Service to others is how Amaya Carruthers says she finds her interests. What a mature and insightful statement. It is often said, ‘Do what you are passionate about, get involved with what interests you’, not the other way around.   Amaya was helpful at first and in return found a spark of personal interest.

When meeting Amaya, you immediately notice a humble young person who might not fully recognize the amazingness inside of her.   For Amaya, who she is, is just that, but to the world, her character, wisdom, determination, empathy, and thoughtfulness are decades ahead of her time.  She has a maturity and presence far beyond her chronological years.

On top of all this,  Amaya is one of our best varsity basketball players. A sport, she says, helped her create lasting friendships and taught her many life lessons. Amaya is also a key member of our varsity cross-country team. A sport she picked up to replace volleyball after she tore her ACL.

Amaya is just as outstanding academically as she is athletically. With an almost perfect GPA, she is one of only three New Milford seniors who have taken part in the Bergen Community College Early College Program during her junior and senior years. The Early College Program allows high school students to take 60 college credits over two years, earning them an Associate’s Degree on top of their high school course load.

This was no easy task, yet Amaya made it look easy. She has excelled in every way, mentally, physically, and spiritually. She is well respected not only by her peers but by the faculty as well. 

Beautiful inside and out, Amaya is the definition of a true Hero.