Julia Whalen (JW) and Sofia Lam (SL) were named Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively, for the class of 2024. Here’s what they have to say about their high school journey and their plans for the future.
What are you looking forward to the most after high school?
JW: I’m looking forward to discovering new places after leaving YHS. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a few times per year for various occasions throughout high school, but I can’t wait to get to know even more unknown places – whether that’s the beautiful coasts of Maine, the historic streets of Paris, or an independent bookstore in Washington DC.
SL: As of now, I’m excited to hang out with my friends this summer before we all leave for college and travel with my family to China and Japan this summer. And although I’ll miss high school, I’m excited for the next chapter of my life in college. I’m especially looking forward to really pursuing the subjects that I love, such as chemistry, physics, and math, and getting to take food science classes for the first time, which is something I’ve been interested in doing since elementary school.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
JW: I’ll either be working in some New York law office, conducting historical research at a college or university, writing my second or third book, or working in diplomacy at the UN. All that to say, I’ll definitely be drowning in a sea of important papers in a small but well-furnished apartment and writing like a maniac.
SL: To be honest, I haven’t really thought about that much. My plan right now is to go to college and after that, go to graduate school and hopefully get a masters or doctorate degree. I hope to be working in STEM, although I’m not 100% sure what yet.
Which faculty member do you believe impacted you the most?
JW: Looking back, I’m pretty sure that it’s Ms. SooHoo’s fault that writing and books are as integral a part of my life as they have become. She was the first teacher to push me to actually look at and think about my writing and what it meant, rather than just dashing through it. Cliche as it may seem, it’s true: English 10H allowed me to realize the great power that words can have. That’s why I’ll definitely be dedicating my first published novel to Ms. SooHoo.
SL: Throughout my 4 years here, there are so many amazing faculty members who have really impacted me that I have to pick multiple. One of them is definitely Mr. Agosta through his earth science class in 8th grade, back when high school seemed terrifying. Whether it was patiently explaining answers to Alyssa’s and my stream of questions or playing “name that tune” for “fruits and vegetables”, his class was always a lot of fun and made high school seem less daunting. Another person is Mr. Downing, whose classes I thoroughly enjoyed. From learning about tedious lewis dot diagrams for the first time in 10th grade to calculating acid and base equilibrium constants in AP Chemistry, he always cracked jokes which made everything seem less difficult and explained everything in so much detail, making sure we all understood. Mr. Downing also provided a lot of encouragement during the college application process, which was really comforting. Another person is also Mr. Laber, who provided so many words of encouragement, support, and wisdom during the whole college application and decision process, which really meant a lot to me during this stressful time. His AP Stats course also opened my eyes to a subject I hadn’t explored before and was entirely different than what I expected. It is now one of my favorite classes I have ever taken.
What was the best piece of advice you have for the younger classes?
JW: If you can imagine yourself as whatever you want to be, that is what you’ll become. But it’s not all about “dreaming big” – if you want to become your dream self, you need to put in the work that such a future version of you will one day look back on. For example, to become valedictorian, I simply practiced the habits I believed a valedictorian must have. Furthermore, life is short. Don’t be afraid to do what makes you happy and make life your own.
SL: Work hard, but make time for fun. It’s something that I definitely wish I had done—like making time to hang out with my friends on the weekends or going to see a couple more school plays, instead of just always studying. Grades are important, but it’s definitely not the only thing worth your time—the memories you make with your friends are moments you’ll always remember.
What was the most rewarding thing you did in high school?
JW: I don’t think I’ll ever forget the pride I felt upon completing my History Fair project during junior year. It might have been the most work I’ve ever put into anything, with 18 pages of research notes, more than 24 hours of work, and a presentation that I had to extend onto the wall next to my poster board. Even more importantly, I gained an understanding of history that has remained with me ever since and inspired me to re-analyze not only my career path and academic approach but the way that I see the world. Suffice to say that the work I did for the History Fair showed me what I’m capable of and made me who I am today.
SL: The most rewarding thing I did in high school was probably join the Science Olympiad Team, which is a part of high school I’ll definitely miss. It was very rewarding to see our daily efforts pay off at the regional competition and have the opportunity to go to states with such an amazing team two years in a row. From staying in school until 9pm to the day before regionals to overnight competitions that came with a lot of misplaced doordashes and occasionally flooding the hotel room with water, there were always so many fun and memorable moments.
If you could switch lives with a faculty member, who would you choose?
JW: I would choose Mr. Egan because I think I could teach Global II passably well and AP Euro excellently. Plus, I’d get to be Constitutional Monarch of the History Club and read all the books in Room 186, which I don’t think I’ll otherwise have time to do before the end of the year.
SL: Probably Mr. Downing. This way I could figure out what chemicals he blows up in his free time.
What is your favorite thing about YHS? What will you miss the most?
JW: I will seriously miss the band room at YHS. No matter what kind of cool study spaces there are at my college, I know that none of them will ever come close to how special the band closet is to me. I know I’ll miss the band itself too, especially the Swing Dance: it’s a truly unforgettable event and I don’t think I’ll find anything like it elsewhere.
SL: The first thing that comes to mind is the people. Throughout my 4 years here, all my teachers, counselor, and ski coach have always been so amazing and helpful. I’ll miss my friends and the memories we made here together a lot too, from comparing difficult test questions to playing games during free periods and after aps. My friends have always been so supportive, providing words of encouragement and I couldn’t have asked for better people to spend 4 years with.
Congratulations on your incredible achievements. We know you’ll do great things in the future!
