Alyssa Jacob: Southwick Regional School’s Inspiring Valedictorian
SOUTHWICK — Alyssa Jacob, the valedictorian of Southwick Regional School’s Class of 2025, is excited but humble about her achievement. “It was never about the honor,” the 18-year-old reflected, “I just worked as hard as I could.” As she prepares to address her classmates at graduation, Jacob describes the journey to this milestone as significant, despite moments of doubt.
During her upcoming valedictory speech, Jacob plans to remind her fellow graduates that, though the moment felt distant, they have indeed reached this cherished milestone. She attributes her success to her parents—retired Lt. Col. Andrew Jacob and former teacher Mindi Jacob—who instilled a strong work ethic in both her and her brother Drew.
In the fall, Jacob will pursue aerospace engineering at the University of Tennessee, fueled by her passion for math and dreams of working on spacecraft. Drawing inspiration from her favorite movie, Interstellar, she credits her math teachers, Anna Hitchcock and Amy Pomeroy, as well as history teacher Desiree Moriarty for influencing her academic journey.
In addition to her studies, Jacob has balanced a job at Big Y and participation in field hockey since fifth grade, with hopes of continuing at the intramural level in college. A voracious reader of fantasy fiction, she also emphasizes the value of friendship, recognizing her peers’ impact on her school years.
Reflecting on her experience during the pandemic, Jacob acknowledges the challenges she and her classmates faced. In her parting words, she encourages them to define success not just by achievement, but by perseverance, kindness, and active engagement, a reminder as they embark on their next chapters.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
