Grace Agurcia finished the final test of a senior year she worked tirelessly through and could rest satisfied that – finally – there was nothing left to do in her high school career.
Well, it turns out there was one more thing to do.
“It was a big weight off my shoulders. It felt so good to not have to worry about doing anything anymore for a little while – other than writing a speech,” Agurcia said.
That speech was the result of Agurcia earning honors as Hahnville’s valedictorian for the Class of 2025. And that honor was in part the result of a commitment Agurcia made to herself at the end of her junior year.
“I decided last year that I wanted to go for this,” Agurcia said. “I took a lot of classes this year and put in a lot of work to make it happen. I wasn’t in talented art or theatre, so I knew I was at a bit of a disadvantage against the other students in the running for it – I knew I needed to stack up on extra classes.”
Agurcia balanced the extra time and work necessary to excel over that busy class schedule with a job outside of it, which she said was a challenge – but one she’s glad she took on.
Most of her days saw her return home from school, then going to work until 10 p.m. before getting her school work done – many days she got up a few hours early to finish that work before school began.
Hearing the news was a thrill.
“I was at work when I got the call from (Hahnville principal) Mr. (Jose) Gonzales,” said Agurcia. “At that point, I knew it was valedictorian or salutatorian … but when he told me, the best word I can use to describe it was exhilarating. It was just something I wanted and worked hard for, and it felt really good to know that the work paid off.”
Of course, it was exciting for her family as well to hear the big news.
“They were proud of me,” Agurcia said. “They always saw me working hard on my homework and they knew it was something I really went for.”
Agurcia has an eye on becoming a doctor one day. That journey begins at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, where she will major in chemistry.
She believes she has the tools to make a difference for others in the medical field.
“I think my work ethic and my determination are perfect for the process of becoming a doctor, and I also like the idea of learning basically everything about the human body and what can happen to it to help people,” Agurcia said.
As for advice Agurcia would give as to the keys to success in the classroom, she said it starts with attentiveness – focus during a lecture can go a long way, versus trying to catch up through reading or cramming later.
“I was always more successful when I really focused in,” she said.
Determination is another.
“I did it from my own determination,” Agurcia said. “I was never expected to do it, but I did based on how badly I wanted it.”
