While reflecting on her final year here at Niles West, senior Bridgit Bui recalls the community here at Niles West that has shaped her and prepared her for her future ambitions. She’s an athlete on the varsity dance team, and is a part of numerous clubs including orchesis, ASL club, and yearbook production. Bui also connects with her community outside of school by volunteering at church and playing piano.

In a vast array of extracurricular activities, Bui gives most of her time to her dancing. “I hope to be on a university dance team or a dance company in the future, because I’ll always have a passion for dance, but I also want to explore different activities and clubs in college,” Bui said. Her favorite memory from her years at Niles West is qualifying for the IHSA State Championship on the dance team her freshman year in 2020, and again her junior year in 2022.

Not only does she want to pursue dance in the future, but her peers see it in her too. “Bridgit is one of the most dedicated dancers I know. She’s one of the strongest dancers on the Orchesis company and she has grown so much these last few years. Not to mention, her facials are incredible and she knows how to give it her all when it’s time to perform. Bridgit is an all around amazing dancer and amazing person,” said senior and Orchesis officer Kimiya Nafisi.

Among her dreams for the future lies her aspiration to be a speech pathologist. “My original inspiration came from my mom who works as a paraprofessional at Molloy and I’ve volunteered there in the past. I also like helping people, and have recently become a leader in ASL club which is fun and correlates with speech pathology,” Bui said.

While there’s no doubt Bui makes an impact on the community outside of school, she also makes an impact inside the school. Her favorite class is AP Environmental Science, which she is currently taking during her senior year. “Bridgit has been an excellent student all year long. She always brings a smile and a great attitude to class. Her conscientiousness and perseverance will take her far,” AP Environmental Science teacher Chris Barnett said.

During the few times she has a break from all her activities, Bui spends her free time baking and cooking Vietnamese food with her mom. Her favorite place to travel is Vietnam to visit her family. “I go there every year during summer break ever since I was 6 months old. Although I go there every year, there’s always things to do. The food there is amazing. My favorite dishes are Banh Mi and Bun Bo Hue,” Bui said.

As she wraps up her last semester at Niles West, Bui is grateful for all the opportunities given to her, and has learned a lot over the last four years. “I would tell my freshman self to stay organized and manage time wisely and most importantly- have fun since four years go by quickly,” Bui said.