Top Westwood High School Students Say Graduation Will Be 'Bittersweet'

Graduating high school at the top of the class is an accomplishment that two local students are proud to have achieved.

Michael Rocca of Westwood, the valedictorian for the class of 2011 and Samantha Frazza of Washington Township, the salutatorian, both plan to pursue medicine in college and hope to attend medical school after that.

Rocca, who will be attending Johns Hopkins University in the fall, said he wants to pursue sports medicine and maybe become a team physician. Frazza will go to the University of Richmond in the fall in the premed program.

Both students, who have been in many of the same classes and extracurricular activities, said they are excited to start a new chapter of their lives but will miss high school and their friends.

"I had a great high school experience and I'm really going to miss everyone," Frazza said. "It will never be the same. We'll never get this back ever. That's what makes me most sad."

Rocca said he has mixed feelings. "I think it's just a real bittersweet kind of thing," he said. "It's exciting to be able to start the next part of your life, but then again all these memories and great things from high school are over. All you have is your yearbook to look back in."

Both Rocca and Frazza have been very involved in high school activities. Rocca was a varsity football player and received a track varsity letter. He received the NJSIAA scholar athlete scholarship. He was also a member of Heroes and Cool Kids, Peer Pals, National Honor Society and the Academic Decathalon Team.

Frazza was a varsity cheerleader all four years of high school and also coached cheerleading for the Falcons in Washington Township. She was a member of Heroes and Cool Kids, Peer Pals, the Math Team, Interact Club and the Academic Decathalon Team. She was also vice president of the National Honor Society and the pupil representative for the . In addition, Frazza worked at the Wyckoff Dairy Queen and was a chiropractic assistant at .

Both students said their involvement in sports was a highlight of their high school career.

"Football's been my life since I was really young," Rocca said. "The culmination of it all is being able to go to Johns Hopkins and play football and know that my smarts paid off to get there too."

Frazza said cheerleading was fun for her because of the bonds. "The cheerleading team is one of the closest teams here," she said. "We all love each other and have a great time."

With a full schedule of AP classes, sports practices and extracurricular activities, excelling academically isn't a given. But Frazza and Rocca both said they find the time to buckle down and do their work.

Frazza said she uses her planner extensively and even wrote her college essay on the subject. "My planner is the only thing that keeps me sane," she said. She added that she doesn't procrastinate, as many of her peers do.

Rocca said he doesn't use a planner like Frazza, but he makes sure he keeps track of deadlines. "It's making sure you don't fall behind on anything," he said.

As is tradition, Rocca will give a speech at graduation Thursday. Without giving too much away, he said it will be "a lot about where we came from and where we can go from here."

Frazza gave a speech at senior awards night earlier this month. She focused on how members of the senior class deserved awards.

"We are one of the few classes in the past couple years who really do have a great grade and every kid is on a good path," Frazza said.

Rocca agreed. "We are a special class of kids," he said.

They were both honored during senior awards night. Rocca received the Athletic Booster Association Scholarship, the National Honor Society Scholarship, the Physics Award and the BCCA Multi Sport Award. Frazza received the Golden Seniors of the Township of Washington Scholarship and the Contemporary Woman's Club of Washington Township Scholarship.

While the pair will miss seeing their high school classmates and friends on a regular basis, they know it's time to move forward.

"You're destined to make new friends and you're going to find your way," Rocca said. "As sad as it is, you may lose friends but you're going to gain some too."