During the 2023-2024 school year on Feb. 28, three students were awarded the title of Salutatorian, announced by Bonita Vista High (BVH) Principal Lee Romero. Senior Jonathan Enriquez was one of the three seniors awarded this title, holding the second highest Grade Point Average (GPA) in the 2024 senior class at 4.62.
“J. Enriquez has always been a young man and very dedicated to his education. He started taking International Baccalaureate (IB) classes in his sophomore year. Especially this year, I saw him more dedicated to meeting his academic goals,” J. Enriquez’s mother, Lizbeth Enriquez said.
Enriquez is viewed by teachers, family and classmates as a very determined person in his academics. Part of this is derived from his participation in the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program. Taking six challenging and weighted classes helps raise his GPA. J. Enriquez shares what his initial reaction was when receiving this award.
“I was surprised because Principal Lee Romero walked into my chemistry class with my parents and had a banner with them. It was nice to have my parents there as they kept [the announcement] a surprise for me,” J. Enriquez said.
Enriquez was shocked to receive this award since he didn’t expect to be in the running for Salutatorian. L. Enriquez expresses her admiration for her son, explaining that J. Enriquez has always been ambitious even from a young age.
“As his mother I feel extremely proud of him. I have always looked at all the effort he has put into his education. Since he was a child, I could see how dedicated he was. Since elementary school he has always obtained recognition for his high academic level,” L. Enriquez said.
One of the most prominent qualities J. Enriquez possesses is his unconditional kindness. Theory of Knowledge, IB English HL 1 and Robotics club advisor Jason Good shares his input on J. Enriquez and why he believes J. Enriquez deserves the title of Salutatorian.
“He’s careful, mindful and he’s nice. He’s not a jerk, so I think that’s an important trait for our Salutatorians or Valedictorians. They have to be kind students that other students get along with and Jonathan is absolutely the type of kid that I call on or go to in class,” Good said.
Even though J. Enriquez is a good student example, he too faced challenges during his senior year including senioritis—a sudden drop in motivation or performance for students—and time management. Between school, homework and the stressful preparation for college, there were a variety of difficulties J. Enriquez encountered.
“This year specifically, it’s mostly senioritis. It’s that little hint of laziness starts poking through, especially in your second semester when the Internal Assessments are due. It’s kind of hard, but you have to keep going, “ J. Enriquez said.
As a senior with various responsibilities, it is common for students to feel burnt out towards the end of the year. Despite this, L. Enriquez believes that her son exemplifies what a salutatorian should be.
“J. Enriquez can achieve anything he sets his mind to. I always tell him ‘You’re smart, you’re blessed, you can do anything!’ and I’m sure he believes in this. His dad always reminds him ‘The sky’s the limit,’” L. Enriquez said.
Enriquez’s parents continue to remind him that he has their full support especially when it comes to prioritizing his academics. As J. Enriquez’s senior year comes to an end, he strongly encourages kids to persevere and not give up even though things might seem difficult.
“At first it might seem scary taking IB classes, because in sophomore year they made it seem that way. Although the workload can be hard, you do learn a lot and it does help you prepare for college. Although the light is at the end of the tunnel, and it seems far away, the journey is worth it,” J. Enriquez said.
