Schools

Salutatorian 'Appreciates' What She Learned at Butler High School

Chen reflects on the past and how it has shaped her future.

Min Chen, a senior at , came very close to having an honor few students receive. She almost had a blown up photo of her running track framed and hung in the office of high school principal Martin Wall.

Instead, Wall gave Chen the photo and joked she could hang it in her dorm room, when she attends Vassar College to major in Biochemistry, in the fall. The photo shows Chen in action, determination on her face and passion in her figure.

Chen was a little embarrassed of the photo at first, but perhaps Wall had chosen it to hang in his office because it embodies the sense of achievment all high school students should strive for. And because Chen worked hard, as in the photo, her entire high school career, she has been chosen as the Butler High School Class of 2012 salutatorian.

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Chen will address her fellow classmates, family members and friends immediately after at Monday night's Butler High School commencement ceremony.

The 18-year-old reflected on her time at the school and, like McConville, said sports and her involvement in them have truly shaped her high school career. Chen has run cross country (her favorite high school sport), played soccer, basketball and participated in both winter and spring track. Through participating in sports, she learned discipline and how to budget her time.

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"I think it actually helped me plan better," she said. "Being a part of sports, it helps you learn being persistent."

Additionally, Chen was a member of the Jerseymen Club, the Key Club and the Math League and Science League.

Chen said her workload, at times, was a challenge, coming home from school practices and being faced with hours of homework despite being exhausted. But being able to push through and succeed in school makes her proud. Chen did well in several AP courses, as well and, in particular, feels that she learned the most from AP History.

"Being on the AP level, I feel like it made me appreciate it more," she said.

Chen said one of her teachers, Ryan Groeger, inspired her to enjoy English class. Chen said Groeger would have the students write on a daily basis, compiling their work and later sharing their compilations to help demonstrate how they have advanced.

"I think his way of teaching made others want to do better in his class," she said.

One of Chen's most memorable moments in high school was not necessarily a happy one, but one she laughs about now. Her sophomore year, during a cold November, her cross county practice was held outside in sleeting weather, but she remembers her coaches driving behind the runners, sipping on hot chocolate.

"I just remember thinking how numb I was," Chen said.

Chen said her speech will be about the past and how many major events her class has been through together, including 9/11, when the seniors were in second grade. But through events big and small, Chen said she is happy her class was able to come together like a family.

"Being a small school, you know everyone," she said.


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