On Friday, Feb. 9, Prep celebrated the student body’s achievements at the 2nd quarter sessions assembly. This event, located in the H. David Bowes Auditorium, served to honor the academic achievements of students for the 2nd quarter. Students who achieved 1st (all A’s) and 2nd honors (all A’s or B’s) got to walk across the stage and receive a certificate. Over 300 students were recognized for this achievement. Along with this, the students with the highest QPA in each class were also recognized. For the senior class, Brady Palmer has now won this award at back-to-back assemblies.
“It feels great to be recognized for my hard work in the classroom,” Brady said. “I worked really hard these past two quarters, and I focused on doing the best I could.”
Palmer attributes his success to his dedication and perseverance in the classroom. He advises students who hope to achieve great things to do the same.
“Along with hard work, I would tell students to believe in themselves,” Palmer said. “If they try their hardest, they can do anything.”
After the Honor Roll was presented, students heard from the quarter’s speaker, Libby (Felix) Waltman. Waltman is currently the CFO of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and talked about how the values at Villa prepared her for life outside of high school. To prepare for this speech, Waltman reached out for some help.
“I reached out to my family for advice to prepare for my speech,” Waltman said. “They gave me some good talking points, as well as ideas for how to connect with a teenage audience.”
Her hopes of connecting with students paid off with Palmer stating that her speech really resonated with him.
“I thought the speaker was fantastic!” Brady said. “She was very well spoken and had a clear message: to remember and appreciate the things you do in high school because they will stay with you for the rest of your life.”
After giving her speech and receiving a gift from the student body, Waltman shared that she enjoyed her day at Prep.
“Speaking at quarter sessions was an amazing opportunity,” Waltman said. “It was great to celebrate the achievements of not only the students, but also the school as a whole.”
