School News
Seniors Sarah Garcia and Zoe Jacobs have been named the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the Irvington High School Class of 2020.
Garcia attributed her success to her intrinsic love of learning, dedication to any task she is given and her time management skills. She also credited her parents for encouraging and supporting her inquisitive nature and interests in furthering her knowledge outside of school.
“As I grew older, I developed a love of reading,” Garcia said. “I definitely think that this interest helped with my success in high school as it greatly expanded my vocabulary and improved my writing skills. This interest in learning, however, would be insignificant to my success if it did not also come with a drive to always reach my highest potential.”
Throughout high school, Garcia has been involved in a variety of activities, including the Empowering Women Club and Latin Club. She is also an accomplished cross-country, winter track and spring track runner. Outside of school, she has volunteered through her church, sung in the choir since elementary school and has taught Sunday school for the last three years.
“I really enjoyed my experience at Irvington,” Garcia said. “I definitely think that it allowed me to form a close bond with my classmates and teachers. I will miss seeing my friends on a regular basis and the many teachers who have been so supportive of me. I will also really miss the track and cross-country teams. These sports have become such an important part of my life, and my teammates and coaches have been one of the best parts of my high school experience.”
Jacobs also attributed her success to her strong work ethic and the constant support of her family, friends and teachers.
“Being named salutatorian validated my hard work and dedication throughout high school and motivates me to continue to follow my goals in the future,” she said
Over her high school career, Jacobs completed extensive and challenging research as part of the school’s Science Research Program and spent the past two summers conducting research on acute myeloid leukemia at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has received a grant from the Irvington Education Foundation to start a first responder course for students at the high school. Outside of school, Jacobs, who has been dancing since kindergarten, has taught ballet throughout high school. She also spent the second semester of her sophomore year at the Alzar School, a semester-school based on leadership, outdoor excursions, cultural immersion and community service. In addition, she is a member of her high school’s Model United Nations and National Honor Society.
“It has been great growing up in Irvington and being supported by the community since kindergarten,” Jacobs said. “I am going to miss the many people in the community who have helped me grow into who I am today and who have supported me from the beginning.”
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