West Hartford Terrific Teen: Spotlight on Gabe Wolman
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Gabe Wolman, recent graduate of Kingswood Oxford, is one of West Hartford Magazine's 'Terrific Teens' for 2016. Photographed at West Hartford's Westmoor Park. Photo credit: Todd Fairchild
West Hartford Magazine’s 6th annual ‘Terrific Teen’ issue spotlights noteworthy graduates who are making a difference in our community!
Gabe Wolman, recent graduate of Kingswood Oxford, is one of West Hartford Magazine’s ‘Terrific Teens’ for 2016. Photographed at West Hartford’s Westmoor Park. Photo credit: Todd Fairchild
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 Gabe Wolman of Kingswood Oxford!
Gabe Wolman
Future hotel mogul
Even before graduating from Kingswood Oxford High School, Gabe already had his future path established. Now a freshman at Cornell University, he is studying finance and hotel management to begin manifesting his dream. “My family is in the hotel industry and I’ve worked in that business since I was 14,” he says.
He attributes his drive and ambition to his father, Mark Wolman. “My dad represents who I want to be, in that he’s a self-made success story. As an immigrant from South Africa, with a great work ethic, he built a business and now owns and manages hotels.”
During his high school years at KO, Gabe’s favorite subjects were history and chemistry. He was on the school’s soccer and track teams and he ran two clubs: The Habitat for Humanity Club (continuing the legacy of the club his older sister started at the school) and The Shatterproof Club, which is part of an organization to raise money to fight drug addiction in and around the Hartford community. The Shatterproof Club has sponsored endeavors such as rappelling down tall buildings like the Hartford Hilton.
Gabe was also a volunteer “buddy” in The Friendship Circle, a Jewish community-based program mentoring kids with challenges. “After my own Friendship Circle buddy, Joey (with non-verbal autism) passed away, so many people came to his funeral. I realized, even as a non-verbal boy with autism, his life impacted so many. I now know how fragile life is and you should do all you can to make a difference.”
Gabe was a member of the Cum Laude Society and an honor roll student. His favorite food: mac and cheese. When he’s back in town he enjoys hanging out with friends at Blue Back Square.
His favorite quote: “Republicans buy shoes too” by Michael Jordan.
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