As seen in the annual “Terrific Teens” issue of West Hartford Magazine, 2014.

By Lisa Lelas

Avigayil Halpern. Photo by Todd Fairchild, ShutterbugCT.com

In some cases, you really can judge a book by its cover. Just meet any student from West Hartford and you realize it’s no surprise that our town is consistently ranked at the top for best schools in Connecticut and even in the country!

While the list of bright and competent students from West Hartford seems endless, we have selected a small handful of dedicated young men and women, all recent graduates from each of the five West Hartford High Schools, to represent this year’s ‘terrific teens’ to watch in our community.

Not only are they teens with dreams, but they are already acting on them. Each of them has the desire to make a difference. To create a positive change in the world. They are, without a doubt, great role models to represent our community.

Congratulations. We look forward to watching you blossom as you now go out into the world to inspire us all. Today we put the spotlight on Avigayil Halpern:

A recent graduate of The Hebrew High School of New England, Avigayil Halpern is already making a difference in the world. As an avid writer, Avigayil has been blogging about Judiasm and gender issues and how they intersect, raising awareness and perception to all her readers. “It’s really personal to me, very interesting and intellectually compelling,” she says. Her blogs have been published in the Jewish Daily Forward of New York and also in an Israeli newspaper.

As an intern with the CT Jewish Ledger publication, Avigayil got to hone her writing skills even more. She maintains a personal blog at theprocessofthetaking.blogspot.com.

She plans on attending Yale next year, after she returns from a gap year religious studies program in Israel.

Avigayil admits her high school was very instrumental in shaping who she is today. “I’ve had many teachers who were so inspirational, especially Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, who I’ve gotten to be really close with.” As part of the Bronfman Youth Fellowship Awards program, Avigayil had the opportunity to travel to Israel with 26 other students around the country to study philosophy, politics and Jewish community and practice. “It was amazing. I’m still really close with the other kids I met there.”

Aside from being an award recipient for the Bronfman youth Fellowship, Avigayil is a member of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Teen Leadership Committee, a member of the National Honor Society and a National Merit finalist.

Being so goal oriented, Avigayil does like to relax and have fun. “I love pasta and my favorite color is purple. I’m not a big movie-goer but I’m a big fan of the Hunger Games series. I love to hang out at Blue Back and I read a lot.”

Perhaps her favorite reading books sum her up best. “I’ve been a life long Harry Potter fan…but I’m trying to read through all the literary classics right now!”

Please check back every Tuesday and Friday to see another teen spotlight! To view our full teen story please view West Hartford Magazine here.