High school graduation is an exciting time for every senior. It represents both the end of a long journey and the beginning of a new chapter. The time-honored ceremony, which will be held on Friday night, June 15, at Pierce Field, also acknowledges the hard work of students over the past four years at East Providence High School.
#This time of the year feels especially rewarding for three EPHS seniors who have distinguished themselves through their academic successes.
#Catherine Browning, Stephanie DeCarvalho and Sunny Nguyen,are respectively ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 3 of East Providence High School’s graduating class of 2012. These three young women have the highest grade point averages out of all of the graduating seniors of EPHS.
#A spot in the top three is no small achievement at one of the largest high schools in Rhode Island. All three girls agree that hard work and diligence allowed them to reach their prestigious positions.
#“Setting goals throughout high school has really helped me be successful,” said Sunny Nguyen, an officer in the National Honor Society, who will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute next year.”By keeping my expectations for myself high, I can work up to my full potential.”
#Catherine,Stephanie and Sunny have all worked to fulfill their potential: inside and outside of the classroom. All three have participated in multiple school activities such as honor societies, clubs, and athletic teams. And they have taken on leadership positions in these extra-curriculars.
#“Making school your No. 1 priority is key, but getting involved is vital in high school,” Stephanie DeCarvalho said.
#DeCarvalho has received many accolades throughout her high school career, but the accomplishment that makes her most proud is her role as president of Best Buddies, a club that creates life-long friendships between students and individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities. Stephanie will matriculate at Boston College in the fall where she will continue her work with Best Buddies while studying oncology or pediatric neurology. In this field of study, she hopes to continue service to others, as she has with the Best Buddies Program.
#“Making a difference in the life of another person is one of the most important lessons that I will take from my time at EPHS,” Stephanie said.
#In keeping with a tradition of Townie scholar-athletes, Catherine Browning is not only the valedictorian of the class of 2012, but she is also a 12-season athlete. She has been captain of the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams at EPHS. Earlier in the spring, Catherine was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. She will take on a pre-med program and hopes to build on the experience that she gained while working as an intern in the Neuroscience Department at Brown University under Dr. Mark Zervis.
#While involvement in school activities has been important to Catherine, she points out that much of her success is due to the guidance that she has received from her parents. Like Stephanie and Sunny, Catherine praises her family for their guidance.
#“Without support from my parents and family, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Catherine said. “I can always depend on them, and that support helped motivate me throughout these past four years.”
#All three young ladies are quick to acknowledge their teachers and the many people in their lives who were instrumental in their education. As the end of their high school careers approach, they are to be commended for their hard work throughout high school.
Not only have they managed to earn the distinction of first, second or third in the class, but they have excelled in other areas aside from their school work. They have also committed themselves to career paths that will undoubtedly result in bettering the lives of others.
#Remember their names, folks—Browning, DeCarvalho and Nguyen. These Townies are going places.
#Editor’s Note: This article also appears as part of the collaborative between “The Townie” school newspaper and The East Providence Post.
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