St. Luke's Names Valedictorian & Salutatorian

St. Luke’s, a secular private school for grades 5-12, named Ajit Akole Valedictorian and Kristen Beaumonte Salutatorian of the Class of 2018. This fall, Akole will attend Columbia University and Beaumonte will attend the University of Notre Dame. (See where all our graduates are headed)

Head of School Mark Davis introduced Akole: “Ajit has been the consummate student since his earliest days here as a fifth grader. But let’s forget for a moment his 4.44 GPA, or that he sat for eight AP exams before his senior year (earning 5s on all of them), or that he earned As in high school biology, math and French...as an 8th grader, or that he won the Harvard Book Prize last year in addition to being one of the most decorated St. Luke’s scholars in recent memory, or that he co-edited the literary magazine, or that he fulfilled roughly a third of a college chemistry major in high school while doing a brilliant STEM Scholars project or that he played varsity soccer and melodious saxophone solos for the Jazz Band. Let’s put all of that aside, for what people will remember about Ajit are his humility, his kindness and his desire to do good in the world.”

Akole told his classmates: “The set of steps we each now take from today will be unique, the only bond we hold will be our alma mater. But this journey we pursue will be authentically ours, we will form our own guide, our own path to the future. In a world in which it can seem the actions of leaders are being guided by others, I urge you all to lead based on your own compass, to follow the steps you view to be right...We will fail—that is guaranteed. But in pursuing the steps we believe, success will chase us.”

Davis introduced Beaumonte as “a rare renaissance person.” He went on to say: “She’s an exceptionally strong student who excels in the sciences, languages, arts and humanities; she’s an athlete and a thespian; she’s a volunteer and club leader. Her finely-oriented moral compass always pointed her toward justice and a commitment to doing what’s right... Blending her powerful mind with a huge heart and instinct for mentorship, Kristen has enriched St. Luke’s and the lives of all who know her.”

Beaumonte told her classmates to stay connected as they head out on their next journeys: “We are facing an unknown future, the moment that none of us thought would ever come is here. It’s hard, scary even, to leave something familiar to take on something completely new- but we’re all taking this step together as the Class of 2018, so we can continue to support each other for the next four years. And I think each of us will take a little bit of St. Luke’s with us on the journey ahead.”

St. Luke's is a secular private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5-12. St. Luke's mission is an exceptional education that inspires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead. St. Luke's Center for Leadership advances our mission by helping students develop exceptional leadership ability. Visit today.