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"It scares me a bit, but I'm definitely going to chase my dreams and do what I feel would make me happy and I know would help people in some way," Casey said. "I know I'm not just going to do a certain field because it's more stable. I'm definitely going to do what I feel I'm called to do."
Melissa Skoryk, No. 1 academically in her class and valedictorian, had a more pragmatic response. "I've heard science is the way to go, even with this economy, even in tough times," she said.
Skoryk is thinking about studying biology at Villanova University, a Catholic school in Pennsylvania. From there, the Burlington resident may go on to medical school or into research. Casey plans to attend the College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit school in Worcester, Mass., to major in English or psychology.
In high school, Casey enjoyed editing the school yearbook and that inspired her to consider an English degree. She hopes to be an editor. "But it's so hard to be a journalist these days. And newspapers are becoming - there's only a couple large ones - becoming obsolete in a way," she said. It's still early for a definite decision. "So I'm not really sure," she said. "That's why I'm looking to college to help me find direction and what I'm really passionate about and translate that into a career."
Casey and Skoryk participated in many activities outside the classroom. Both were involved in student government. Casey was the vice president of the school's chapter of the National Honor Society and Skoryk was the president. They were also both in Communication Leaders Advancing School Improvement (CLASI), an organization which spoke with small groups of students and the faculty to create a dialogue and improve the school. Casey was also a tennis captain and helped organize blood drives.
Skoryk was on the varsity swim and softball teams, president of French club, and a member of Mission and Renaissance clubs. The job market may be fierce, but the competition at St. Paul's - if one would call it that - remains friendly.
"It was really difficult to get to salutatorian, but I wouldn't say it's competitive because we're all very supportive of each other," Casey said.
"It's interesting because the top ten are all my best friends, actually," she added. "I would have been happy no matter what happened. I would have been proud of my friends," she said.
Skoryk said she did not feel pressure to be valedictorian. " I just wanted to do the best I could," she said. Still, the path wasn't easy because "everybody's so good at everything."
Both students cited their parents as major influences.
"I take education so seriously because of them," Casey said.
"Definitely," Skoryk agreed.
"They really ingrained in me that education is the key to everything," Casey said. "My dad always said when I was little, 'Reading is the most important thing. You can go anywhere with a book.' So that really stayed with me. ."
Skoryk realized the opportunities she had and took advantage of them.
"They [her parents] didn't really have the college education that's offered to me, because I'm first-generation American," she said. Her parents emigrated from Poland.
Skoryk and Casey also thanked their school.
"It prepared me. It challenged me," Skoryk said.
Casey had to drive half an hour everyday to get to St. Paul's. "I would not have changed it for the world," she said. "I'm really excited I came here. It's one of the best decisions my parents made for me."
Everyone knew each other's name, according to Skoryk.
"I love the family aspect of it. It's such a community-based school. I absolutely love it," Casey said.
As for many, high school went by fast.
"I still feel like a freshman in some ways," Casey said.
"I think that's the hardest part, is not leaving the institution itself, but the people, even the teachers," Skoryk said. "We all had close connections to them."
"This is all I've known for the past seven years," Skoryk said. "I can't imagine leaving it."
