or learning about evolution and organisms in chemistry, it’s clear to everyone that Lucie puts 110% effort into each thing she does. 

“Lucie is one of the hardest-working people I know. She achieves whatever she sets her mind to, and I’ve always admired that about her! She is always there for you, and Lucie has been one of my closest friends since I can remember. In her future, I know that she will go above and beyond and push herself to be the best version of herself. I’m so grateful to have Lucie as one of my best friends because I know she will always be there for me! I can’t wait to see where Lucie’s future takes her because I know that she’ll succeed through any ups and downs. She has such a bright future, and I’m so excited for her!” - Kathryn Morano

Lucie started out with soccer as a four-year-old in the Little League playing on Edgar Field. Now, she’s finished her final season playing center back on the MHS girls soccer team. Throughout her time on the team, she’s made countless memories, but her favorite is from last year when, as the girls' team faced off against another team during the school day, all students were permitted to go outside to watch. Quickly, a fanbase for the team formed, and she was blown away to see how many people showed up and quickly bonded over the game. While playing the sport for so long has improved her abilities as a player, Lucie’s also learned how to work in a team. She’s focused on being patient with her teammates and herself. Playing high school soccer, not everyone is going to have the same skillset, so it is important for her to see what each person brings to the field. While she loves the sport, Lucie reminds herself that at the end of the day, it’s just a game, and the most important thing is that the team is having fun and pushing each other to be better. One way that Lucie stays motivated and grounded before a game is through a tradition of doing her hair three times. First, she puts it in a ponytail, then a braid, and finally a slickback. It’s her good luck charm, and what she thinks guarantees a winning game!

“Lucie is a very hardworking student. When she was in my AP US History class, she was always experimenting with her independent study strategies, checking in with me along the way about her progress. I was always proud of her dedication to the process, and not just the final product of her grade. I will always remember her color-coded notes, which were an impressive organizational touch. Lucie is also very outgoing, cheerful, and open-minded. She is always ready to help anyone out. MHS will definitely miss Lucie once she graduates.” - Mr. Giddes

Along with soccer, Lucie just recently finished her final season as the girls’ basketball point guard. The team has had a number of wins this year, but among her favorite games were during the 1st round of GMCs when the team faced off against Highland Park, as well as senior night. She’s always fueled by big crowds and loves the support that the town shows the team. Senior night was especially bittersweet for Lucie because it was her last time playing basketball, as she doesn’t plan to play in college. Since she’s been playing since she was in third grade, it felt like a good end to years of hard work and dedication. She knows that she’ll miss the friends she’s made in the sport, as well as knowing that after a hard day of school, she can release her stress. It’s important for her to focus on other activities besides schoolwork. While she isn’t certain whether she’ll be continuing with soccer in college, she’s been a role model for many girls in athletics here, and MHS is lucky to have been witness to her skills on the field and on the court.

“Lucie is the type of person who never lets anyone feel excluded. She is always thinking about others, and that is why she is such a great friend. I am so glad that Lucie and I have gotten so close over the past couple of years. She has been such an amazing friend to me, and I can’t imagine life without her. I can’t wait to see all that she accomplishes, and I know that she is going to do amazing things!!” - Callie Hanbridge

Lucie is a very focused student, but is especially interested in biology. She took biology for the first time when she was a freshman, and liked it so much that she decided to take AP biology as a senior. She enjoys learning about the origins of living things, what makes up humans, and different processes of the body. It’s fun for her to learn about things the average person doesn’t know, and while it’s not an easy class, she succeeds because of her passion and genuine interest. So far, her favorite topic has been evolution! Ms. Green is one of the best teachers she’s had, and Lucie appreciates her explanations and willingness to help her students. Along with Ms. Green, Lucie shouted out Ms. Cap, one of the math teachers she had had her freshman year. Even after four years, Lucie is still able to talk to her for help and advice whenever she needs it. While Lucie is an enthusiastic learner, it’s teachers like Ms. Green and Ms. Cap who encouraged her to be curious and dive into STEM at school.

“Lucie is one of the most thoughtful, dedicated, and kind young people I have ever taught. Lucie was part of the first class I taught during my first year of teaching at Metuchen High School when I joined midyear. She was a big reason I felt welcome early on. She made me laugh and asked amazing questions that benefited herself and the entire class. I admire Lucie's versatility, whether in honors geometry or on the basketball court. She is respected by all, and with her positive vibes, I have no doubt she will make an incredible impact on the world.” - Ms. Cap

Lucie was exposed to the medical field in fourth grade when her mom was diagnosed with cancer. It was a difficult time for her, however, watching her mom battle cancer through chemotherapy and visiting the doctor with her mom made her want to help others just as doctors and nurses helped her mom. This was the start of her interest in becoming a nurse. The summer before her sophomore year, Lucie took a course at UConn to see what it would be like to work in the medical field. Seeing what these jobs looked like made her fall even more in love with the idea. Finally, it was her mom who encouraged her to follow a career path that she loved and would lead to success. Lucie believes that her passion and drive would make her a good nurse, as she puts her all into everything she does. She would do an amazing job at doing her best to help patients and make them feel better, even if they won’t get better. Lucie has a deep understanding of the resilience and compassion that are required in the medical field, and her love of science and helping others will lead to success in nursing school and beyond.

“For the longest time, Lucie has been one of my closest friends, and I have always considered her to be one of my best friends. I have had the privilege to grow up beside her, and I have spent so many years extremely close to her. She is one of, if not the most dedicated and hardworking, people I have ever met. She pushes herself to be the best she can be in almost every aspect of her life, and it is a trait I extremely admire. I know whatever challenge she faces in the future, she will find her way through it and only come out better than before.” - Victoria Zaniecki

Since Lucie had some extra time between juggling basketball, soccer, and school, she decided to join Bring Change 2 Mind, or BC2M, a club dedicated to raising mental health awareness, and the Student Council. She is glad she joined BC2M because it changed her perspective on how people deal with mental health. She sees the importance of talking about mental health issues that are normally swept under the rug. She’s a huge help in organizing events and running meetings for the club. As for StuCo, she feels comforted knowing that she has a say in what goes on in her grade with Battle of the Classes, bake sales, and other fundraisers. Here she participates as a member, but helps choreograph the lip sync battle with her friends Mehuli, Sofia, and Mallory. In the future, Lucie would be interested in continuing to speak with others about the importance of mental wellness and involving herself in school events at the college she’ll attend.

Lucie is hardworking, intelligent, and always puts forth her best effort in class. What truly makes her stand out, however, is her attitude and personality. She is positive, kind, and genuinely cares about others. It has been a great pleasure ending my day with her in class this year. With her strong work ethic and compassion, she is well-suited for a future in health care and has the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives. - Mrs. Green

In addition to school and her many extracurricular activities, Lucie’s time is spent working out and listening to rap music. She admitted that she doesn’t have much time for hobbies, which goes to show her dedication to the things she loves, like her sports and education. She’ll always remember her favorite classes like APUSH with Mr. Giddes, and this year’s AP biology class with Ms. Green. She hopes that she’s remembered at MHS for her passion for soccer because of how much time and effort she’s devoted to it. She also wants her peers to look back on her as someone who always put their best foot forward in school. After an interview with Lucie, the biggest throughline was her passionate nature. It’s clear to all who know Lucie that this ability to care for others and all that she does will lead her to success in her future career and the rest of her life.