St. Joseph CHS seniors make the most of high school

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OGDEN — Among the members of the Saint Joseph Catholic High School Class of 2025 are two young women who received the highest academic recognitions: both are honor graduates, members of the National Honor Society, AP Scholars and took more than seven Advanced Placement courses during their high school career. They also were involved in sports and other school activities. Now, with their high school careers behind them, each is headed off to a prestigious college.

Savannah Smith will be attending Emory University Oxford College London Launch, and Abigail Gough is headed to the University of Notre Dame.

Smith, who was valedictorian of her class, took 14 AP classes during her years at SJCHS, “which is the most any student in the history of the school has taken,” said Kari Lane, the school registrar.

That throughout her high school journey, Smith displayed a “caring, gentle leadership,” Lane added.

As part of her extra-curricular activities, Smith played tennis and was a member of the swim team. She also belonged to the creative writing club and the Health Occupations Students of America, and edited the literary magazine. She was named Academic All State for Swimming and a State Finalist. In addition, at the May 17 graduation ceremony, she received the school awards for science and for world language.

Smith loved being a student at St. Joseph because “it meant I would be in a small community with dedicated teachers and students,” she said. “I loved being surrounded by teachers who are passionate about what they teach and who strive to become better people every day.”

During high school, Smith learned how to go outside of her comfort zone to make a difference in the community, “which allowed me to earn my Girl Scout Gold Award improving community creative writing education,” she said. “Leadership skills and a grander perspective through my St. Joseph education allowed me to be involved in the community, which helped me be accepted to Emory University.”

Taking a record number of AP courses happened “because I just took classes I loved, and everything worked out. … I did not intentionally decide whether I wanted to take a certain amount of classes or get a certain GPA; I just love learning and challenging myself, so these courses were a great way for me to further explore my interests,” Smith said.

With her many activities, “I managed my time by finding love in everything I was doing and by completing what I needed as soon as I could, instead of waiting until the last minute,” Smith said. “I also tried to get ahead when I could and maintained a ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude, where I tried to maintain a balanced lifestyle and finish work before doing fun things.”

One of Smith’s fondest moments from her time at SJCHS was the Senior Service Week, during which she served at Give Me A Chance, a non-profit organization in Ogden run by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul that ministers to “low-income women by teaching marketable skills & providing opportunities that lead to self-sufficiency, while also enriching children’s lives through education,” according to www.givemeachanceutah.org.

“I loved working with many unique and kind people whom I would have normally not had the opportunity to interact with,” Smith said.

Smith wants to let other students know that “going the extra mile means challenging yourself to work hard and do your best at what you love. When you are passionate and hard-working, others will see and appreciate your actions, which can lead to great and possibly unexpected opportunities like being accepted into college.”

Like Smith, Gough was named to the Academic All State roll. She played basketball and soccer, was a student body officer, “a fierce competitor, and a friend to all,” Lane said.

“Being a student at St. Joseph has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Gough said. “The tight-knit community and dedicated faculty and staff make this school unmatched. I have made lifelong friends, had the opportunity to learn under some of the best teachers, and received a fun and unique high school experience.”

Being a Jayhawk opened the path to Notre Dame University, where her older brother attends, she said.

“Some tools that I acquired at St. Joseph include the deepening of my faith and Catholic roots,” she said. “The theology program at this school brings new and vibrant teachers every two years who teach and instill a passion in the students. Under this leadership, I was able to grow in my faith and develop a faith-based identity that I think Notre Dame was looking for.”

She is grateful to her teachers, who “created such a comfortable environment for me and my peers, which has promoted self-discovery and improvement. Through this, I have been able to find myself and establish a strong character that led to my successful application to Notre Dame,” she said.

Keeping up with her studies along with her extra-curricular activities “was difficult,” she said. “Being a student body officer and a two-sport athlete was not easy. However, something that I was able to learn was to take everything one step at a time and enjoy it. While tasks may seem to add up quickly, it’s always important to face the task at hand and not get carried away with all the other distractions. Despite these challenges, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. I think my crowded schedule helped me become resilient.”

Some of her fondest St. Joseph moments involved the various school traditions.

“Jay Week is always fun with the battle between classes, our hallway decorations and the senior-faculty basketball game,” Gough said.

This year’s Wish Week also was special because they almost doubled their goal to send their Make-A-Wish candidate on a Disney cruise, and “were even granted the opportunity to dunk a couple of our teachers in a dunk tank,” she said. “These special moments exemplify the unity and community that St. Joseph fosters.”

Her message to all students is “to find your passions and pursue them, be true to yourself, take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, and finally, always trust in God’s plan,” she said. “One of my favorite teachers always reminds us to go the extra mile because it’s never crowded. In doing so, you will push your limits and unlock your full potential.”