Hello and welcome! I’m Daniel, a 14-year-old student-athlete, gardener and math enthusiast. I’ve created this site to share a bit about myself, from academics, to athletics, to my hobbies like playing music and growing plants in my backyard.

I’ve grown up in the family of scientists (both of my parents and my older sister hold advanced degrees in quantitative fields) which has taught me to be curious about everything.

I enjoy wearing different hats - I’m a dedicated student, a varsity tennis player, a music lover, and an amateur gardener. I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself, whether it’s competing against much older tennis players, learning a new classical piano piece, or solving a tough math puzzle. I also love getting my hands dirty (quite literally) with gardening. It’s a great way to relax after a touch tennis workout.

Being half Ukrainian and half Russian has been complicated during the past few years. I used to struggle with how too reconcile those two sides of my identity. Over time I’ve come to realize that politics don’t define cultures or languages. This realization helped me develop a stronger sense of empathy and an appreciation for dialogue, peace and cultural identity. Whether it’s helping younger players on the court or tending to plants in my garden, I’ve learned to value patience, care, and meaningful connection - both with people and the world around me.

I’m looking forward to challenging myself more in high school and beyond.

Thanks for visiting!