Aydin Khan

As he navigates his final year at Nichols School, senior Aydin Khan reflects on a unique high school journey. Like his two older sisters, Aydin is a “lifer” at Nichols, having started in the fifth grade and remained on the Amherst Street campus until graduation. While his longevity at the school is notable, it’s the path that Aydin has forged that truly sets him apart. 

“I’ve been doing gymnastics for 14 years now,” the Clarence, N.Y., native explains.  “At first, my sisters were in it, and I’d sit in the waiting room with my mom. She grew tired of me being there, so she put me in myself, and I fell in love with the sport. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Claiming to “do gymnastics” showcases some of Aydin’s modesty. He competes at an elite level with USA Gymnastics, holding his own against the nation’s best. A three-time national qualifier, he finished 39th in the country in 2023 and is currently the New York State U18 floor exercise state champion. 

Aydin credits Nichols for enabling him to pursue his elite athletics goals while simultaneously excelling academically, a testament to the school’s flexibility and support.

“Nichols definitely helped a lot with gymnastics, especially learning my balance between schoolwork and competing,” Aydin says. “I train 18 hours a week outside of classes, and the school allows me to use that time to fulfill a PE credit. The extra time I get in school to do homework is crucial so I can go home and focus on gymnastics.”

While the juggling act of school, athletics, and social life comes easily to Aydin now, it hasn’t always been that way. One area of growth he has seen is with his time management skills, something that doesn’t show up on a report card or in final meet statistics. The academic freedom and structured balance his schedule provides were the keys to unlocking another door: a return to a sport he thought he had to give up.

“I struggled a little bit with time management in middle school,” he admits. “But once I improved those skills, I realized I could also pursue soccer, which has been a big passion of mine that I had to give up earlier in life.” Aydin joined the varsity soccer team as a junior and is currently in his second season, where he serves as one of the team’s captains. “It’s just been an amazing time.”

Rejoining the soccer team gave Aydin an unexpected gift: a greater sense of community. Gymnastics is an individual sport, and while he excels in it, team sports offer a different experience. He now gets additional time to hang out with friends, forge bonds on bus rides, and enjoy the collective energy of a team that can be a little more laid-back than his standard training regimen. The ability to choose both demanding paths, competitive gymnastics and team soccer, speaks to the wealth of options at Nichols.

“I’ve had the opportunity to try new things,” he notes. “For me, it was soccer that stuck, but the options here at Nichols are endless. If I didn’t try something new, I wouldn’t know how much fun I’d be having today.”

While athletics is a significant part of Aydin’s life right now, his focus is shifting. He comes from a family of medical professionals; both his parents and grandparents are doctors. “With the work I’m doing in school now, and the things I enjoy doing, being a doctor seems like a pretty attractive option to me.” 

The support Aydin found in the school’s college counseling has helped him chart his path. He completed his Common App before the school year even started and is a regular attendee of on-campus meetings with university representatives. While the school of matriculation remains in question for Aydin, the process and outcomes are clearly presented before him.

With eight years of evidence now by his side, Khan knows the breadth of ways that Nichols has helped him grow, as a person, an athlete, and a student. “When I first got here, I was more reserved and shy. And I think every year, without fail, I’ve opened up more because of the school, because of the people here. I grew, and I became more confident. I’ve continued to make good connections as a result of that growth.”

For Aydin Khan, his Nichols experience has been defined by the balance of training at an elite level, the freedom to pursue new endeavors like soccer, and the community that encouraged him to grow into the confident student-athlete he is today.