It’s 2019, you know….back when school was packed with actual human beings….. people are sitting in the cafeteria minding their own business eating their lunches when all of a sudden you hear someone start singing and simultaneously playing the guitar. You look up and there you find at center stage, Michael Nguyen.

He didn’t ask anybody for permission, nor get anyone’s approval. He just brought his guitar and singing voice to school– and started singing with no questions asked.

“I’m not involved in too many extracurricular activities, I’m not in too many clubs. I don’t do sports, or I’m not even in music things in school aside from like, chorus and stuff. So, when I go home, that’s basically it,” Nguyen said.

Despite not being involved in little to no extracurricular activities at North Penn, Nguyen still seems unconsciously obligated to make an impact on those around him.

Be it in the cafeteria, A-pod, E-pod, or the K-pod concourse area, you can always find Nguyen entertaining his peers around him. Be it through singing, playing, or by dressing up, he aims to connect to the ones who might be having a bad day at school. His biggest goal is to entertain– and that is not a result of him being a member of a school club. Nguyen takes time out of his day to simply put a smile on people’s faces and for nothing in return.

“I love doing the things that I do like playing the piano, guitar, and singing by itself, it is all my hobby. I love doing it. And like when I see other people enjoying that, it just makes me really happy to see it. I guess you could say it all correlates positively– people like me entertaining and I like to entertain people,” Nguyen remarked.

However, Nguyen’s attitude and outgoing personality is not limited to the recreational parts of North Penn. While Nguyen entertains his peers, he is also a welcome addition to the room for teachers.

“Michael is confident and smart, always ready to offer his ideas to the class. We were frequently serenaded by Michael and his guitar; a particular highlight was his rendition of “Blackbird” by The Beatles after our study of Frederick Douglass. Michael never failed to bring energy and enthusiasm to the classroom, participating in each activity with gusto,” North Penn High School English teacher Mrs. Elizabeth Weizer said.

Not being able to showcase his personality to the student body was just one of the many issues Nguyen had to deal with as a result of the quarantine that began in March, but like all of the things he does, he made the most out of the situation.

“At first, it was not good for me at all. I don’t really talk with other people outside of school. I text a couple of friends, but that’s about it. So just being by myself for long, it’s like, I didn’t really see a point to do anything– it was really depressing. Every day was really episodic and stagnant. But over time I started to try to find the next big thing to do,” Nguyen explained.

The quarantine in March allowed Nguyen to take a step back from trying to entertain others, and instead to start focusing on himself.

“It’s great that I’m all energetic, and happy all the time. It makes other people feel the same way. And I love that. But, I can’t keep that up forever. You know, there’s a time when I need a break, when I just want to settle down and relax. And I don’t do what I do to be a persona. I just do it for the people. And for me, you know, it’s not like I’m putting on this giant persona to fool everyone. I’m just trying to do the best I can to make a positive influence,” Nguyen said.

Just like how Nguyen seeks to entertain to help people– Nguyen aspires to be a lawyer for the same reasons.

“There’s something about me that really wants to see people get what they deserve. If people have been wronged, I want to help them. If people are doing wrong, I want to help put them away. You know, I want to help as many people as I can. And that would mean more to me than a regular office job would. My parents say it’s easy living to just work as an office worker, but I do not want to get stuck in a life of repetition,” Nguyen explained.

For Nguyen, transitioning his energetic personality from the halls of North Penn to a virtual setting has not been an issue at all. Even though some teachers worry about teaching a still profile picture through a google meet, that is never a worry for teachers who have Nguyen in their class.

“I enjoy having Micheal as a member of our Music Theory class. I never have to ask him to turn on his camera, and he is always on task. His positivity and enthusiasm are especially welcome during these challenging circumstances,” North Penn High School Music teacher. Mr. Dan Tumolo added on.

Looking forward, Nguyen aspires to translate his grit and determination to help and inspire others to the professional setting. Be it in law, be it in music class, or be it in a lunchroom cafeteria, Nguyen is constantly looking for ways to make an impact on others.