Sports
Emma Tuzinkiewicz: From Hockey to Asteroids, 'Tuz' Does It All
Despite a demanding athletic schedule, Emma Tuzinkiewicz finds time to volunteer, perform research, and lead the Eco-Citizens Club.
Name: Emma "Tuz" Tuzinkiewicz
Age: 17
School: Darien High School
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Accomplishments: Put a stick in her hands and good things happen for the Blue Wave.
A four-year member of the ice hockey team, Tuzinkiewicz currently ranks third in scoring with 21 points. She also serves as a team captain and earned First Team All-FCIAC honors last season.
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"She epitomizes what comes from hard work and effort, and you can't help but be uplifted by her spirit," said Hockey Coach Al Gurney. "She makes me feel good just being around her, and it's athletes like Emma that make coaching so rewarding."
Tuzinkiewicz's contributions to the lacrosse team have been just as impressive. She started on the JV squad as a freshman but was brought up to varsity midway through the season. A team captain last spring, she started on the FCIAC and state championship team in 2009.
Tuzinkiewicz's talents on the lacrosse field will take her to Broadway — upper Broadway, that is — as she continues to wear blue on the field while playing lacrosse for Columbia University.
Her Key to Excellence: "Tuz" recently finished third in a regional science and engineering fair for completing her project category. She held an internship at Yale over the summer with a mentor studying the efficiency of the 40-inch Schmidt Telescope in identifying asteroids. Tuzinkiewicz said this involved finding out how many asteroids in the region can be picked up by the telescope.
Tuzinkiewicz was one of four founders of the Eco-Citizens Club at , which started last year with some 10-15 members and has since grown to 20-30. The club attempts to promote sustainability locally and globally and has partnered with the .
So, with all this on Tuzinkiewicz's plate, what does shed do in her spare time? She volunteers for on weekends, which provides emergency aid, clothing, scholarships, and other forms of assistance to families "who lack the basic necessities or resources to improve their lives."
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