Ranked fourth-highest in the Class of 2016, Kristen Austin is about to embark on a new adventure, with new professors, friends, and even a brand-new city. Before she gets there, here is a little bit about Kristen.
Kristen came from North Branford Intermediate School before landing here at Sacred Heart. When asked how she picked SHA, she responded, “Honestly, when I was looking around for high schools I was looking for the best and most challenging academics. After shadowing in several schools, I deemed SHA to be that place. Although I came here for academics, I was not expecting the amazing community that I am forever grateful for today.” Over the course of four years, she took the rigorous courses which became her favorites, such as AP Government, Honors Philosophy, Genetic Ethical Issues, and AP Calculus AB and BC, but she also formed close bonds with many girls  and made connections with teachers who inspired her to work so hard. All the Sacred Heart teachers from every department have shaped her into the young woman she is now, ranging from Mrs. Gniadek of the math department to history teacher Mr. Marino, as well as Mrs. Brown, Dr. Christophy, Mr. Bradley, Ms. Bass, and even a teacher from the early pre-SHA years, Mrs. Valentino, her 8th grade algebra teacher. As inherently understood by her rank, learning new material is a fulfilling task for Kristen.
Her memories and experiences were not strictly academic, however. Some of her favorites came senior year, such as “singing ‘Unwritten’” with my 121 senior sisters…or running through the halls screaming like a maniac,” which to her, was “pretty awesome.” Kristen has formed strong-bonds not only with teachers and kids, but also God and the Catholic faith. She explains, “SHA has definitely strengthened my faith! Before coming here, religion was sort of an extracurricular to me. Now, it is a huge part of who I am. SHA has strengthened my relationship with God and Mother Mary very much, especially after going on Kairos 6 in the fall.” Another extremely recent experience has become one of the most memorable for Kristen –the speech she delivered at Honors Convocation, which left goose-bumps on all the girls honored that night. She recalls, “It was so scary at first, but after I did it I was on cloud nine! I’ll never forget the applause after, it was a wonderful feeling. It was one of the best moments of my life so far.”
Sacred Heart has offered all the girls of the Class of 2016 a wealth of knowledge and faith to bring with them as they leave to pursue college academics. Kristen will be at Villanova University this fall as a member of the Honors Program. There she will continue her love of learning as she majors in mathematics and minors in business. As she leaves her legacy at SHA, she offers one last word to describe her past four years: life-changing.
Good luck to Kristen and her entire class! You made it!