Faith Thomas, Danbury High School
With a 4.8 GPA, Faith Thomas secured her spot at the top of her class. A member of Danbury High School’s math, music, social studies and science honor societies, Thomas also excels in history, receiving recognition from U. S. Rep. Jahana Hayes for her entries to National History Day. Next year, she heads to the University of Connecticut.
Q: What life lessons stand out most to you over the past few months? A:
It’s really difficult to put into words everything I have learned over the past few months. However, I think the life lesson that stands out the most is to enjoy the moment. Because we were all so focused on future events that would come with the end of senior year, we overlooked what we did have: Senior Fest, Winter Concerts, Inductions, etc. I know we didn’t get the graduation we all worked so hard for, but our grade got a car parade, teachers dancing at our cap- and- gown pickup, and a three- day ceremony. No other year has gotten all of this, which proves that we can turn our obstacles into opportunities. We can choose to live in regret of what we could not have, or we can choose to appreciate all the blessings we do have.
Q: What’s something that people get wrong about you and your classmates based on your age? A:
I think the greatest misconception about me and my classmates is that we are very lazy and overly obsessed with our phones. Although there is some merit to these claims, I have to say that we are not lazy, but we may prioritize differently than older generations. Our experience with technology allowed us to thrive during quarantine and distance learning. In fact, plenty of seniors managed to keep their clubs and societies active even during a global pandemic. We are not a class that passively sits back and waits to see what will happen, but we are a class that speaks up and advocates for change, both in our school and in the community.
Q: What will you miss most about your hometown and Connecticut? And do you most look forward to? A:
I’m not leaving Connecticut yet, but I definitely will miss my time growing up in Danbury. I think I will honestly miss the people the most. I will miss my friends, classmates, teachers, and everyone who I could not say a proper goodbye to. Most of all, I think I will miss Danbury’s diversity and the sense of family that you feel in our community. Danbury is so large that you always found a place that fits your interests. I’ll miss even the basic things like someone holding the door open for you between passing time and the insane outfits during Spirit Week. I think I’ll miss everything a little more than I would have because everything was abruptly cut short.