Student of the Month: Hayden Wong

Orchestra students have chosen Hayden Wong as January’s Student of the Month. He is a junior violinist in the String Orchestra and was noted by his peers to be extremely helpful. One classmate described him as “upbeat, patient and outgoing”, while another wrote that Hayden “helps others in the orchestra in whatever way he can.”

Junior Hayden Wong pictured above.

Hayden began playing the violin as early as the third grade. His time learning the instrument has allowed him to develop a deep appreciation for the instrument and music in general. Hayden described how he not only “sees the piece itself but, more importantly, the hard work someone has put through for a piece.”

To Hayden, playing the violin isn’t solely about the notes and music. He describes the various problem-solving and patience skills that he has learned throughout his time learning the instrument. For example, when confronted with a difficult piece of music, Hayden has learned to “break it in chunks”. This method allows him to stay patient and collected when he works his way through a challenge. Furthermore, Hayden explains how he applies these strategies “in everyday life, from solving math problems to even mitigating stress”.

Orchestra Director Ms. Chen handing Hayden the Student of the Month certificate.

Not only is Hayden a superstar in the music room, but he is an ambitious and selfless individual outside of class as well. From volunteering every Thursday at the library to covering various Arcadia events as a part of DCI, Hayden sacrifices much of his own time in order to better those around him. Thankfully, Hayden is able to juggle his responsibilities, mentioning that “the workload has been fine”.

After a strenuous year and a half of online school which was devoid of fun activities, students can once again enjoy events such as meetings, trips, concerts, and more. For many, these are brand new experiences. Hayden excitedly looks forward to the annual Orchestra Benefit Dinner, which happens to be his first time participating in the event. Hayden also eagerly anticipates events such as the San Diego trip, Disneyland performance, and the Arcadia festival.