Orléans-area high schools held their graduation ceremonies last week, celebrating the many accomplishments of the Class of 2024, including their respective Governor General’s Academic Medal recipients.

The Governor General’s Medal is given to students across the country who finish their high school academic career with the top over-all combined average in their school for Grades 11 and 12.

Brigitte Fletcher was the Governor General’s Academic Medal recipient at St. Matthew High School, where she achieved a combined average of 95.8 per cent.

Although she excelled in both science and math during the four years she has spent at St. Matthew, she wasn’t always a fan.

“I hated science when I was in Grade 7, but then I entered the STEM program in Grade 9 and it changed my philosophy,” says Brigitte.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She enrolled in the program at the suggestion of her Grade 7 science teacher Michael Flynn and credits him for setting out on a path towards a possible career in environmental science or other bio-related scientific field.

But first, Brigitte plans to go to Rome to study philosophy at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum.

By doing so, Brigitte will fulfill a dream to return to the country where she was born. Her parents, who are both from Alberta, went to Italy to study in the early 2000s and had Brigitte while they were there.

Several years ago, Brigitte began thinking about going to Italy to study and learn more about the country of her birth.

“I’m a Roman baby. I’ve always wanted to go back,” says Brigitte, who plans to return to Canada after her studies in Italy to continue her education here.

To that end, one of the reasons she strove to earn the highest marks possible was to qualify for admission scholarships whenever she does return.

When asked if she had any advice for others who want to get the highest marks possible in their final year of high school, Brigitte suggests they should be well organized and set their priorities accordingly.

Asif Rahman achieved the highest overall combined average at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School with a 95.19 per cent.

Like Brigitte, the Asif excelled in both math and sciences with a particular interest and passion for computers and computer programming. In fact, he spent last summer volunteering at a programming summer camp at Carleton University, where he helped kids develop their own computer programs.

According to Asif, one of the keys to his academic success was in maintaining a proper balance between school work and extracurricular activities. This past year, he was a member of the school’s Ultimate Frisbee and e-Sports teams, as well as the chess club.

“It really help-ed me ease my stress level,” says Asif. But when the time came to focus on his studies, he was committed to putting in whatever time he needed to do his assignments to the best of his ability and properly prepare for his tests and exams.

With his high school studies behind him, Asif plans to go to the University of Ottawa in the fall to study computer engineering.

The east end’s other Governor General’s Academic Medal recipients include Adwita Kashyap who achieved a 95.88 average at Cairine Wilson Secondary School, and Anthony Nguyen who earned a combined average of 98,5 at St. Peter High school.

The Governor General’s Academic Medal recipient at École secondaire publique Gisèle-Lalonde is Corina Carballo Maduro who achieved a combined overall average of 97 per cent while in the school’s International Baccalaureate program.

Maduro plans to attend the University of Ottawa in the fall to study bio-chemistry.
Her long-term plan is to pursue a career in either psychiatry or neurology.

In an interesting twist, the race for the Governor General’s Academic Medal at École secondaire catholique Garneau came down to twins Lara and Cedric Prud’homme.

While Lara admits to studying 30 to 50 hours a week, Cedric says he never kept track of his grades.

In the end, Cedric achieved an overall combined average of 96.17 per cent while Lara’s combined overall average for Grades 11 and 12 was 95.83 per cent.

The twins will be attending the University of Ottawa in the fall. Cédric plans to study communications and French letters with the potential of pursuing a teaching career, while Lara will pursue an accelerated double degree, consisting of a bachelor’s degree in physical activity sciences and a master’s degree in science and physiotherapy. Her ultimate goal is to one day become a physio-therapist.