West Roxbury and Roslindale Students Named Valedictorians

There are several Parkway residents among the Boston Public Schools valedictorians this year. 

On Tuesday, 34 valedictorians for the 2012 class for BPS schools, where honored by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Boston School Committee Chair Rev. Dr. Gregory Groover, Sr., Superintendent Carol Johnson, headmasters and proud family members. The Boston Harbor Hotel hosted a luncheon for students and their families, for the 14th year BPS has held a valedictorian luncheon celebrating the top graduate of every Boston public high school.

The 34 students are spreadout throughout Boston neighborhoods and are attending some of the finest schools in the world, including: Harvard University, Holy Cross, Smith College, and Boston University.

Fifteen of the students were born outside of the US, coming from Albania, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Morocco, Nigeria, and Malaysia, according to Boston Public Schools.

“These students are helping to set the record straight,” said Dr. Johnson. “There are those that will say urban public education doesn’t, and can’t, work. These students shatter that perception and will proudly demonstrate that to the world with every step they take from this day forward.”
 
Kisaira Cabrera, the valedictorian from Boston International High School, was chosen as the student speaker and shared the story of her journey from the Dominican Republic to Boston. Merely three years ago she arrived in Boston not speaking any English, and is now graduating at the top of her class. She plans on attending Regis College in the fall.

The following is a list of Boston Public Schools valedictorians associated with West Roxbury (see the attached PDF for the full list):

• Boston Latin School - West Roxbury's Anumita Das, will attend Harvard University
• McKinley Preparatory H.S. - West Roxbury's Anthony Riopelle, will attend Bunker Hill CC
• Urban Science Academy - Yohanny Medina Herrera of Dorcester, is undecided; co-valedictorian Hang Nguyen of Dorchester, will attend Curry College
• West Roxbury Academy - Francesca Y. Gonzalez of Dorchester, will attend Stonehill College; co-valedictorian Lena Yee of Dorchester, will attend Bridgewater State University