Lauren Alinder

As the 2022 school year comes to an end, it is a tradition for BSM to name students who have achieved a 4.0 GPA the title of Valedictorian. This year, senior Lauren Allinder is among them for her exceptional academic performance.

For Lauren Alinder, the title of valedictorian had always been a goal for her that didn’t always come easy, and she also realized that at times there are more important things than her grades. “Valedictorian was definitely something that I always wanted to work towards but I wasn’t sure I could do it. I definitely worked really hard my freshman year because geometry was not my thing so I struggled in that class. However, eventually towards the end of junior and senior year I realized that there are more important things in life than grades so while it was something I wanted to maintain it wouldn’t have been the end of the world to get an A-,” Alinder said.

She is proud of her achieving this honor, and shows her growth as a student. “??For me this academic recognition just shows how far I’ve come as a student. A lot has changed for me since freshman year but being able to finally balance my mental health and grades is something that I’m super proud of,” Alinder said.

In her time at BSM, Alinder was active in extracurricular activities and sports but never allowed them to interfere with her academic accomplishments. “I played BSM and club volleyball up until junior year. I also am in several clubs like RKVC, medical club, and the science club. The clubs didn’t really affect my ability to maintain my grades but sometimes with longer practices the amount of time I had to do my homework was limited,” Alinder said.

Alinder’s hardest class came in her freshman year in the form of Honors Geometry. “Hands down my hardest class was honors geometry freshman year. My brain just doesn’t work like that so the concepts took awhile for me to learn. I spent almost every morning before school getting help on the homework so I could better understand it,” Alinder said.

Mrs. Belanger was Alinder’s favorite teacher at Benilde. “My favorite teacher is Mrs. Belanger. I had her for honors English freshman year and I have her again this year for Great American Novels. I love the way that she teaches and she’s got a high energy level that makes it easy to stay engaged during class. Not to mention I love reading so having her teach one of my favorite classes helped,” Alinder said.

Belanger also appreciated having Allinder in her class, with the unique insight and intelligence that she brought to her lessons. “Lauren Alinder is fiercely intelligent.  Her insight adds depth to our class discussions and her writing reveals a mature, perceptive voice ready for the world beyond these high school walls.  On top of that, her kindness and warmth have made teaching her a joy,” Belanger said.

As Alinder transitions from high school to college, the two things she’ll miss most are driving to school and having her sisters in the same school. “Honestly the thing I’ll miss most about BSM is the car rides on the way to school in the morning. Having my sisters at the same school has been really fun since I see them in the hallways and I have lunch with the middle one,” Alinder said.

Alinder will be attending Marquette University in Wisconsin next year. “I got into the nursing program and they have a new clinic simulation […] for students to practice their skills so I’m excited [to go there],” said Alinder.