SPARTA HS's TOP TEN

 MEET THE TOP 10 STUDENTS OF 2022

By: Noelle Hanek

The top ten students of the class of 2022 have been revealed! These hard working and determined students achieved the highest GPAs in the class. Below is the name of each top ten student (listed in no particular order) along with the school they are attending next year and what their major and/or future plans are. They also responded to the question, are there any words of wisdom you would like to share for underclassmen and/or any final words about your high school experience that you would like to share?

Kavya Kamath: Valedictorian 

Kavya Kamath will be attending Princeton University where she is majoring in molecular biology and minoring in Quantitative and Computational Biology. Her future plans consist of research, pharmaceuticals, and education. 

“There are so many opportunities around you- take advantage of them. Learn and experience and be as much as you can.”

“Consistency is key. One good grade or game is great, but it’s sustaining greatness that differentiates great from exceptional.”

“Have fun. Though I've tried to be better about it my senior year, there were many times where I prioritize work over fun and though in some ways it paid off, in other ways I wish I spent more time simply having fun. You only have one high school experience so do your best to make it a balanced one.”

Sarah Bargfrede: Salutatorian

Sarah will be attending the University of Michigan where she is majoring in Computer Science in the College of Engineering. 

“My advice for other students would be to find your interests whether academic or otherwise and take every opportunity to pursue them. Don’t let anyone deter you from doing what you love and do things, not for the numbers or resumes, but for yourself.” 

Jake Ryan 

Jake will be attending University of Notre Dame in the fall where he is majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior and minoring in both Russian and either Compassionate Care in Medicine or Patient Advocacy.  

“Be able to laugh at yourself and appreciate that perfection is unattainable.”

Colin Kowalski 

Colin will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall where he is majoring in Neuroscience on a pre-med track. 

“Ambition has no bounds, so dream big and never let up on those dreams” 

Jack Maraziti

Jack will be attending West Point (USMA) and will study mechanical engineering.

“I would like to thank all of my teachers, coaches, and peers who have helped to make my high school career so great and memorable.  I would also like to add for the underclassmen that it is important to find a balance and join clubs or sports throughout high school.  It is often very easy to be consumed by rigorous coursework, however, you have to remember that you have to have fun with friends while working hard.”

Matthew Bouma-hannam

Matthew Bouma-hannam will be attending the University of Rochester and is majoring in the Russian language and possibly minoring in international relations. He will also be participating in Army ROTC in college. 

“My only words of wisdom to younger students would be to find what you are passionate about, and make that the focus of your academics and extracurricular activities. You will likely get more out of high school if you do what you want to do, rather than what you think college admissions wants you to do.”

Kaleigh West 

Kaleigh is going to The University of Virginia and is majoring in neuroscience. 

”In terms of advice for underclassmen, I would say to always remember that you’re human and that it’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is crucial to helping you grow as both a student and a person, so don’t let a bad test, a bad day, or even a bad marking period dampen your confidence. Just think about all of the good tests and good days you’ve had and look forward to having more in the future— because no matter how much it might not seem like it in a given moment, you WILL have more good tests and good days in the future. In short, a few mistakes or bad days don’t outweigh all of your accomplishments.” 

Laurel Ferguson 

Laurel will be attending Hofstra University and they are majoring in Computer Science. They are not exactly sure what they want to do with it in the future, but they are planning to explore cybersecurity and networking. 

“My advice for underclassmen is to be proactive and don’t hold back from creating opportunities for yourself.”

Paige Sumowski

Paige will be attending University of California San Diego in the fall where she is majoring in neurobiology. 

“Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. I've spent so much time procrastinating on work, social events, and clubs because I was afraid of not being perfect, that I ended up missing out on a lot of good. My advice is to pursue whatever it is you're passionate about and enjoy all of the "good" that high school has to offer”

Jack Budofsky 

Jack will be attending Brown University in the fall. 

Congratulations to the top ten for all their academic accomplishments and hard work over the years!