When we think of valedictorians, we think of high performing students with straight A’s and a 4.0 gpa. However, Danbury’s recipient this year is so much more. You may know her as the National Honor Society President, the Math Team President, or just a kind, friendly face. Either way, Hope Thomas is the perfect role model for all students. 

Following in the footsteps of her older sister Faith, Hope Thomas is the valedictorian of the 2023 school year. With her clever mind and lighthearted spirit, there was no doubt that Thomas would receive such an achievement. She is a determined student with a learning ability like no other. Time and time again, Thomas has proved herself and rose above any difficult situations when it came to school. Like most students, there was a point in time where Thomas felt discouraged and wanted to give up. “Whenever I feel unmotivated, I remind myself of my long term goals and it encourages me to continue working hard [even when I didn’t want to],” states Thomas.

In addition, Thomas has had such a positive impact on many classmates and teachers. One of her friends, Abigail Abraham said, “One of my favorite memories with Hope was making a video for our AP Lit class where we had to recreate a scene from Macbeth. It ended up falling on a really stressful week during our junior year and I remember going into that day super stressed. But after all the laughs we had making that video, and seeing how well it turned out, I felt so much better and it became something we still laugh at!” Mario Fuentes, a journalist from Hatters Herald, declared, “Hope is the nicest person I have ever met. I seriously don’t know how someone could be that nice.” Her older sisters, who are her biggest supporters, have helped shape her into the exceptional student and person that she is. 

When her friend congratulated her on being valedictorian in class, Thomas could not believe it. Attending a school as largely populated as DHS fosters competitiveness with just as intelligent and talented students. Walking into freshman year, Thomas didn’t even think it was possible to be valedictorian. However, Mr.Coletti, her English teacher, says otherwise. “There’s this thing with Hope, she’s almost self aware. Being the student that she is, valedictorian was always something she was aware of. She’s never the first person to shout out an answer, she’s the person to give everyone else an opportunity to speak. I would say she is a very respectful, kind, polite, friendly, and confident person without arrogance. She’s a really cool person to get to know.” Thomas was always inspired during Mr.Coletti’s AP Literature and Composition class. She explained how it was one of the most important and helpful classes she took throughout her years at DHS. 

With the above and beyond activities Thomas has participated in, she is indeed a cool person. Besides being President of National Honor Society, Music Honor Society, Math Team, Christian Club, and Secretary of Math Honor Society, she is very involved with her church. She sings and runs social media accounts for various organizations. When she was younger, she visited Guyana with her church and conducted medical camps for orphanages. 

Even as a kid, Thomas has always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. While she had her mind set on the University of Connecticut, she will be attending Cornell University to study Government and is pursuing a career in law. “I know I couldn’t have ended up here on my own. I’m thankful for my family who has supported me throughout everything, and most importantly, God for His goodness in my life!” Congratulations! DHS can’t wait to see what Thomas accomplishes in her future!