If you see Grace in the hallway, say hi!
As voted Most Likely to be President by her peers, Grace Perdziola is an exemplary student who seeks to effect change at her school.
an outstanding 4.5 GPA, Grace remains an impressive Bethel Park student as a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), Ways and Means, Girls in Engineering, French Club, Pit Orchestra, and Environmental Club. Her peers describe her as “thoughtful” and “hard-working.”
When asked why she participates in so many activities, Grace said: “I joined the activities I am in because I wanted to make school life better for students. For SGA, I feel that I can find ways to make the school more enjoyable, not only for students but also for the staff members.”
Grace has organized many events for the school staff and students, including a period when she had students write thank-you letters to staff members and a student-staff secret Santa, which “was a great way to encourage positive student-staff relationships.”
For Ways and Means, she joined to make school more enjoyable for the students. “In past years, Ways and Means has been mainly a fundraising club for our class. Now that it is our senior year, I get to plan prom, which is a very exciting and fun task.”
One of her biggest achievements is becoming a key student in Bethel Park’s Girls in Engineering club. “I feel like recently, Girls in Engineering has become very important to me. Engineering is a very male-dominated field, so I think it is good to encourage young girls to pursue a career in STEM.”
“As I got older, I feel like I lost a lot of my creativity as I strived for perfect grades. Through the Girls in the Engineering Club, I want to continue to encourage younger girls to be creative and think outside of the box.”
For younger and upcoming students, Grace shared a bit of advice. “Just have fun,” she said. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. High school is just a small portion of your life. Don’t waste it striving for perfection. Spend your time trying new things.”
In her college studies, she wishes to study engineering. “At most of the colleges I applied to, they have a general first-year engineering program, and then I declare what type of engineering I want after my first year.” Specifically, she is leaning towards mechanical engineering, considering the University of Pittsburgh and Purdue University.
Good luck, Grace, and congratulations on all your achievements!
