In honor of their 50th Reunion, Wolfson High School Class of 1969 created the
 Leaders of the Pack Scholarship Fund.

Their vision was to set a precedent that would be continued by subsequent Wolfson classes for their 50th reunions.

So the Class of 1970 had been challenged and we accepted!

On Friday, June 19th we were able to witness the Samuel W. Wolfson Class of 2020 come and step back onto the Wolfson campus for the first time since this pandemic started. They were there to pick up their cap and gowns because they have planned to have a graduation ceremony sometime in July.  The school staff had a few other surprises for them, one of which was to present the "Leaders of the Pack" Scholarships. It was a wonderful thing to witness. We have included their winning essays below.

Through the genorosity of our classmates, we were able to give two $1100 scholarships to two deserving 2020 graduates,
Christie Beaubrun and Sara Almohamed. 
Thank you all for your contributions!

 

 

 

  Christie Beaubrun

Growing up in Senegal, I would’ve never thought that I would end up in high school in the United States, especially at Samuel W. Wolfson. I know it’s pretty cliché to say, but I really thought high school was going to be like every other high school movie in the U.S. that I watched growing up, without the parties of course. My first day in an American high school, at Wolfson was surreal. That day I was an emotional wreck. I was extremely anxious, and when I first arrived in the United States, I hated talking due to my accent. However, over the years at Samuel W. Wolfson, I was able to grow out of my shell as I joined many clubs, including the National Honor Society where I became the Vice President, and had to give a few speeches. Throughout all of this, I was able to find a new family and meet different people from all types of origins, and cultures, especially from the diverse students in class as many of us come from an immigrant background. I will always remember the waves of laughter and jokes being told at the tables in the courtyard during lunch or trying to finish one of my assignments in those short 30 minutes.

Not only will I look at those amazing memories, but I will also always remember that the curriculum at Wolfson challenged me beyond what I would’ve imagined and paved a path for me toward higher education. Wolfson has taught me the fundamental value of being a successful student through turning in quality assignments and communication with my classmates and teachers, which will always remain with me throughout my years in college and beyond. Overall, I will always be grateful for the four wonderful years I was able to spend at Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies, which have taught me so much and lead me to the gateway toward the American dream. So, being awarded “The Class of 1989 Scholarship” would be a tremendous honor and financially beneficial as I continue to pursue an education. Thus, my hope for the future is that I will be able to take the many things I have learned from my parents, from my beloved high school, from Senegal and from the country that I now call home, and use them to give back to my community.     

 

 Sara Almohamed

My name is Sara Almohamed, I am a proud Wolfson senior and I am attending the University of North Florida in the fall and plan on majoring in biology and communications. I am especially excited to write this essay because this is a statement centered around my experiences at Wolfson that I frequently look back upon. I have had a unique experience at Wolfson and I am proud to be able to say that few others have had a similar experience. What I have enjoyed the most about my Wolfson experience is seeing principal Begley’s vision for Wolfson as a dedicated magnet school come to life and being able to make a positive impact on the changes happening at Wolfson.  

My sophomore year, Mrs. Benga and principal Begley introduced a student lead organization called the student ambassadors and appointed only ten sophomores as a test run to give tours to potential incoming freshmen and their families. I was fortunate enough to have been considered a student ambassador and I gained amazing insights regarding how hard the staff and administration was working collectively to make Wolfson a better school. This is especially memorable for me because I was actively able to take part in the many positive changes at Wolfson. This was also a rewarding experience for me as I got to lead tours and train new student ambassadors and watched as parents and students alike commended the student leaders and dedicated staff for their professionalism. Being a part of the inaugural magnet class at Wolfson granted me with leadership skills that will be invaluable to my college experience. I also enjoyed being a part of sports teams such as varsity volleyball, weightlifting and flag football as well as the National Honor Society and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps organizations. To top off my experience at Wolfson, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the tightly knit class of IB students, which granted me with many enjoyable experiences on its own such as the IB Olympics, IB pinning ceremony and extended essay presentation day.

The academic rigor of the IB program coupled with the leadership skills I gained from extracurriculars allowed me to become a well-rounded student, which I am confident will serve me well in college. I am thankful for the academic rigor of the IB program because I am now accustomed to submitting high quality work, which I know has prepared me well for college courses. Simply performing well in my weighted IB classes propelled me into the top 10 of my graduating class, which allowed me to become a candidate for the Hicks Honors College program at UNF. I additionally qualify for the Bright Futures scholarship and tuition reimbursement from my current workplace because of the merits I was able to gain at Wolfson. Finally, my time at Wolfson prepared me for college because I learned what it means to have school spirit, which I will carry in my college experience and years to come during Wolfson’s homecoming games.

 

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Samuel Wolfson High School is now an Advanced Studies and Leadership magnet school specializing in academically challenging courses, including Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment courses. Quite a change from our days!