Boston welcomes a new group of high school valedictorians

A new group of the highest achieving Boston students in their schools took center stage overlooking Fenway Park at the Class of Boston Constituents Schools Valedictorian Luncheon on Tuesday After everything we are here reported Boston Arts Academy valedictorian Leah Baptista-Pires And y all I m not sure what this moment means to you but for me this moment right here the title of valedictorian it is bigger than grades It is bigger than awards and it s bigger than a speech This is personal The BPS Class of valedictorians gathered at Fenway Park for the annual luncheon celebrating their achievements at noon Tuesday receiving their awards and free Red Sox tickets The group represented a diverse group of ambitious seniors ready to go on to institutions from Harvard to the Ailey School of Dance to JVS Boston s Carpentry Training Plan Of the valedictorians Superintendent Mary Skipper disclosed about are the first in their family to attend post-secondary instruction about came to the U S from another country and about a third attended BPS schools from pre-K to th grade Take a second and look at the amazing talented beautiful hopeful passionate young people that are about to go into this world and make change Skipper revealed having the valedictorians stand from their tables They re going to shine their light as they ve shown it in each of your schools and that light is going to be brighter now more informed more educated Leaders not satisfied with the bare minimum but striving for the greatest heights That s what it means to be a valedictorian English High School valedictorian Elian Martinez Carrasco came to the U S from the Dominican Republic four years ago without knowing English Now he s fluent and going to Bridgewater State University on a full scholarship to review computer science with a focus on AI robotics plus cybersecurity I am proud to be in this state and being in Boston because that s the state which gave me the best opportunity revealed Martinez Carrasco They gave me my career I was able to focus a new thing that I wasn t able to understand when I was in my country I was able to learn English a new language So I m very proud to be here This group of top students started high school as schools were returning from the pandemic but came out thriving with accomplishments from speaking five languages and qualifying for the International Linguistics Olympiad in Taipei to founding a small business supporting wildlife conservation Related Articles State information raises questions of bullying reporting a decade after landmark anti-bullying law Particular states reexamine school discipline as Trump order paves go-ahead Rapidly expanding school voucher programs pinch state budgets Belgian princess left in doubt about her Harvard future following Trump s foreign attendee ban China criticizes US ban on Harvard s international students John D O Bryant School valedictorian Shawn Zhang conducted published cancer research as a Crimson Summer Academy Scholar in high school Zhang reported Tuesday was a nice day of reflection for him looking back over the last four years To future students the O Bryant valedictorian reported he d tell them to just explore Explore your interests as much as you can really Zhang reported Because it s somewhat deceiving you think there s a lot of time but there really isn t that much time in high school So spend your time doing things you love Don t be scared Just take a leap This group of top students started high school as schools were returning from the pandemic but came out thriving Grace Zokovitch Boston Herald