Best wishes to Veronica Wolnicki, Valedictorian, and Dorian Tomaras, Salutatorian, of the Monroe-Woodbury High School Class of 2025. Get to know more about Veronica and Dorian as they share their experiences at M-W, advice for younger students and plans for the future. Hats off to our Valedictorian and Salutatorian!🎓⭐️💜
Introducing Veronica Wolnicki, Valedictorian, MWHS Class of 2025
Q: What will you do next?
A: I will be furthering my education at Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY. I will study mathematics.
Q: What activities are you involved in at M-W?
A: Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Indoor Track & Field, Varsity Outdoor Track & Field, LEAD Mentor, National Spanish Honor Society Treasurer, National Math Honor Society
Q: What awards/recognitions have you received?
A: AP Scholar Award, Scholar Athlete Award, JSHS Regional Finalist, Spanish Seal of Biliteracy
Q: Favorite memory of your time at M-W:
A: My favorite memories are going on overnight trips for meets with my team and spending time with my friends as I achieved personal bests. They were always a fun break from the regular school day and brought me a lot closer with my teammates.
Q: How has M-W helped prepare for your future path?
A: M-W has given me the opportunity to take a multitude of college courses right here in the high school. The exposure to a variety of different topics has helped me narrow down what I want to study in the future, while still giving me a solid background in subjects I am not as interested in. M-W has also taught me determination, and that with enough hard work, you can achieve any of your goals, something essential to know as I pursue higher education.
Q: In 10 years, I hope I am…
A: somebody present me would be proud of. I hope to have a steady job in the math field, a family, and many incredible accomplishments to look back on.
Q: Advice for younger students:
A: Don't obsess over your mistakes and failures. Everyone has failed a test or performed poorly or messed something up at some point in their lives, but it does not define you. What's more important is addressing what went wrong, accepting it, and moving on. It is okay to not be perfect all the time.
Q: Who would you like to thank?
A: I'd like to thank my parents, for always supporting me no matter what and always waking up early to take me to various sports events and competitions. My teachers, for making class interesting and inviting me to learn more. My coaches, for pushing me to go out of my comfort zone and push myself to new limits. Lastly, I'd like to thank my friends for always being there for me and making this school more than just a place to learn.
Introducing Dorian Tomaras, Salutatorian, MWHS Class of 2025
Q: What will you do next?
A: I will study Humanities, the Arts and Social Thought at Bard College Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Q: What activities are you involved in at M-W?
A: I am a copy editor for Pendragon, captain for the Math Team, and a member of the Spanish Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and National Honor Society. I'm also a five-credit Art Major.
Q: What awards/recognitions have you received?
A: Finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, recipient of the Bard College Berlin Scholarship in Aesthetics, AP Scholar with Honor Award, and C.V. Associates NY Academic Achievement Scholarship
Q: What is your favorite memory of your time at M-W?
A: I loved participating in the Art Show as a senior art major! I loved being able to answer questions about my pieces and have a full grid of my work on display; all of my fellow art majors had truly gorgeous and outstanding displays, and I had so many lovely conversations about art.
Q: How has M-W helped prepare for your future path?
A: M-W has provided me with the mentorship I needed to truly succeed. The teachers I've interacted with over the years have introduced me to topics I'm passionate about and have provided me with opportunities to explore my interests in depth. Many of these teachers have introduced me to subjects I would like to explore in the future and possible future career paths and have acted as mentors and role models. So many of the people I've met at MW, from my friends to the librarians, have been truly supportive and provided me with a warm and welcoming environment.
Q: In 10 years, I hope I am…
A: in grad school, working towards a doctorate in History!
Q: Advice for younger students:
A: My advice for younger students is to take time for self-care. It's important to keep striving towards your dreams, but you also need to take care of yourself so stress doesn't take over. Also, please join clubs! Every club community I joined has been very welcoming; you'll discover so many new passions and meet so many new friends by exploring M-W's extracurriculars.
Q: Who would you like to thank?
A: I would like to thank Mr. Filie for his mentorship and guidance over the years, the librarians for making the library a safe haven for me, and Ms. Pesce for having supported me and provided me with the advice I needed to flourish as an artist. I would also like to thank Ms. Bogart-Schmidt, Mr. Lee, and Ms. Rosenfeld for having made my high school experience truly memorable.