In every high school there is always those handful of students that go above and beyond not only academics but extracurricular activities as well. Jessica Healy, graduating in the class of 2013, proved herself in achieving both of these.
With an accumulative grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 Healy is being recognized for her outstanding academic achievements by being honored as the Salutatorian of the class.
Healy placed herself in many extracurricular such as varsity soccer, California Scholarship Federation (CSF), Sister to Sister, the Planeteers Club, float building for homecoming, Night of the Stars (NOTS) filming/production and Choir. All of these activities have been recognized for her outstanding involvement in the school.
Before she takes her next step into college at Willow International to partake in the Honors Program, Healy reflects on her years in high school and the lessons she has obtained through her high school career.
Avila: What year did you come to FC?
Healy: Freshman year
Avila: What college are you planning on attending?
Healy: Willow International for 2 years in the Honors Program, and then transferring to UC San Diego to major in Psychology, if not UCSD, then hopefully Biola University or Fresno State.
Avila: Why did you chose that college?
Healy: I chose Willow mostly because it?s close to home, which is where I need to be right now. I need to just finish my general education, and I didn?t see a point in paying an outrageous tuition to some other school when I can get all that I need at a community college.
Avila: What does being the Salutatorian mean to you?
Healy: Honestly, I was shocked when I found out I was Salutatorian. I guess it?s just really nice to know that the hard work I put into school wasn?t entirely meaningless.
Avila: How were you able to play a varsity sport and still maintain a high GPA?
Healy: Time management. As long as I didn?t spend too much time focusing on one or the other, I was able to succeed in both activities.
Avila: Which individual on campus has impacted you the most in high school?
Healy: I really cannot pick one person. Every individual in the group of friends I have has impacted me, and without each of them, I don?t think I?d be the person I am today.
Avila: Who or what inspires you the most?
Healy: I think people inspire me the most. Just people in general. Seeing people in the world doing good things because they have good hearts makes me want to be more like them. Seeing people do evil things makes me want to help people not be so bad. People are inspirational in ways that I can?t even explain.
Avila: How does it feel to be Salutatorian?
Healy: It feels really cool. And a little bit weird. I guess I kind of feel like I don?t deserve this position as much as other people, but it?s nice to know that I?ve done something well enough to receive this honor.
Avila: What is your favorite bible verse and why?
Healy: Romans 8:9 ? “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
For a long time, I blamed my sin on the fact that I was human, and there was nothing I could do but ask for forgiveness. Then I came across this verse. It?s changed my entire perspective on sin and my actions. It?s my favorite because it reminds me daily that I am controlled by the Spirit and not my sinful flesh, and it gives more meaning to the reason I need to ask for forgiveness.
Avila: What advice would you give to the upcoming seniors and underclassmen?
Healy: Pick your friends wisely. High school is so important in your growth as an individual, and the people you spend most of your time with will influence the person you become, one way or another.
Don?t spend all your time trying to be friends with the ?cool crowd? or whatever, because it will ultimately amount to nothing but disappointment. The people who care about you will always be there if you look for them and care about them in return.
Those people, the ones who don?t care about your outfit or who you like or your makeup or the fact that you?ve never seen Mean Girls, those are the ones worth your time. They?re the ones who will be there with peanut butter and a blanket when you need them most. Don?t lose them, because they are worth more than anything in this world.
Avila: What is your favorite memory this year and why?
Healy: It?s kind of a bittersweet memory. A few days after my dad passed away, Jenna Orcutt, Rachel Quiring, Katherine Bennett, Maddie Yee, Meredith Monke and I were invited to dinner by Jordan Boudreau, Matt Adams, Brandon Porter and Stephan Melendez.
We girls were just expecting it to be a fun hangout night with delivery pizza and maybe a movie. We had no idea what we were about to experience.
When we got to the house, we were escorted to the backyard where the guys had set up this incredible eating area, complete with fancy napkins, flowers and fairy lights. They then seated all of us girls and served us salads they had made. This was followed by a home-cooked dinner, also served by the boys, and as we sat and ate and visited, I was filled with the wonderful feeling that I had the best friends in the world.
After dinner, we had homemade brownies for dessert, because it started raining while we were making s?mores. We finished our last bites and settled down in the living room, where Brandon and Matt gave us a mini-concert, we all cracked some jokes, and that night, we all laughed harder than we had in a very long time.
Even though all of this happened in the wake of my dad?s passing, I will always remember it as one of the best days of my life.
Avila: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Healy: Horseback riding, reading, writing (I?m actually in the middle of three books I?ve started and not come close to finishing), watching TV, spending time with my friends and my family
Avila: What do you enjoy most about high school?
Healy: Probably that I get to see most of my best friends almost every day of the week.
Avila: What was your favorite class this year and why?
Healy: My AP English class. It was really helpful and educational, in addition to being lots of fun and filled with a lot of wonderful people.
Avila: What will you miss most about FC?
Healy: Seeing all of my friends, and the teachers who actually care about their students. And also the family-like environment. I?ll miss that a lot.
Avila: What motivates you to be involved with all of the activities you participate in?
Healy: Well, usually just my own impulses. And if I think I?d be fun or something I like to do.
Avila: What are you looking forward to as you enter into college?
Healy: Having classes that are going to be more focused on what I want to do with my life. It?ll also be nice to not have such a long school day, since my schedule will be different each day.
Avila: Which year of high school was your favorite and why?
Healy: Senior year, by far. This year has been so incredible, so life-changing, that none of the other years can ever come close to being as meaningful as this year has been.
Avila: How has your faith affected your education?
Healy: My faith was one of the reasons I transferred to FC. It?s made me desire to learn and give my all in everything I do, because I know that?s what my Lord would want of me.
Jessica will attend Willow International for two years, enrolled in the Honors Program. She then hopes to transfer to University of California, San Diego to major in Psychology.
For more features, read the May 21 article, Final chapel brings closure for class of 2013.
