Kelly Riffle

Valedictorian

What was your favorite class?
“My favorite class was AP Statistics with Ms. Sirridge.”
What advice would you give students trying to achieve consistent academic excellence?
“To not stress out about assignments too much and to set boundaries for yourself. For example, I
don’t do homework past 9 p.m., I just make sure that I have my most important things done if I am
unable to complete it all.”
What were your biggest motivators?
“For my motivators, I would say just doing well. It used to be getting good grades so that I could
get good scholarships to colleges, but now I think it has shifted to a general sense of wanting to do
well.”
What was your base support system or what teacher made the biggest impact?
“Ms. Sarah Ralph.”
What class, moment, teacher or thing shaped you the most into the person you leave STA as?
“I would say my sister. She has always been super smart, and she has always worked really hard
while knowing exactly how to set those boundaries for herself, so I have sort of modeled her
behavior.”
Do you know yet how you will continue to pursue your academic excellence?
“I will be attending Loyola University Chicago.”

Anna Rizzo

Salutatorian

What was your favorite class?
“My favorite class was Anatomy I and II with Mrs. Holmes.”
What advice would you give students trying to achieve consistent academic excellence?
“Don’t spend too much time studying because if you stress out over it, you’ll lose your happiness
and you’ll be too stressed out to get good grades.”
What were your biggest motivators?
“My biggest motivators have been my teachers, my friends at STA and my parents.”
What was your base support system or what teacher made the biggest impact?
“Mrs. Holmes has made the biggest impact on me because she allowed me to explore my interest
in my interim week class.”
What class, moment, teacher or thing shaped you the most into the person you leave STA as?
“Something that shaped me the most was learning everything about medicine from my Anatomy
I and II class with Mrs. Holmes and then applying that in a leadership role in my interim week
class because it allowed me to be more knowledgeable on the topic as well as grow as a leader by
teaching younger students.”
Do you know yet how you will continue to pursue your academic excellence?
“I will be attending college, but I do not know where yet. I want to go pre med.” B