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Valedictorian: One book closes, another opens
Valedictorian Andrea LaGreca delivers a speech to her fellow classmates. Elmwood Park High School held its 56th Annual Graduation Friday evening. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 2, 2012 9:06AM
Andrea LaGreca and has had ranked first place since her freshman year. That’s why she is Elmwood Park High School’s valedictorian this year.
“Principal Jennings came into my class and announced to everyone I was valedictorian,” LaGreca explains. “Everyone was really excited for me.”
LaGreca’s résumé is nothing short of impressive. She is class president, vice president of National Honors Society, president of Student Council, and a member of Snowball and DECA. She also played varsity tennis and softball.
Besides a full load of activities, LaGreca was also enrolled in several AP courses.
“This year, I was in 3 Advanced Placement classes,” she said. “I really learned how to manage my time!”
To balance academics along with extracurricular activities, LaGreca said that she would often stay at school very late and get to school early.
“I really learned how to balance studying along with having a social life,” LaGreca said. “It can be difficult, but it’s an important tool to have in high school and in the future.”
LaGreca said that she had a wonderful experience at Elmwood Park High School that she will never forget.
“I will mostly miss my teachers and friends,” she said. “At other schools, I’ve noticed that the teachers do not have a close relationship with students. That was not the case at Elmwood Park.”
LaGreca knows that the teachers at Elmwood Park will stay in touch with her and check up on her in the future.
“Sometimes I was at school more than at home,” she explains. “So my friends and teachers become your family.”
LaGreca hoped speech at graduation May 18 inspired her fellow classmates.
“After one book closes, another opens,” she said.
For the future, LaGreca will be attending Purdue University and plans to major in civil engineering. After college she hopes to go for her master’s degree and hopefully one day open up her own practice.
“I will miss Elmwood Park,” she confesses, “but I am excited about my future.”
