Miss Petersen was recently named the school’s 2008 valedictorian, while Espinoza was named salutatorian.
“I would say that we’re friends,” said Miss Petersen, who has attended school with Espinoza since he moved to the district in sixth grade. “We joke around a lot when we’re around each other.”
“I don’t even know this girl,” said Espinoza, with a deadpan expression. “I’ve never met her before.”
Although they have a good time goofing on each other, together the pair should provide audience members with a powerful message, as the two have come a long way since their days at Travis Middle School.
“I’m probably going to keep things positive,” Miss Petersen said. “I want to talk about community service, and how every generation should strive to make things better for future generations.”
After belonging to more than 15 school organizations and extracurricular programs during her time at THS, Miss Petersen should have plenty to talk about. Miss Petersen has participated in clubs ranging from German Club, to the THS Thespians, to the school’s Polyfoniks show choir.
“Temple is such a diverse community,” Miss Petersen said. “This district is also very diverse. I’ve met a number of people from different backgrounds, and I think in the end, that will help me transition into college and the real world.
“I always wanted to be involved,” she said. “I think that a lot of students value numbers too much, with things like GPA (grade point average) and test scores, when their biggest concern should be about establishing their own identity.
“As I became more involved with things, I began to notice how important academics were,” said Ms. Petersen, a member of the National Honor Society, International Baccalaureate Association and National Merit Finalist. “I think that if you have a strong academic background, people respect you, and you can have a heavier influence on society.”
The last couple of weeks have been a mixture of emotions and excitement for Ms. Peterson, who will be attending Rice University in the fall, where she said she plans on studying environmental policy.
“It’s an emotional time for everyone,” said the teen who has attended numerous awards banquets. “I think maybe a couple years from now I’ll be looking back at everything I did and be more grateful. This whole process is a big transition in our lives and special time for everyone.”
Espinoza echoed Ms. Peterson’s sentiments.
“The last couple weeks have been like a rollercoaster that I want to ride until the end,” he said.
“I’m happy for everything to be over with, but at the same time, maybe in July, I’ll be saying to myself, ‘Wow, you’re not going back to high school in the fall’ Things are going to be a lot different. I know that, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Espinoza will be attending the University of Texas in the fall where he plans to study mechanical engineering.
He is a member of the National Honor Society, and has competed in THS’s band and jazz band programs, where he has captained the saxophone section, and participated in the school’s Brainstorm quiz team, Chess Club and Math Club.
“I think it’s always important to stay active,” said Espinoza, about the advice he’d give to underclassmen. “Do the necessary work to make yourself a better and more-rounded person.
“We’ve been provided with a number of excellent opportunities through this district with things like the IB (International Baccalaureate) program,” Espinoza said. “I’ve been blessed with regards to the programs they offer, and the depth of the education I’ve received.”
THS principal Jason Bullock, who served as Ms. Petersen’s and Espinoza’s IB history teacher during their junior year, said the duo has tremendous leadership abilities.
“They’re respected by their peers for their level of excellence in the classroom,” Bullock said. “Neither of them try to throw themselves in the limelight. They just take care of their business, and the other students look up to that.
“They’re definitely going to be missed,” he said. “I’m lucky for having the opportunity to teach them.”
When asked what they think they’ll be doing 10 years from now, neither student had a concrete answer. But their futures definitely seem bright.
“Hopefully, I’ll be employed,” joked Espinoza. “That’s the cool thing about being young - I have a little bit of leeway and time to decide what’s best for my future.”
“I have no clue what I’ll be doing down the road,” Ms. Petersen said. “Every time someone asks me about the future, I give them a different answer - maybe I’ll be working for a non-profit organization.”
Rounding out Temple High School’s Top 10 seniors are: Matthew Michael Rublee, Tyler Marcus Schneider, Mary Katherine Allen, Stephani Lynn Joseph, Nirali Sunil Mandalaywala, Diana Alejandra Acosta, Aaron Alan Struckmeyer and Nicole Loren Anderson.
International Baccalaureate Association (IB) diploma candidates are: Alyssa Aguillon, Mary Allen, Erin Ciceri, JK Fritz, Shawn Jezek, Stephanie Joseph, Caitlin MacFarlane, Nirali Mandalaywala, Kaetlyn Murdoch, Billy Pender, Rachael Petersen, Daniel Pinero, Claire Richardson, Matthew Rublee, Ryan Staten, Byron Stickney, Phillip Virseno and Kathleen Wellman.
