Despite all the requirements of a student, senior Megan Pirino went above and beyond during her high school years, and maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Involved in multiple clubs and organizations, Pirino served as a three year staffer and two year editor on Legend yearbook and played varsity soccer. She served as the Savvy Seniors vice president, Mu Alpha Theta historian, National Honor Society historian and also completed in 13 Advanced Placement courses. To help her stay at the valedictorian level, Pirino motivated herself to make the grades she knew she could.
“I think my biggest motivator during high school to maintain my grades was myself. Everyone tells me that I’m my worst critic and it’s true. The expectations I hold for myself are so high that most of the time they aren’t humanly attainable. So when I reach or exceed my own expectations it’s all the more rewarding,” Pirino said.
During her high school years, yearbook class contributed to numerous of achievements and memories for Pirino. As the Academics Editor, Pirino received a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown for the 2015 and 2016 Legend yearbook. Some of her favorite memories come from traveling from New York City, New York, to Los Angeles, California, with her classmates and journalism teacher, Renee Burke.
To become a valedictorian does not require a brilliant student, but a hardworking and dedicated student, according to Pirino. Pirino worked to excel in school and it made all the difference in her grades.
“My greatest struggle as a high school student was studying because I’m not the type of student that just picks up information when it’s voiced, I have to sit down and study for hours, read the textbook and sometimes seek outside sources. It was also the expectation of others for me to do well and falling short of their expectations for me was crushing,” Pirino said.
Pirino will attend the University of Florida in the fall. The skills she acquired in yearbook, such as talking to people in interviews, will contribute to her major in Communications.
“I would advise incoming freshmen and underclassmen to take courses that interest and challenge them, but don’t take too many that you don’t have the time to enjoy your years in high school,” Pirino said.