Obama School Valedictorian Kristine Awuah, right, and Salutatorian Yaretzi Najera Betanzos
By Dan Murphy
Congratulations to Barack Obama High School Valedictorian Kristine Awuah and Salutatorian Yaretzi Najera Betanzos. Valedictorian Kristine Awuah will graduate with a 98% GPA.
One of her favorite teachers was US History & Psychology teacher Gregg Susman.“I had Mr. Sussman for both US History and Psychology. Both classes were interactive and fun. He made us feel comfortable. It was a great experience.”
Kristine also has a love for Art, so Art Teacher Amig Stamatello was also a favorite teacher. “It was a fun and lively class, where we were able to express ourselves.
One of her favorite classes was creative writing. “The poetry part of the class helped me see other parts of myself I didn’t know about.”
Kristine served her community by volunteering with Lifting Up Westchester. “We held a homeless shelter drive in our school and donated care packages.” She also completed an internship with the S.I.C. Film School, “We participated in different workshops with film companies and learned about AI,” and is active in her church, the Center of Hope Assembly of God.
Awuah has narrowed down her college search to SUNY Stony Brook and NYU. She has been placed on the waiting list at NYU. “I like both schools and their modern and up to date programs.”
She plans on majoring in Biology and hopes to become a pediatrician. “I used to take care of my brothers and sisters growing up. And while I was babysitting a grew fond of children.”
“When I was young, I got hit by a car and spent a lot of time in the hospital. The Doctors and Nurses took care of me and helped me, and I am drawn to that for my career. I enjoy having conversations with kids.”
Kristine came to America from Ghana six years ago. “It was a challenging adjustment. The education system is different here.”
Who helped you get to this point of academic achievement? “My family. They have always been there and encouraged me. They taught me that better things happen if I tried my best. And my church community also helped me and supported me to get to where I am today.”
When did you realize your class ranking? “I first found out in the 10th grade. I was #2 and then moved up to #1 last year. I was pretty proud of myself when I found out, and I kept working hard.”
Any advice to future Valedictorians? “It’s OK to make mistakes. Taking risks is better that regretting it later. Make fun memories and don’t procrastinate.”
Salutatorian Yaretzi Najera Betanzos Will graduate with a 97.6% GPA. Her favorite teacher was Math teacher Mr. Mumim. “I don’t think a lot of students appreciate him enough. I had him all four years, and he has made my grow to love math.”
Yaretzi also enjoyed creative writing. “I was never a big fan of writing poems, but our teacher made it fun. And then I learned that I could write a good poem.” She also enjoys Art and drawing.
Yaretzi was on the Girls Softball team for her junior and senior years. “It’s a really fun sport and we had a great team. We made each other laugh. I hope to continue in college.”
For the last two years, Yaretzi volunteered with the Family Service Society. “We would go to the library every week and would interact with younger students. Some could read on their own but others needed more help. This year I volunteered with one student at the Chavez School and helped her improve her reading skills. We worked on getting her to pay attention and get to a love for reading.”
Yaretzi will be attending SUNY Delhi in the fall. “The Veterinarian Tech program caught my eye. And I can choose to get a 2-year or 4-year degree. I wanted to try out a 2-year program to make sure that I what I wanted to do. Or they have multiple other majors.”
A love for animals is what draws Yaretzi to a Vet. Tech program in the hopes that she will become a veterinarian. “I have a kitten, four fish and a dog. My dog is 12 and I love her, she was my first pet. I love helping other animals and nothing about them freaks me out.”
Who helped you achieve academic excellence? “My family and my parents. They always pushed me to do well and now I can say that I am a Salutatorian. They always supported me and gave me what I need to succeed, even when I didn’t ask for it.”
Last year, Yaretzi found out she was #2 and moved up to #2 this year. Any advice for younger students? “Don’t be nervous and don’t stress yourself. And don’t do too much so that you don’t enjoy high school. Always try and support your fellow students.”
