If someone would have told Julie Fornaciari in middle school–or even freshmen year–that she would be valedictorian, she would have told them to get a reality check.
“It’s pretty unreal,” said Fornaciari upon being named valedictorian.
Fornaciari can attribute her early success to her years in the Prep Academy, where she learned about teamwork. Her teachers were also able to help her learn who she was as a person and a student.
“They challenged me with more demanding classes,” Fornaciari said. “I was able to take the core freshman classes during my eighth grade year, and that prepared and allowed me to take the higher level math and science classes the rest of my high school career.”
However, Fornaciari was not alone. Her friend and co-salutatorian Peter Larson was with her every step of the way. Larson also went to Prep Academy and took the same classes as Fornaciari, and since then, the two have had just about every class together.
“We always had each other if we needed help. Our brains work differently, so we comprehend things in different ways. We always say that if we combined our brains we’d be unstoppable,” Fornaciari said jokingly.
Fornaciari also said that the good hearted competition between her and Larson helped her to strive to be a better person, whether in school or in life. “It’s that good hearted competition that makes me appreciate people and also myself for what we are good at.”
But, Larson wasn’t the only factor in helping Fornaciari earn her 4.46 record GPA.
“I have this weird obsession with overworking myself,” she said. Fornaciari is close to the definition of ‘overworking’, but that has in no way hindered her achievements in school. “I think I’m always afraid of letting someone down, whether it is a teacher, parent or even myself, so I push myself to do more than I can handle while still keeping my grades up and learning a lot.”
In addition to being dedicated to her school work, Fornaciari has been involved in many extracurricular activities at Noll, but the one where she has shined the most has been the Drama Club. Her junior and senior years, Fornaciari was treasurer and president of the club, and has participated in each production. Whether she is actint or on crew, she was there for every rehearsal, meeting and show; all of this was just an addition to her heavy workload
“I balanced drama and school with long nights, lots of coffee, and pimples,” she laughed. “But honestly, I really don’t know how I did it. I think because I was so dedicated to both I couldn’t bare to let either down. It definitely taught me how to manage my time proficiently.”
Fornaciari’s most memorable experience at Noll was when she was student director under Mrs. Conley for Romeo and Juliet her sophomore year. During the run of the Shakespeare classic, she was able to learn a great amount about herself and communication.
“It showed me that no matter what your age, you can work with people who are both younger and older than you and truly form a family with them,” she said.
Next year, Fornaciari will be attending University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, and she is going to major in biomedical engineering. “I knew I wanted to go into medicine because I love science and math. Biomedical engineering gives me the creative ability to develop new products and procedures, and my job would be different, not routine. Also, biomedical engineers developed the pacemaker, and that piece of medical equipment is currently keeping my grandfather alive,” she said. “I want to contribute something of that sort so not only my family can benefit, but to anyone so they can live a long life with their own families.”
Her parents are her biggest supporters, and she is thankful to have their faith, love, and trust in everything she does.
“They have allowed me to do my own thing in life, and they’ve backed me in everything I do,” Fornaciari said. “They have helped me up when I was down, and they’ve been angels to me. I am very grateful to have them in my life.”
Fornaciari’s mother, Lori, has had the most influence in her life. “She has been my role model since I was little; she’s my best friend and the one I’ll miss the most when I leave for college next year. My mom has allowed me to pursue my dreams and spread my wings, and because of that, I have grown into a person that I am proud to say is a reflection of both her and my dad as well.”
When asked what advice or wisdom she would give to other students, Fornaciari replied, “The most important thing you have to worry about is staying true to yourself. If you do this, you can do anything and still have fun during high school. Life is a balancing act between work and play, and whether you go with your heart or your gut, you’ll be just fine.”