NHS’s Top Two Students To Attend Princeton—

Great Graduating Minds Of Gretchen Hoffmann & Judith Carnali Think Alike

By Eliza Hallabeck

New Jersey is soon to be the home away from home of Newtown High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 2009. Gretchen Hoffmann, the valedictorian, and Judith Carnali, the salutatorian, will both be attending Princeton University in the fall, but first comes graduation on June 25.

After Gretchen learned she is the valedictorian of her graduating class, “I came home and told my mom about it right away,” she said.

Gretchen and Judith were called to NHS Principal Charles Dumais’ office to learn of their exceptional placement in class rank.

“The two of us have been in the same math class for all four years,” said Gretchen.

Judith said reaching salutatorian status meant studying and doing her homework.

“I think it takes dedication,” Judith said, “but I don’t think that Gretchen or I have missed anything.”

Judith said she plans to study chemical engineering, while Gretchen said she plans to study molecular biology.

Gretchen and Judith were recognized for their accomplishments at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 5.

“It’s nice to have someone that I am kind of close with to share this with,” said Gretchen, who also said she is excited to start attending Princeton in the fall. When she was applying to colleges, she sent out applications to ten schools.

“I was looking for a school with a strong liberal arts base,” Gretchen said, because she also dances. At Princeton University, she plans to look into the option of having dance as her minor.

Gretchen works as a dance teacher at Dance Etc on Mt Pleasant Road, and she is also a member of its dance team. Tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, modern, point, and hip hop are types of dances she enjoys.

This summer, she said, will also be her third summer working for Ferris Acres Creamery on Sugar Street. “It’s a really nice place to work.”

Collectively, Gretchen said, all of high school has gone quickly, and she can remember going through freshman orientation like it was a second ago.

“Now that everything is kind of winding down, it feels like it is not going to end,” said Gretchen.

Looking back on her time in school, she said it was the small moments with friends that she thinks of fondly.

And for prospective NHS students, Gretchen said, “I’d tell them it is not as big as it feels. Definitely get to know your teachers.”

An editor-in-chief of NHS’s Hawkeye, Gretchen said her teacher David Kimball has been one of the teachers to stand out for her, along with English teacher Elizabeth Hanna and science teacher Susan McConnell.

The four years do fly, she said, so “put school first, but not as the only thing on your plate.”

Judith said one of her favorite classes in school has been Advance Placement Chemistry with teacher Denise Mendoza. She said she also enjoyed her Advance Placement English course, and science teacher Christian Canfield has been a big help.

 “I also liked calculus this year,” said Judith. “It feels like college, because you get what you put into it.”

Judith has been a member of the school’s track team, and for work she has been babysitting for two families.

“I think it is important to start at the highest level course that you can,” Judith said, “and to not be afraid to double up or take higher level courses. Because they are all doable.”

The field of chemical engineering, Judith said, will help her get a certificate in renewable resources.

“I think it is annoying that we have not found anything better yet,” Judith said, “and I think there is a lot to be done in the field of renewable energy.”

Judith and her family moved to Newtown from Pequannock, N.J., a town smaller than Newtown, and Judith’s first day in the school district was also her first day of her freshman year of high school.

The day before school was nerve-wracking, she said.

“I was scared like no other,” explained Judith. But when she attended school the next day, “I found everyone to be really accepting and that made it a lot more bearable than I thought it was going to be.”

Now Judith says she is excited to begin attending Princeton University in the fall, and be a part of all the traditions that go along with the prestigious school.