With the 2015-2016 school year coming to a close, many students seek to celebrate the successes of their fellow classmates during Honors Convocation and Graduation. The Top Five students represent the goals of the SHA community, as these students have attained the highest level of academic achievement while being true to the school’s core values. Mitali Banerjee was one of these high-ranking seniors, coming in fifth place. She was given the honor of speaking at the Honors Convocation.
Mitali will be attending the University of Connecticut in the fall and majoring in physiology and neurobiology on the pre-medical track. She is very excited to explore this new chapter in her life.
When asked about the teachers and classes that have impacted her the most, Mitali mentioned Mrs. Gniadek and Sr. Mary Jane’s Honors Biotech class. From Mrs. Gniadek, whom she had for three years, Mitali learned to always have grit, the determination to accomplish one’s goals despite the challenges they may face. The Honors Biotech class gave her the opportunity to work as part of a research team and use a gene sequencer which she says, “was an amazing educational experience that I will never forget.” These classes only serve to show Mitali’s “grit.” Throughout her time at Sacred Heart, Mitali has made sure to push herself to her limits by taking a myriad of challenging courses including many Advanced Placement classes. Her dedication and success in these courses have earned one of the coveted spots in the Top Five of the Class of 2016.
During her years at Sacred Heart, Mitali has learned how to balance work and free time, a skill vital to the sanity of SHA students. One of Mitali’s helpful tips is to be organized in her homework schedule so she can plan for everything as, “It’s hard to balance everything all the time, but I try to do the best I can.” She makes use of her calendar to keep track of deadlines and add in some fun things. The balance of work and play is a difficult one to strike, but it surely is one of the reasons behind Mitali’s achievements. Through lots of hard work, she was able to enjoy her free time even more. Her advice to current students is to appreciate our time at SHA because the “stress about assignments and tests are temporary, your memories will last forever.” Those are wise words to remember the next time you are feeling overwhelmed.
After four years of taking part in something, that thing becomes a part of you, just as Sacred Heart becomes a part of any person who is educated within its halls. Sacred Heart is full of traditions like the May Crowning, Spirit Week, and Senior Day. Even though we may complain about it from time to time, we all feel some kind of attachment to and appreciation for the school. Everyone may miss something different when their time to move on comes. Mitali will miss SHA’s sense of community the most, something she finds especially unique. She said, “The students and teachers and other faculty and staff are truly part of one big family.” The thing about family is that people can move away and the family can grow to include new people, but it will always stay connected.
While Mitali’s time to move away from her SHA family has come, she will always be welcomed back heartily. Students remember her as “kind, friendly, smart” and, “one of the most genuine people you will ever meet,” traits that I’m sure will lead her to further success. Mitali, you will be missed at Sacred Heart. Good luck in all that you do!