When the phone call came that let Korinne Bourgeois know she was Hahnville High School’s valedictorian, she was overcome by emotion.
“I wanted it ever since my first day of high school. It really felt like a full circle moment. I knew I was in the running for either Sal or Val … when I got the call, I kept telling myself I wasn’t gonna cry, I wasn’t gonna cry, but the moment he told me I just started sobbing. It was this thing I always wanted and it came to fruition,” Bourgeois said.
As she alluded to, this was something she set her mind to as she began her high school journey. She’d long been a strong student, and Bourgeois wanted to push herself.
“I felt like academics was always my strongest point, and valedictorian is the pinnacle of academic achievement, so that’s what drew me to it,” Bourgeois said.
Her parents were likewise excited by the news.
“They were both very proud,” Bourgeois said. “My dad, especially – he had a tough upbringing, and he told me that if 20 years ago you had told him that his daughter was going to be the valedictorian, he would have never believed it.”
She’s headed to Nicholls State University and plans to study biology and become a pre-dental student, with an eye on one day perhaps becoming an orthodontist.
“Throughout my entire time in high school I was always between wanting to be a doctor or a dentist … I think the dental field, you get to be a doctor but you still maintain a work-life balance,” said Bourgeois.
To earn valedictorian, Bourgeois said organization went a long way.
“You have to be very disciplined, very planned … you do end up sacrificing some of the social aspects of high school,” Bourgeois said. “I studied a lot. I don’t think there was a single quiz I didn’t study for. I spent so much of my time making flash cards and taking extra classes.”
On the latter point, taking on extra courses also helped the cause, and Bourgeois said that she’d advise any students entering high school who aspire for va
ledictorian or salutatorian to explore that route early.
“You want to start taking those classes early so you’re not doing it all in your senior year. Definitely space it out,” Bourgeois said.
Among her extracurricular interests at Hahnville, Bourgeois has a love for art.
“When I was 10 years old, one of my friends was in talented art, and I kind of knew, OK, that’s what I want to do,” Bourgeois said. “I thought it was so cool and I wanted to create stuff. I trained for a whole year trying to get into talented art. I definitely love art. I do a lot of pencil work.”
She was also part of the Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy at Hahnville, where she took part in several volunteer projects.
Another favorite activity of hers was Swamp School.
“That was one of my biggest passions throughout high school,” Bourgeois said. “I adored that and everything it stands for, saving the environment.”
Bourgeois was also a member of the Hahnville choir, InterACT and Beta Club.
Bourgeois earned Summa Cum Laude status, highest AP history GPA, the ACT Award, Dow Outstanding Scholastic Achievement four times, English Leap Perfect 850 Award and AP Scholar with Honor Award.
