Q: How does it feel to be named Valedictorian of the Class of 2021? What was your initial reaction to the news? 

A: “I was certainly very excited when I was first told I was valedictorian. I knew I was in the running, but I was very surprised when I learned how tight the race actually was…It feels great to have the pressure of grades off my back, both in terms of class rank and colleges.”

Q: What was your work ethic like throughout high school? How did you juggle schoolwork and extracurriculars? 

A: “I always put in the effort to do my homework and projects well and I tried my best to pay attention during all my classes. By putting in the effort during school and paying attention, I was able to avoid a lot of studying that would have otherwise taken up my free time. I think reducing the amount of time I spent studying was the most important factor in balancing my time… I also think that having a lot of extracurriculars helped me to balance my time in some ways. With so much to keep track of, I had to be aware of the time I was spending on one activity versus another.”

Q: What are the academic achievements you are most proud of?

A: “The academic achievement I am most proud of is being named valedictorian. It has been many years in the making and required the most effort by far. Another achievement that I am proud of is doing research at Kean University. I applied and was accepted to a summer program at Kean where I did research on potential brain cancer treatments. I enjoyed taking part in a project with such a profound impact that few other high-schoolers could compare to. Some smaller achievements I am proud of are from clubs at school such as receiving first-place regional and state awards for both FBLA and DECA in business law competitions.” 

Q: What is some academic advice you have for the rising classes at WE?

A: “I would recommend maintaining a good balance between time spent on school work and hobbies/extracurriculars. I avoided a lot of burnout by participating in activities I enjoyed rather than dedicating all of my time to my school work.”