St. Josephs top grads share more in common than alma mater
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Emily Zapalac and Valerie Gilliam were born on the same day in rooms next door to each other at DeTar Hospital. They both attended Trinity Academy and graduated from there in eighth grade as the top two students.
On Sunday, they will share one more thing: they will walk the stage together at St. Joseph High School’s graduation once again as the top two students. Although they will part to go to rival colleges, Zapalac, the valedictorian, and Gilliam, the salutatorian, said they will remain friends.
Q: What was your reaction when you found out you were valedictorian and salutatorian?
EZ: “I was nervous. We were worried we’d get passed up.”
VG: “Number three and four had really been trying.”
Q: What was your motivation for doing well in school?
EZ: “We’re both determined and stubborn if we want to do something. We’ll help each other. Valerie’s good at math and science, I’m good at history and English. We’ve always been close, GPA-wise. There’s only three-tenths of a point difference.”
VG: “That’s pretty dead on. We’ve always been there, not competing, but reminding each other of what we can do.”
Q: What’s your favorite thing about school?
EZ: “I like English.”
VG: “My favorite subject is calculus. And biology.”
Q: Who has been an inspiration for you to succeed?
EZ: “Our parents have been an inspiration. They’ve never pushed us too far.”
VG: “They encouraged us to succeed in whatever we do.”
Q: How does it feel to be graduating from high school?
VG: “It’s a relief. We’re both very independent.”
EZ: “Relief. At the beginning of the year, neither of us was completely ready, but now it’s time.”
Q: What is your graduation speech about?
VG: “Mine is about change, about moving out of high school and how our world is changing and how we have to deal with both.”
EZ: “It’s about what graduation means for us. Everything we do now is building towards our future and thinking on our own.”
Q: What do you plan to do after you graduate?
EZ: “I’m in the business school at the University of Texas at Austin. I’m either going to get my MBA or go to law school after that. I’m ready. There’s no way we’ll lose our friendship. We’ve known each other so long.”
VG: “I’m going to Texas A&M to major in biology. I’m still deciding between medical school to become a doctor or a nurse anesthetist. There’s things holding me back, but I’m ready to have a new experience. We’ll probably be taking a lot of the same courses our first year, so we’ll still be calling each other a lot.”
Q: What do you think you will remember most about high school?
VG: “I’ll remember that my math teacher, Mr. Pozzi, can draw a perfect circle. I’ll also remember how everyone has grown and changed.”
EZ: “I don’t know. I’ve really seen personal changes since freshman year. I’ll value how much I’ve grown up.”
Q: What advice do you have for other students?
VG: “Freshman year counts. If you try your first year, you can get ahead.”
EZ: “Get a good start. Then you can have fun when you get older.”
Pamela Bond is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6578 or pbond@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
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