Anahad O’Connor’s decision to attend Yale was greeted with enthusiasm by his high school teachers; however, his plan to major in the sciences was mourned by one of his mentors. “His choice of career will be potentially a great loss for the humanities,” says his history teacher. Anahad was 1999 Valedictorian of the High School for Leadership and Public Service in New York City. A debater and co-captain of the Mock Trial team, he won the Bausch and Lomb Science award, the Presidential Award for Excellence, and the Xerox Award for Humanities/Social Sciences. <p> With a seemingly insatiable desire for knowledge, Anahad availed himself of every learning opportunity, not only at his high school, but also at nearby competitive Stuyvesant High School. During the summers, he completed Columbia University’s intensive seminar in modern chemistry, as well as its Law Institute, which prepared him for clerkships in several law firms. Anahad was generous with his time and conscientious as a tutor, assisting his high school chemistry teacher by tutoring his classmates during lunch period, after school and on weekends. A man considered both gentle and witty, he was captain of the school roller hockey team for four years. <p> Anahad was selected as a New York Times scholar and interned at the newspaper during the summer of 1999. He had several articles published in the “Science Times” section. Anahad is a staff reporter for the Yale Daily News and also serves as a Peer Health Educator. Last summer he interned at CAP Advisers and at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.