Meet Michael Padulsky, Salutatorian and President of the WMHS Class of 2011

At WMHS graduation this afternoon, Michael Padulsky will wear two hats. He is both salutatorian, second in his class, and president of the Class of 2011.

Academically, Padulsky took five advanced placement courses this year:  biology, Spanish, calculus, English and human geography. He took some AP courses in prior years, he noted.

Michael comes from a line of high academic achievers. His sister, Kristen, was fifth in her WHS class in 2004, he said. His brother, Tim, was valedictorian of his class in ’05. His brother, Stephen, was fourth in his class in ’08.

“We just kind of wanted to (achieve academically)," he said.

The son of Mary and Robert Padulsky started his career in the Woburn public schools in second grade. He was home-schooled before that, he said. One of his memories of his at-home schooling, he recalled, was getting up early one morning with his brother to finish their schoolwork so they would have the rest of the day off. It didn’t work. As Padulsky remembers, their mother gave them more work.

Because he wanted to get more involved in his WMHS class, Padulsky ran for class president junior year—and won. He won again this year.

“It was a challenge,” he said, "something I thought I’d be good at.”

One of Padulsky’s memories of his time at WMHS is the different personalities of his classmates.

“We all came together,” he said.

At school, outside of classes, Padulsky has been a member of the Interact Club since his freshman year. The club gets the student body to come together, and for community service, he explained.  His siblings got him involved in that organization. He was particularly involved in the Giving Camp for people with disabilities, he said.

Like his three siblings, Michael is headed to Boston College. He plans to study pre-med biology, he explained Thursday morning, sitting in his kitchen in an uncharacteristically quiet moment.

One family event reinforced his interest in medicine. In 2008, in September, Michael’s brother, Tim, died from leukemia. The whole family was affected by the medical world, Michael said. He’s considering becoming a medical researcher or perhaps a pediatric oncologist. His sister, he said, is a nurse practitioner at Tufts Medical Center.

At BC, he said he’ll probably be active in the club his brother, Stephen, started, after Tim died: CAST, the acronym for Cancer Affects Siblings, Too.

When he heads for BC, he’ll leave the family’s teacup Yorkie, Mit—that’s Tim backwards—at home.

Even though classes have ended, Padulsky has been busy the past week.

Three days ago, he attended scholarship night at the high school, when awards and scholarships are presented.

Two days ago, he addressed the Junior Honor Society at the Joyce Middle School.

He planned to tell them to get involved in clubs, sports, academic clubs. They’re good ways to make friends and develop skills and offer community service, he elaborated.

In his graduation speech, Padulsky said he’d thank people who have helped the Class of 2011.

In his free time, Michael hangs out with friends. They enjoy “scary movie nights” and $6 Tuesdays at the Woburn Cinema.

This summer, Michael will work as a lifeguard for the third year.

After graduation, he’ll have a few days of rest and relaxation. Then, on June 12, he’s off to BC for freshman orientation.