When Weehawken High School senior Nashwa Elangbawy heads off to the University of Pennsylvania this fall to begin her collegiate career, her new classmates may be surprised to learn they’re sharing the classroom with a student who’s already been principal – for a day at least.
Elangbawy the class of 2011 salutatorian, took on the duties of Dr. Peter J. Olivieri when she shadowed the principal as part of student takeover day earlier this year.
It was one of experiences at the high school Elangbawy said that have shaped her and prepared her for the road ahead.
“I’m really looking forward to taking that step forward by myself.” – Rutul Amin
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But for now, she and Class of 2011 valedictorian Rutul Amin are just counting down the days until graduation.
The two young women will graduate with over 60 fellow classmates on June 23 at 7 p.m..
Shared success
Elangbawy and Amin have participated in many of the same activities on their road to success since they entered the high school in seventh grade.
From band and peer leadership to the mock trial and academic teams, both girls agreed that the extracurricular activities at WHS have kept them well-rounded and quite busy.
Amin, an aspiring pediatrician, said that being encouraged to take learning outside of the classroom has made her excited about the next step as she prepares to begin a pre-med track at the University of Rochester.
“I’ll be more independent now,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to taking that step forward by myself.”
For Elangbawy, her experience as a captain of the soccer team has helped her take a leading role both in and out of the classroom.
“It was empowering but it was humbling at the same time,” she said.
You can take it with you
Elangbawy said that she will take all of her high school memories with her next fall – like the English teacher who got her to open up, and the classmates that she’s known since she was 4 years old.
For Amin, memories go far beyond the mind – it’s a sense of community and pride that she hopes to bring with her to college.
“I know people from all over the world here,” she said. “I hope I can meet people like that in college.”
Top class
Both Amin and Elangbawy have a GPA of over 4.0, thanks to the extra weighting of AP courses.
Francesca Amato, a guidance counselor at the school, said that the class as a whole is extremely balanced and that the top academic achievers have some of the highest GPA’s (grade point average) she has seen.
Dr. Peter Olivieri, the school’s principal, added that over the past four or five years students, have become more concerned about education. “Whatever ability they have, they work to their maximum,” he said
Weehawken High School graduation will take place on June 23 at 7 p.m., followed immediately by Project Graduation at Stevens Institute of Technology, an annual school-sponsored party that keeps high school students from attending private parties after graduation at which they might drink and drive.
According to Olivieri, the graduating class of over 60 students has accumulated over $5 million in scholarships, grants, and other financial aid.
Lana Rose Diaz can be reached at ldiaz@hudsonreporter.com.