Nirali Dalwadi ’20, June Senior of the Month, has spent much of her high school career with a saxophone by her side. As a tenor sax player and the drum major of the Edison High School Marching Band, Dalwadi knows how to excel at school and make time for her passion: music.

Dalwadi has participated in the Edison High School band program for “all four years, and got into wind ensemble, the top band.” She finds joy in competition

“We won the title of state, regional, and national champions, which was definitely my favorite memory of high school,” she recalls. 

But there’s more to Dalwadi’s love of band than her numerous awards—the band program has been the source of many heartfelt memories with friends.

“Some of my favorite moments from my senior year include the water balloon fight at band camp, our successful home show, and my senior night. I was reunited with some of my favorite seniors who graduated the previous year and I really enjoyed meeting up with them again. The people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made through marching band have made the endless rehearsals, freezing football games, and day-long competitions worth it,” Dalwadi notes.

Although band is a large part of Dalwadi’s high school career, she also partakes in other activities, from the Science National Honor Society, where she is treasurer, to NHS, Spanish National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and UNICEF. She also spends her time giving back to the community with the Edison Township Environmental Committee, which cleans up township parks in the summer.

As a result of balancing extracurriculars with academics, Dalwadi has learned the value of time management: you do have enough time for all your interests, if you know how to organize your schedule. 

A graduating senior, Dalwadi offers her advice to freshmen: “get involved in something you’re passionate about. You could meet people who change your life through clubs, sports, and extracurriculars. They make your four short years in high school memorable and worth it.”