Student Spotlight: Aaron Han

Xiangru “Aaron” Han arrived at Hebron in the fall of 2017 and has the distinction of being Hebron’s first Middle School boarding student. Aaron grew up in Beijing, China, and recounts how challenging the transition was for him when he first arrived. Hebron Academy was two distinct worlds for Aaron that year. He spent his days in class with day students and middle school teachers. Then he would head to dinner and move into a world of Atwood Dorm friends and dorm faculty. 

Aaron’s favorite Hebron memories start with the Boston trip in 8th grade, and he thanks Paul Brouwer for being there for him in his first year. He has fond JV basketball memories and really enjoyed the Winterlude Program. Aaron also appreciates the challenge of some of his classes, like AP Biology, which he says is the hardest class he has ever loved! He credits Dr. Swenton and Mr. Kangas for fueling his academic passion for the sciences and engineering. Aaron was part of the small group that initiated the Hydrogen Car Program. He had a great time last year with his friends from the class of ‘22 and enjoying through the celebration-filled spring with them. Last year, Aaron was awarded the Harvard Book Prize for Academic Excellence and traveled to Boston this fall for the presentation. 

COVID posed myriad challenges for Aaron. He could not return to China when the school went to remote learning in the spring of 2019. When he finally returned home in the summer, he could not return to Hebron for much of his sophomore year. It was challenging to navigate his classes and stay up until 1:00 AM to attend them via ZOOM.

Aaron is waiting to hear from Northeastern, N.Y.U., Tufts, and Boston College to decide where he will attend next year. He plans on studying Biology and Art next year.

In the accompanying photo, Aaron is surrounded by friends he met in his early Hebron days, which he visited in Hoboken in December: Wellen Kim ‘22, Nathan Coello Dantus ‘22, and Frank Majkowski ’22.