Becton Regional’s honor of the February Student of the Month has been awarded to Szymon Kowal! Kowal has been working towards this goal since his freshman year, he informs, and is grateful to achieve something that “really shows how my hard work in high school has finally paid off.” The classes that propelled Kowal to Student of the Month this year are English 12 AP, Forensics, Gym, AP Calculus, Italian 4 Honors, and AP Computer Science Principles.
Mrs. Paola Bonanno, Kowal’s Italian teacher since freshman year and the Co-Runner of the Italian Honor Society, puts in a great word on his part, “Symon has an outstanding work ethic, he’s very committed to his work and to his school. I can say that he does balance everything very well and he doesn’t let things slip through his view.” Long-time friend and peer of Kowal, Joshua Vazquez, mirrors this, “I have known Szymon since freshman year and have been in many honors and AP classes with him. Szymon’s work ethic is unmatched as he always strives to do his work on time and to the best of his ability.”
A major priority for Kowal is the balance between academics and personal life. “While it may be fun to hang out with friends, it is important to make sure you prioritize schoolwork in order to excel in your classes,” he explains, noting that refraining from procrastination has taught him many lessons in his high school career. In his personal time, he enjoys spending time unwinding with his friends and going to the gym in order to uphold his health.
“Since (sophomore year), Szymon has become more social and has taken more initiative with his free time and school work. He started volunteering more during junior year and applied for a summer camp counseling job which he loved,” Vazquez chimes in, regarding the growth of Kowal throughout the years.
In his academic life, Kowal participates in a multitude of clubs and extracurriculars. He is a member of the Environmental Club, Key Club, and Multicultural Club. Alongside this, he is part of the National Honor Society and is the Vice President of the Italian Honor Society. Mrs. Bonanno expresses that Kowal is “very smart and caring for people, and is always willing to help. I’m very glad to have him, especially as an officer for the Italian Honor Society.”
In regard to the future, Kowal has generally made up his mind about colleges and his major. “After graduation, I plan to attend a nearby school such as NJIT, Rutgers, or Stevens where I plan to study Computer Engineering or Computer Science.” Mrs. Bonanno assures us that she has “no doubt that Szymon is going to do great things in life!”
Congratulations on your achievement Szymon!
