Mayor Menino, School Committee and Superintendent Payzant honor Boston's Valedictorians

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Boston School Committee Chair Elizabeth G. Reilinger and Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant co-hosted a ceremony today to honor the Boston Public Schools students who were selected valedictorian of their graduating class (list of honorees attached).

More than 200 people attended the luncheon at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The 4th annual event was co-sponsored by Reebok, Harvard University, and other partners. Each valedictorian received an American Heritage College Dictionary from Houghton Mifflin, as well as athletic gear from Reebok and other gifts.

Juna Konomi of West Roxbury, the top graduate of the Class of 2002 at the English High School in Jamaica Plain, spoke on behalf of the honorees. Ms. Konomi was raised in Albania and entered the English High School as a freshman speaking very little English. She will attend Brown University in the fall.

WCVB-TV News Reporter Jorge Quiroga served as guest host of the program. Students were joined at the event by their headmaster and family members, as well as elected officials, business and community partners, and other guests.

The first Valedictorians Luncheon was held in 1999 at the City's Parkman House. Its success enabled the luncheon to become an annual event and a fundraiser for the City of Boston Scholarship Fund, which has provided more than $300,000 in financial assistance to Boston residents attending college in Massachusetts.

Boston Public Schools Class of 2002
Valedictorians

Another Course to College
Peggy Chen
Charlestown

Boston Adult Technical Academy
Messalina Goncalves
Dorchester

Boston Arts Academy
Alicia M. Deane
Roslindale

Boston Evening Academy
Scott Hoffman
Brighton

Boston High School
Pressiana Petrova
Hyde Park

Boston Latin Academy
Ira M. Mabel
Mattapan

Boston Latin School
Megan Fountain
Jamaica Plain

Brighton High School
Kamran Pathan
Allston

Jeremiah E. Burke High School
Khang H. Nguyen
Dorchester

Charlestown High School
Hien Vuong
Dorchester

Dorchester High School
Oren Kennedy
Roxbury

East Boston High School
Stacy A. Fox
East Boston

The English High School
Juna Konomi
West Roxbury

Fenway High School
Jessica Thompson
Jamaica Plain

Greater Egleston Community High School
Shawnda Adorno
Mission Hill

Health Careers Academy
Beenawattie Baldeo
Dorchester

Health Careers Academy
Dyniker S. Baptiste
Dorchester

Hyde Park High School
Eden Grace D. Uy
Hyde Park

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Maria Gomes
Dorchester

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Jailson Ramos
Dorchester

Horace Mann School for the Deaf
Katheline Alicea
Hyde Park

McKinley Technical High School
Shayna Zuber
Brighton

New Mission High School
Audrey Flattes
Roxbury

John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Chau Vong
Roslindale

Snowden International High School
Chang Hao Liu
Dorchester

Excel High School at South Boston
Dung H. Nguyen
Dorchester

Monument High School at South Boston
James K. Blue
Fenway

Odyssey High School at South Boston
Tram Le
Dorchester

West Roxbury High School
Lunhide Amazan
Jamaica Plain