Post by title1parent on May 24, 2009 5:36:34 GMT -5
I thought this article was interesting. This girl moved in her Sophomore year and is graduating as Valedictorian. I am sure the transition was tough, however she made some great friends and accomplished much in her new school.
There is also an insert with some of the area's valedictorians which is a nice photo/description section. WV's is in this section.
This is from the Beacon, so it includes Kendall, Kane and DeKalb Co.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1587743,ten-questions-valedictorian_au052209.article#
10 questions with a valedictorian
May 24, 2009
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@scn1.com
Taylor Galmarini clearly remembers her first day at Yorkville High School.
Still recovering from knee surgery, she trudged along on crutches and had a giant black brace around her knee. To make matters more difficult, she was also "the new girl" in school.
She entered Yorkville High School at the start of her sophomore year. That summer, she moved 330 miles away from her hometown of Midland, Mich., in the central part of the state.
Two years later, Galmarini finds herself adjusted to her new high school, which is a bit smaller than the one she left behind.
She now has a great group of friends and a laundry list of accomplishments from two years at YHS.
The things that never changed, however, were her high grades.
Galmarini was named valedictorian of Yorkville High School's 2009 graduating class. Throughout life, Galmarini always set the highest standards for herself and never compared herself to anyone but herself, she said.
In fact, that's her biggest piece of advice to her peers: "Never compare yourself to other people," the soon-to-be Central Michigan University freshman said.
Galmarini will head to the Mount Pleasant, Mich., campus, not far from Midland, to major in biology. ;D [you go girl !!]
What else has this ace student learned throughout her years in high school?
1. What class at YHS did you learn the most in and why?
AP Calculus. I learned the most about myself in that class in just understanding that it was the class I had to work the most in. I always had to go about it and think things in a certain way and find a shortcut. I had to teach myself out of the book a little bit.
2. Are you the first valedictorian in your family?
I'm the oldest of my siblings so I'm the first one that's eligible for valedictorian. Since I'm the oldest, I kind of put pressure on myself to do well (in general). I knew I was the first one going through it. I wanted to do it right and uphold my family's name. Usually the first-born puts the most pressure on themselves and they strive for perfection and working harder. ... I try to be an example. I don't want to let my siblings down.
3. Do you have a speech to give at graduation? If so, what's the theme you're working with?
Yes. It's focusing on the Dick and Jane book, "See Spot Run." I'm using that theme and focusing a lot more on how we moved from kindergarten to high school and how we'll move on from here. It just kind of popped into my head. I get these ideas and I'm not sure where they come from. But after that idea, I couldn't think of anything else.
4. Obviously you hit the books a lot to get to where you are, but what else can you be found doing other than studying?
I definitely focused myself on being a well-rounded person. I did not want to be known as that person who stays home all the time, studying. ... I was president of Student Ambassadors, editor of the yearbook, co-leader of Bible Study, vice president of Student Council, vice president of National Honor Society, member of math team and member of WYSE team, Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering. I was also president of Key Club. I got to hang out with friends a lot. I also like to exercise and read and do watercolor and magazine collage art, like paintings.
5. Was there ever a time when you didn't enjoy school or homework? How so?
I've always enjoyed school, even in kindergarten when we had to write stories about what we did over the weekend or last night. I always really loved it then. Those were my earliest memories of school. If I didn't have homework, I wondered, "What can I do now?" I didn't necessarily enjoy homework, but it gave me the chance to learn new things, which I do enjoy. I love learning.
6. So does that mean homework comes easy to you?
Typically homework comes pretty well to me. Usually homework helps with repetition, so if I don't understand something I just go over and over it. It's easy for the most part. Except for calculus.
7. Any words of advice to your fellow classmates?
Never compare yourself to other people. That's what really keeps you going. If you keep pushing yourself you'll have your own goals. Everyone has their own passions. For those people who have the passion in their life, they can find it.
8. What are you looking forward to after graduation?
I'm looking forward to a little bit of a break. I know that college is going to be a lot of work. It'll be nice to relax a little bit and enjoy the success of the past 12 years.
9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Probably with a family. I want to be a physician's assistant. It's a two-year program after a four-year undergraduate.
10. How would you sum up the past four years in a few words?
A lot of changes, social networking and hard work. I moved here sophomore year, and that was definitely a big deal to move here.
There is also an insert with some of the area's valedictorians which is a nice photo/description section. WV's is in this section.
This is from the Beacon, so it includes Kendall, Kane and DeKalb Co.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1587743,ten-questions-valedictorian_au052209.article#
10 questions with a valedictorian
May 24, 2009
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@scn1.com
Taylor Galmarini clearly remembers her first day at Yorkville High School.
Still recovering from knee surgery, she trudged along on crutches and had a giant black brace around her knee. To make matters more difficult, she was also "the new girl" in school.
She entered Yorkville High School at the start of her sophomore year. That summer, she moved 330 miles away from her hometown of Midland, Mich., in the central part of the state.
Two years later, Galmarini finds herself adjusted to her new high school, which is a bit smaller than the one she left behind.
She now has a great group of friends and a laundry list of accomplishments from two years at YHS.
The things that never changed, however, were her high grades.
Galmarini was named valedictorian of Yorkville High School's 2009 graduating class. Throughout life, Galmarini always set the highest standards for herself and never compared herself to anyone but herself, she said.
In fact, that's her biggest piece of advice to her peers: "Never compare yourself to other people," the soon-to-be Central Michigan University freshman said.
Galmarini will head to the Mount Pleasant, Mich., campus, not far from Midland, to major in biology. ;D [you go girl !!]
What else has this ace student learned throughout her years in high school?
1. What class at YHS did you learn the most in and why?
AP Calculus. I learned the most about myself in that class in just understanding that it was the class I had to work the most in. I always had to go about it and think things in a certain way and find a shortcut. I had to teach myself out of the book a little bit.
2. Are you the first valedictorian in your family?
I'm the oldest of my siblings so I'm the first one that's eligible for valedictorian. Since I'm the oldest, I kind of put pressure on myself to do well (in general). I knew I was the first one going through it. I wanted to do it right and uphold my family's name. Usually the first-born puts the most pressure on themselves and they strive for perfection and working harder. ... I try to be an example. I don't want to let my siblings down.
3. Do you have a speech to give at graduation? If so, what's the theme you're working with?
Yes. It's focusing on the Dick and Jane book, "See Spot Run." I'm using that theme and focusing a lot more on how we moved from kindergarten to high school and how we'll move on from here. It just kind of popped into my head. I get these ideas and I'm not sure where they come from. But after that idea, I couldn't think of anything else.
4. Obviously you hit the books a lot to get to where you are, but what else can you be found doing other than studying?
I definitely focused myself on being a well-rounded person. I did not want to be known as that person who stays home all the time, studying. ... I was president of Student Ambassadors, editor of the yearbook, co-leader of Bible Study, vice president of Student Council, vice president of National Honor Society, member of math team and member of WYSE team, Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering. I was also president of Key Club. I got to hang out with friends a lot. I also like to exercise and read and do watercolor and magazine collage art, like paintings.
5. Was there ever a time when you didn't enjoy school or homework? How so?
I've always enjoyed school, even in kindergarten when we had to write stories about what we did over the weekend or last night. I always really loved it then. Those were my earliest memories of school. If I didn't have homework, I wondered, "What can I do now?" I didn't necessarily enjoy homework, but it gave me the chance to learn new things, which I do enjoy. I love learning.
6. So does that mean homework comes easy to you?
Typically homework comes pretty well to me. Usually homework helps with repetition, so if I don't understand something I just go over and over it. It's easy for the most part. Except for calculus.
7. Any words of advice to your fellow classmates?
Never compare yourself to other people. That's what really keeps you going. If you keep pushing yourself you'll have your own goals. Everyone has their own passions. For those people who have the passion in their life, they can find it.
8. What are you looking forward to after graduation?
I'm looking forward to a little bit of a break. I know that college is going to be a lot of work. It'll be nice to relax a little bit and enjoy the success of the past 12 years.
9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Probably with a family. I want to be a physician's assistant. It's a two-year program after a four-year undergraduate.
10. How would you sum up the past four years in a few words?
A lot of changes, social networking and hard work. I moved here sophomore year, and that was definitely a big deal to move here.