Senior Spotlight: Teddy Nahoum '22 Duke University

February 24, 2022

As President of Student Government and the Jewish Student Union, a member of the National Honor Society, a member of Léman’s championship-winning Varsity Boys Soccer team, and a silver medal winner of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Teddy Nahoum has taken full advantage of the many opportunities provided to him over his time at Léman. Of his many accomplishments, the one he’s most proud of is his role as President of Student Government. He said, “It’s been a great year. This week was Spirit Week and we are hosting the Middle and High School dances. I’ve been working hard with the team to make sure everyone has a fun year. I started at Léman in PreK so I felt like I know everything about the school, and I thought I was the right person to step up and run for President. I think I’m doing a pretty good job.”  

In addition to those leadership roles and activities, Teddy is also a full IB Diploma Candidate. He said, “The IB is pretty challenging, especially the Extended Essay but I haven’t found it as hard as I was expecting it to be. I do think it sets you up well for college as you really learn to work hard and to problem solve.” Those skills will serve him well next year when he enrolls at Duke University, where he was accepted Early Decision. “I’ve been a Duke basketball fan ever since I was a kid. I like it because it seems like a school where everyone works hard but also enjoys themselves,” he said, “I also like how they try to make a lot of student/teacher connections, and it's a close-knit community like Léman. I also chose it for their strong economics computer science programs.”

When asked what he'll miss about Léman when he graduates he said, “I love the community here and the people. I’m always happy to wake up in the morning and come to school. I’ll miss being in the middle of New York City and my friends and teachers, but I’m ready for a new adventure.” 

When asked what advice he would give to a future 9th grader at Léman, Teddy said, “Try to get involved in a lot of activities if you can. Even if you don’t think you can play sports, go to the tryouts just to meet people and get involved. Once you have the right friend group here and get involved in activities, you’ll have a great experience. Also, work hard and build a strong work ethic, because the IB gets really difficult, but if you have the right attitude, you can do it.” 

Congratulations, Teddy! We know you’ll be successful at Duke and beyond!