Saint Ursula Academy (SUA) proudly congratulates Amanda Serger of Milford who earned the honor of Valedictorian in the SUA Class of 2022. Amanda earned the highest cumulative GPA through the third quarter of her senior year. She also is a National Merit Finalist.
Grace Leuenberger of Hyde Park earned the second-highest cumulative GPA through the third quarter of her senior year, making her Salutatorian of the Class of 2022. Grace is also a National Merit Commended Student.
“Saint Ursula Academy curriculum is challenging at every level,” said Saint Ursula Academy Principal Dr. Mari Thomas. “So, to achieve honors for being top of the class is an exceptional honor and reflects hard work and a significant commitment to their education from each of these students.”
Amanda Serger plans to attend the University of West Florida next year with a major in mechanical engineering. She says she first discovered her interest in engineering upon joining SUA's STEMinists club, which exposed her to a plethora of information regarding STEM careers and applied sciences. She added, “I quickly understood that my love for science and physics would fit well with this major.”
Amanda says Saint Ursula immensely helped her discover her academic interest area. Through the wide-ranging curriculum, she was able to take a variety of classes across many different disciplines--all of which allowed her to recognize and foster her interests in problem-solving, creative thinking, and STEM. Some of Amanda’s favorite classes at SUA included Latin, calculus, and literature.
“Latin class empowered me to change my thinking habits, and adopt a new way of seeing language. Calculus had a similar impact on me in that I was exposed to unfamiliar math that required a different perspective. I also enjoyed my literature classes because they inspired critical thinking growth as well as peer and teacher collaboration.”
Amanda added that SUA provided ample opportunities for her to grow as a student and a person. “The school's positive, motivating atmosphere is conducive to success, and enables me to contribute to society as a thinker, leader, nurturer, and prophet.”
Supportive teachers also played a big role in Amanda’s success, “Ms. Hammond and Mrs. Depoe both strengthened my love of learning. Ms. Hammond contributed to my growth as a student by providing me with leadership opportunities, specifically within the Classics club. Mrs. Depoe always encouraged me to think outside-of-the-box, and fostered my appreciation for STEM.”
Amanda’s advice for incoming students is, “You should pursue your interests at SUA. Whether it be through joining a club, participating in a sport, or taking a specific class, these opportunities will set you up for an enjoyable and successful high school experience.”
Grace Leuenberger plans to attend Boston College next year with a major in Neuroscience and Pre-Med. Grace shared she has always had an interest in the medical field, but this passion was solidified when she began to volunteer at Hospice of Cincinnati. She enjoyed making an impact on the residents through companionship and assistance, such as by taking walks with patients and listening to their stories. This is when she began to consider the medical field as a potential career.
“Saint Ursula fostered my love of science through the many and wide variety of STEM courses offered. From physics to environmental science, I have always felt as though the various labs and information learned in class were preparing me well for science classes in college. SUA also has encouraged me to spread my interest in the medical field through my establishment of the SUA Medical Society.”
Grace shared that her favorite class at SUA was AP Biology, due to the interesting material, hands-on activities, and supportive teaching. She also enjoyed Honors Biotechnology, which allowed her to partake in genetic engineering with advanced laboratory tools.
“Mr. Porter has always been one of my favorite teachers and supporters at SUA. He constantly encourages us to ask questions and reiterates the belief he has in his students. He is able to teach the material of AP Biology effectively while also incorporating some lightheartedness into his teaching.”
Grace also appreciated the system of people and opportunities that supported her along the way. “I knew that I could always use a teacher’s office hours for help, especially before and after school for calculus, a reminder that SUA teachers want me to succeed. I met with my counselor as well to develop course schedules that encompass my interests and to ask any questions during the college application process.”
Grace shared some advice for incoming students, “During the next four years at SUA, you will be offered the opportunity of taking on certain challenges. Each year, there will be some classes available that have a reputation for being difficult or time-consuming. However, I encourage you to enroll in them due to SUA’s support system that provides you with whatever you need to succeed.”
Congratulations, Amanda and Grace.