Top scholar at St. Michael is interested in science

July 28, 2017 · 0 Comments

Aliana Ramondino, the top graduating scholar at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, is planning to study biomedical science at York.

By Bill Rea
The sciences hold a particular interest for Aliana Ramondino, an she’s planning to explore that more in the fall at York University.
She has a good grounding in the field, finishing at the head of the Class of ‘17 at St. Michael Catholic Secondary School.
Ramondino actually took seven Grade 12 courses, and achieved a 97 per cent average.
Her grades included 95 per cent in English, 98 in philosophy, 99 in calculus and vectors, 100 in advanced functions, 97 in biology, 97 in chemistry and 95 in physics.
Come the fall, she’s planning to study biomedical science at York. She said it’s part on an integrated program in first year.
“You build leadership skills and teamwork,” she explained, adding she’ll be working with a group of about 50 students in the first year.
At this stage, Ramondino said she has hopes of attending medical school, but nothing has been decided yet.
“I just want to see where it goes,” she said, adding medical school is the current goal, but that could change to something like pharmacology, etc.
Although she said she’s always done well in school, Ramondino admitted she was scared when she started at St. Michael, and she’s have some of those same feelings as she faces the prospect of university. But her success has given her more confidence, “as long as I do my best.”
And she said that’s been the secret of her academic success.
“I think it’s just try your best,” she said, adding if there are bad marks, it’s important to have a mind set to be a good person and a nice person, and things will work out.
“Obviously, you have to work hard too,” she added.
She also said she really enjoyed her time at St. Michael, adding the science department was probably the best part. Since the school was still relatively new when she started, the equipment there was in good shape, and the teachers were really good. She observed that science needs to be a little tough for her, in order to prepare her.
Ramondino said she originally didn’t think she was cut out to take the science route, but one of her Grade 10 teachers inspired an interest in science in general, and biology in particular.
“I feel it’s the most hands-on,” she said of biology. “You see the real-life application right away. It’s the most holistic of (the sciences).”
She also said she found her philosophy course most interesting, pointing out it had applications to her other subjects.
“It made me a better writer and a better thinker,” she said.
French was another subject she would have been interested in taking, but there was only so much room in her course load, and she set it aside in favour of physics.
Ramondino said she’s going to miss St. Michael.
“After graduation, it kind of hit me that I’d never be coming back here again as a student,” she commented.
But she is also looking forward to going to York. She noted it’s close to home, meaning she won’t have to live on campus. She also attended a university forum in November, and was taken York.
“It just seemed like the place I wanted to be for success,” she said.