Student Spotlight: Amelia Tang '26

 

Xinyi (Amelia) Tang '26 arrived at Perkiomen in January of her ninth-grade year. Although she was nervous about entering a school mid-year, she quickly embraced the new connections and opportunities that she found on campus, trying new things - from athletics, to theater, to event planning.  

 

 

While Amelia had boarded at her previous school, she was surprised to discover a strong sense of community at Perkiomen.

“My advisor, Ms. Squitieri, makes me feel more at home," says Amelia. "Since my family lives far away, I appreciate that she comes to my theater productions and lacrosse games. She is always there to support me through the good and challenging times. At my old school, there were six girls in one room, and we all went back to our families on the weekends. These dorms at Perkiomen feel like home. Even though I have a roommate, I love having my own space to keep my things, have my friends over, and do my homework.”

Amelia likes being on campus seven days a week, explaining that it helps her to maximize the time she spends with friends and doing the things she enjoys. She participates in the theater program and joined Morgan’s Message, an organization which leads community efforts for student-athlete mental health. She is also a member of the Gender & Sexuality Alliance, and serves as a Student Admissions Ambassador and Dorm Proctor.

In April, she participated in the annual Perkiomen stream cleanup event. “We all got a little bit dirty in the stream," she remembers, "but it’s a very special memory for me. I’d never done anything like that before, and I was happy to do something good alongside my friends.”

To round out her busy, yet balanced schedule, Amelia is a proud member of the lacrosse team. She admits that in her first season, she had to work hard to learn the game and build her skills. “One day, my friend asked me, ‘Do you want to play lacrosse with me this spring?’ I had no idea what lacrosse was or if I could even do it, but we went for it and had a lot of fun,” she remembers.

Amelia made major improvements as a defense player and started in some games. Her hard work and dedication resulted in being named Girls Lacrosse's Most Improved Player at the 2024-2025 Varsity Awards.

In October 2024, Perkiomen School hosted a TED Talk-style event in honor of its 150th anniversary, featuring an impressive lineup of speakers. Led by Amelia, the event brought together students, faculty, and distinguished guests to explore how memories shape our identities, influence our decisions, and connect a community.

Tang, the event's visionary organizer, was inspired to create the talks around the theme, Memories Build the Foundation.

“I’m a TED Talk fan; I watched my first TED Talk in middle school and was captivated by the way speakers shared their stories and unique perspectives,” says Ameila. Her passion for public speaking and storytelling, combined with encouragement from Associate Head of School Carol Dougherty, ignited the idea of creating a TEDx-inspired event. Although their application for an official TEDx license was not approved, Tang decided to forge ahead, adapting the format to celebrate Perkiomen’s 150-year legacy.

 

 

As Amelia reflects on her current experiences at Perkiomen, she is excited for her future, saying, “It’s great that we’re creating spaces for the arts to grow in the Student Center and in Kehs Hall. I play both the acoustic and electric guitar, and having additional practice rooms will give me more chances to play throughout the week.” She continues, “I really enjoyed my music composition course this year, but I wished that we had more quiet spaces in Kehs Hall to really focus when writing our pieces. I’m glad that future students will have greater opportunities very soon.”

Inspired by a number of medical professionals in her family, Amelia plans to pursue pharmaceutical studies. So far, she has taken several cross-listed math and science courses in preparation for her Medical Institute capstone project where she will study the effects of meditation on student academic performance. “I think it’ll be cool designing my own research study because I feel connected to the topic," she says. "Meditation is an important part of Asian wellness, and this topic will allow me to explore this practice within an American academic setting.”

 

 

“At Perkiomen, everyone has the chance to participate in something to challenge themselves in new ways. I’ve learned a lot about myself during my time here. -- Ameila Tang '26

 

 

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