Matthew Rostkowski and Abaigail Harding have been named Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively, for the Class of 2022. Rostkowski will be attending Columbia University, where he will major in Computer Science and Photography, while Harding will be attending the University of Connecticut, with an undecided major. “I am leaning towards English with the possibility of becoming a teacher,” she said.
However, these high accolades did not come without a price.
“School definitely impacted my mental health. It was incredibly draining, and I was more concerned about doing well in all of my classes and activities than my own well-being,” Harding said.
Harding is surely not the only student who has felt immense pressure to succeed academically. When asked about the hardest part of her high school experience, she cited the pressure placed on her by herself and the school environment.
This begs the question: does all the stress placed on students to do well in school pay off?
“It was worth it to do well in school and to learn a lot and build a lot of skills,” she said.
While she did not prioritize becoming Salutatorian specifically, Harding stated that “grades have always been very important to me.” Her high rank came as a result of her work ethic and determination.
In the words of the Class of 2022 Salutatorian, “In the end, your mental and physical state should always be put before these other aspects of life. It took a long time for me to accept that, and I’m still working on it.”