Looking at Scott Coar and Robert Bovino, you would be hard pressed to find common ground to explain their rise to the top of the 2002 to 2003 Secaucus High School graduating class.
Valedictorian Coar is a classic high school kid, in love with cars, the seaside, and socializing with his friends. Salutatorian Bovino has a lust for knowledge that has often kept him out of the limelight, but has won him the admiration of his teachers.
Coar, a stocky muscular boy who works out for hours at the local gym before he begins his part-time job delivering pizza for Natoli’s, often spends early morning hours catching up on his studies. Bovino, who won his letters in tennis, reads voraciously, writes with great originality, and quotes Hamlet, is more likely to spend his Saturday evenings studying than partying on the town.
While both boys spent hours studying to achieve the high marks that allowed them to finish first and second in their class, even their study habits differed. Coar, who worked part-time last year to help supplement his family’s income, flatly refused to give up his social life.
Bovino was the consummate intellectual, often winning the affections of teachers with his apparent dedication to study.
“Both are excellent students,” said Virginia Foley, a teacher who had both boys in her classes during their years at Secaucus High School. “Robert is more studious; Scott balances his studies with his other activities.”
Scott Coar – hard work pays off
In finishing first in his class, Coar proved the adage that if you work hard enough and want something badly enough, you can get it.
And he really wanted to finish first in his graduating class.
Coar said it was partly because he thought to maintain a family tradition. His aunt had graduated Secaucus High School in 1978 as the salutatorian, his mother in 1980 as valedictorian, and his brother in 2001 as salutatorian.
“He is always striving and setting high goals for himself,” his mother said. “He excelled in all of his advanced placement classes and still worked to help the family.”
Coar called the last year “a friend competition” between himself and Bovino to achieve high honors.
Secaucus High School Principal Pat Impreveduto said Coar was not only someone who succeeds in academic ability, but was also a well-rounded person.
“Scott has taken the most challenging courses Secaucus High School had to offer,” he said. “But he also has an impressive array of extra curricular activity and community service, which accompanied his awards.”
Coar was a member of nearly every honor society possible and achieved a perfect score on the SAT in mathematics as a sophomore, a feat Coar saw as his most impressive achievement. It was his first time taking the test.
“Scott has been involved in everything: Play productions, math club, science club, engineering club, fitness club to name a few,” Impreveduto said. “He was able to involve himself in all these activities and yet have the second highest [grade point] average in Secaucus high school history with a 4.27. Scott is a real blue chipper.”
Teachers and fellow students have called Coar “a bulldog,” someone who will keep on trying until he accomplishes what he sets out to get, something he appeared to consider a great complement.
During an interview this week, Coar said his senior year was tough, with his working schedule often requiring him to study until early morning hours.
He credited part of his success to the support of his mother, who always encouraged him to succeed. While he could not point to a particular time when he suddenly caught fire, he did attribute some of his inspiration to teachers like Felice Wilson, who he calls “Miss Will,” who helped him understand and grow to like business studies.
Although he hasn’t decided between the University of Miami and the College of New Jersey in Trenton, he is leaning towards staying close to home.
As with his approach to schooling, Coar is a particularly practical person, looking toward a career in marketing in the automotive field. He said he loves cars, and may even seek a part-time job detailing cars.
“My son wants to be a business tycoon,” Linda Coar said. “I’m confident he will do well in whatever he makes up his mind to do.”
Scott said he will miss school, the teachers and his friends, although he is looking forward to finally breaking out of the tough schedule, and intends to spend a significant part of the summer lounging around on the beach.
Robert Bovino – a shiny star
Mathematics Department Supervisor Marilyn Arnhols said Bovino not only met but exceeded requirements for receiving this year’s mathematics departmental award. He received an A-plus average in every mathematics course taken, but it was his interest beyond the classroom that set him apart from his peers.
“When presented with a mathematical problem to solve, this young man approached it as a challenge to be enjoyed immensely,” Arnhols said. “He sees unique solutions and connections that others do not see.”
Arnhols said Bovino had “insight consistent with maturity far beyond his years,” and that he had “an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.”
Walter Slasinki, supervisor of the Social Studies Department, called Bovino “a mild mannered leader of his class and of everything he does.”
Slasinki said Bovino maintained an A-plus average in all his Social Studies, honors, and advance placement courses.
Michael Gehm, a teacher, reported that Bovino is “not only a leader, but he has tremendous courage in all his work, and is not afraid to take chances.”
Lynn Hugerich, supervisor of English Department, read from college recommendations in which terms like “brilliant” were used in describing Bovino’s love of literature and his ability to interpret it. He apparently presented a range of interpretations from the off-beat to the amazing.
Impreveduto called Bovino “one of the most gifted and talented students” to appear in Secaucus High School over the last quarter century.
“And it is not just academic ability that makes him outstanding,” Impreveduto said. “It is his maturity and his thirst for knowledge.”
Bovino was involved in a wide range of disciplines, with an enormous academic load and extracurricular activities that he was mature enough to balance successfully.
“He wants to experience it all. Robert thrives on the intensity of learning and knowledge that accompanies it,” Impreveduto said.
Bovino had a grade point average of 4.24 and a combined SAT score of 1530. He will be attending Dartmouth University in the fall.
Bovino, during a telephone interview this week, said he was very surprised at the accolades he received during the awards ceremonies, calling it one of the special moments he would remember. He said he would miss high school and complemented the school on providing him the intellectual foundation upon which he expects to build his future.
“I am sincerely grateful for the education I received,” he said. “People underestimate the quality of an education you can receive in a small town like Secaucus.”
He said there was an intimacy here that allowed him to develop a passion for learning, and he said this caught fire in him once he got to middle and high schools. Bovino came up through the Secaucus school system, starting out in Huber Street elementary school.
His father is an entrepreneur with interests in a variety of businesses, and used to be an entertainer who performed on cruise ships, and he decided to settle down to raise a family.
“My dad was a great student in school,” Bovino said.
Advanced Placement English teacher Donna Carlson became Bovino’s mentor in English, he said, as Arnhols did in mathematics. He also called Foley “an inspiration.”
While he hasn’t yet made up his mind as to what he intends to do, Dartmouth does not immediately require him to declare a major.
“I’m going to keep my options open,” he said, contemplating a combination of economics and psychology.