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West Hartford Terrific Teen: Spotlight on Noah Drazen

Noah Drazen is one of West Hartford Magazine's 2016 Terrific Teens. Photo credit: Todd Fairchild/shutterbugct.com
West Hartford Magazine’s 6th annual ‘Terrific Teen’ issue spotlights noteworthy graduates who are making a difference in our community!
Noah Drazen is one of West Hartford Magazine's 2016 Terrific Teens. Photo credit: Todd Fairchild/shutterbugct.com

Noah Drazen is one of West Hartford Magazine’s 2016 Terrific Teens. Photo credit: Todd Fairchild/shutterbugct.com

By Lisa Lelas

Every autumn West Hartford Magazine takes great pride in introducing a few recent high school graduates as examples of excellence in our community, and who look to have bright futures. While we cannot possibly include all of the worthy students, we have selected eight students from the four West Hartford high schools as this year’s “Terrific Teens”!

Each of these students possesses an admirable work ethic with a drive to succeed and a desire to make a difference in the world. They exemplify what being a good role model is all about, and although they are not seeking fame, our community has noticed them as future “movers and shakers” of the world.

This year we sought out a natural setting for the Terrific Teen photo session, and were not disappointed with the beauty of West Hartford’s Westmoor Park.

Congratulations to Noah Drazen of Hall High School!

Noah Drazen
Future neuroscientist or physicist

If anybody can turn lemons into sweet-tasting lemonade it’s Noah, who is an example of what drive and determination can bring. “I have always suffered from ADD,” he admits, “and that intrigued me to learn more about how the brain works.” Now a freshman at Dartmouth, Noah plans to become a neuroscientist/doctor or possibly a physicist because of his deep love for the sciences.

Noah likes to keep actively involved in his community and school. At Hall, he was in the National Honor Society, Chinese Honor Society, and served as treasurer for the Spanish Honor Society. He was a college board AP Scholar and the recipient of the Dave Deacon Athletic Award as a senior multi-sport athlete (swim team and soccer team). Noah was president of the Chem for Kids club, an outreach program that visits elementary schools to teach fun science experiments, etc. He was also part of both the mixed chorus and male a capella groups at Hall.Outside of high school Noah was active in the Jewish-based community program called The Friendship Circle, where students mentor young “buddies” with special needs. Noah became president of that organization last year. “My involvement with Friendship Circle had a huge impact on my outlook on the world. I now try to bring joy into everything I do.”

He attributes his drive and determination to three people in his life. “My great-grandmother, who passed away last year at age 94, was an amazing lady. She had an incredible sense of humor but somehow always taught me lessons. She had an authentic joy about living. My mom [Lauren Drazen] is one of the most dedicated people I know, and my dad [Brad Drazen] is really my go-to person about anything in the world. He’s a really good guy … and really smart!”

Noah smiles as he thinks about his favorite foods: Peking duck and penne a la vodka. His favorite color is red and his favorite vacation experience was to Madrid, Spain, where he did an exchange program through Hall. When he’s not studying or volunteering, Noah most enjoys singing, listening to music and collecting vinyl records!

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