Helena Naumann is a senior and an exchange student from Germany at Concord High School. She is an intelligent, responsible, respectful, and kind student and person all around. Over the last few months, she has greatly impacted everyone with whom she has come in contact. We are overjoyed to shine the spotlight on her this month.
While in Germany, she spent most of her time traveling with her family. Helena enjoyed trying new restaurants with her mom and hanging out with friends at the pool and the movies. Also whilst attending school in Germany, Helena graduated from high school as a class representative. Helena is the youngest of two children. Her older brother, Jannik Naumann, says “ When I think about the last time I was especially proud of her, her graduation in Germany immediately comes to mind. It was only at that moment that I truly realized how grown-up she had become over the past few years. I was particularly impressed by how she gave a speech in front of several hundred people at the graduation ceremony. She was calm, without any visible nervousness-or at least that’s how it seemed. Her dedication to others and her confident presence left me in awe.” Helena has expressed how close she and her brother are, and how hard it was to leave him while coming to a new place.
A person who Helena instantly clicked with is Jayden Carpenter-Sattler. “She is just a very generous person in general, she does simple things like give people gum if they ask, but don’t ask her for any,” he said playfully “She’s really funny and can hold a great conversation with you.” Carpenter also shares that he and Helena share a birthday and that was a nice and easy icebreaker for them. They take creative writing and personal finance together, so they spend quite a bit of time together.
Not only has she met many new people, and made new friends, Helena has made a huge impression on the adults and teachers whom she has come in contact with. Mrs.Osterhout is Helena’s Leadership teacher. Mrs.O states “I have a lot of fun with her in class, she seems to be doing great. She is a great person to have in class and I will miss her when she is not here anymore.” Helena enjoys the courses she takes at Concord High School. Her favorite part of Leadership is when they have leadership activities every Friday. The students or Mrs.O plan an activity or a game for the class, and it really helps them get to know each other better and build relationships with one another.
Helena is a great friend to everyone she knows. Jessica Clouser is a very close friend to Helena and she shares that “Helena is one of the most courageous people I know; she’s not afraid to go out and have fun and that is something people can look up to. She is constantly looking out for others and making their day better. She is somebody that anybody could go up to, and she will always try to help no matter the cost.” Helena is far from a shy person. She has a very bubbly personality and is one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet but is not afraid to stick up for her friends or what she feels is right.
One person who Helena says she looks up to is another teacher Ms.Kelly, one of her teachers here at CHS. Helena takes three of her classes, Creative Writing, and Publications, and she is also her seminar teacher. Ms.Kelly shares, “I’ve never had the chance to get to know an exchange student, so getting to know Helena this year has been such a joy! She is a brilliant young woman, who is highly proficient in English and has adjusted so well to life at CHS. Helena has such a great sense of humor. When she is in the classroom, there is sure to be laughter, especially when she is picking on me. She has given all of us a different perspective when she shares the differences between our cultures. It’s going to be really difficult saying good-bye to her at the end of the year, but it’s been such a blessing to know her.”
Reagan Mehl is another great friend of Helena’s, She says, “Helena is someone I always look forward to seeing. She brings me so much joy when I’m feeling down. I’m so happy we got to take a class together, it gave me the opportunity to get to know her and learn about Germany she cares for everyone she loves to mess around and I love that. She’s a friend who understands me and is not fake she tells me what I need to hear even when I don’t want to. Everyone needs someone like Helena. I will miss her so much and am excited to see her grow.” So as you can imagine, Helena is a great person to be around. She spreads love wherever she goes and goes the extra mile in everything she does.
To know Helena is to know that you will always have a friend you can talk to no matter what. Whether it is three in the afternoon or three at night, she is there whenever you need her. Helena has been one of my best friends and someone who has really helped me and been there for me throughout this school year. Helena, you will be truly missed at Concord High School, and we are so happy that we got to share this experience with you. We want you to know that you are so loved and you will always have a place here in our hearts as a Yellowjacket.
