Occupation: I graduated in December 2005 from the University of Connecticut with a BA in English. I also did pre-med studies there. Now I am applying to PA (physician’s assistant) programs at various colleges and taking prerequisite courses for that. I work as an EMT [emergency medical technician] at Danbury Hospital and I have been an EMT with Newtown Volunteer Ambulance for five years. I went on a ride-along from Waterbury Hospital when I was an intern there and got hooked. I took the EMT course my senior year at high school.

Family: I live with my mom, Gulraiz, and my dad, Shamim. I have a brother, Aadil. He is 17 and just graduated from Newtown High School. My sister Beenish is 15 and will be a junior at the high school this fall. Faaria is going to be in sixth grade and she is 12 years old.

Pets: We have a cat named Star. Star is a 3-year-old calico cat.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I moved here from Bridgeport my freshman year of high school, seven years ago.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love reading and I like photography. I play softball for the Fireside Inn and I like traveling. I went to Amsterdam, Egypt, and Dubai after I graduated in December. And I’m learning to play golf. I also put in about 30 hours a month with Newtown Ambulance.

Do you have a favorite book? The most recent book I have read is The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans. It’s about humanitarian works, some medical stuff, and a cute love story. It was a really interesting and inspiring book.

Who do you most admire? My mom, for sure. She sacrificed her career to raise her four children. She’s actually a physician, but she stayed at home with us. I definitely want to be like her. She’s always there for us. She’s fun and she’s awesome.

What is the best thing about Newtown? The education is great here. I’m lucky to have gone to school in Newtown. I was able to do internships that got me interested in the medical field. It’s also a very family-oriented place and that’s the way our family is. There are so many opportunities here. There are a lot of very talented, educated people in the community, which is very inspiring.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? Dubai was amazing, and when I was in eighth grade, we went to Pakistan and that was one of the best trips. I was born in Pakistan and we moved here when I was 4 years old. The language, the food, all of the nature in Pakistan was wonderful, and seeing the culture was very interesting. Dubai was very clean and new and modern, but you still see the old culture in the way people dress and in the food. We went on dune rides, safaris, and camel rides there.

Do you have a philosophy? When times get rough, optimism is key. Remember, it could always be worse. There’s always someone, somewhere, who is having a worse day than you. Be grateful for the good things you have.

What do you most cherish? Having a family and having my friends who are always there to help me out in all aspects of life. They are key to the happiness that comes to life.