Alverno High School Names 2011 Valedictorian and Salutatorian

students Erica Tavera and Karineh Minissian have earned the once in a lifetime honor of being named the Class of 2011 Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively.

But for these two young women, the achievement doesn’t stop at commencement. That because Valedictorian Erica Tavera has been accepted and chosen to attend Yale University in New Haven, CT, and Salutatorian Karineh Minissian will be attending the University of California at Berkeley.  

An AP Scholar, President of the National Honor Society and member of the California Scholarship Federation Tavera has no shortage of interests or extracurricular experience to take with her to university.

Nevertheless, she’s already narrowed down her interests enough to know that she intends to major in Biomedical Engineering while at Yale.

“It is such an honor to represent my class at graduation,” Tavera said in statement. “I’m so blessed to be in a class with so many inspiring girls who each have so much going for them.” 

For her part, Salutatorian Karineh Minissian is planning to tackle a double major in Political Science and International Relations during her upcoming time at Berkeley. Like Tavera, Minissian is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honor Society.

Minissian also served as the Secretary of International Affairs for two years at the Alverno ASU and she was an ambassador for the Tournament of Roses.

“Coming from a public school, I really didn’t know anyone and I was astounded at how welcoming and friendly everyone was,” Minissian said of her time at Alverno. “If it wasn’t for the philosophy that Alverno instills in us, I probably wouldn’t be as well-rounded and focused as I am today.”

Minissian attended Marshall Fundamental Elementary School in Pasadena before coming to Alverno.