Geneva City Schools’ top graduates are heading into the sciences, with valedictorian Rendell Belanger Curren and salutatorian Emily DeBolt both charting ambitious academic paths in the field.
Belanger Curren, who is studying abroad this year in Rajamäki, Finland, will attend Williams College. While she hasn’t yet declared a major, she said environmental science is “a top contender.” DeBolt plans to attend West Virginia University to study either biochemistry or forensic science.
“I think everyone should feel proud of themselves for graduating,” Belanger Curren wrote in an email to Geneva City Schools. She noted that while the valedictorian title is an honor, it’s her peers’ perseverance that stands out. “Some of my classmates have done amazing things that don’t necessarily show up on transcripts.”
She credited her academic success to her family, especially her parents, Elizabeth Belanger and Ethan Curren. “My family instilled in me academic curiosity and a love for learning,” she explained. She also thanked her Geneva High School teachers, with special praise for science teacher Kirsten Abbott and English teacher George Goga.
“I don’t know what I want to pursue as a career, but I want to make a difference,” Belanger Curren added. “That’s my main goal.”
DeBolt has her sights set on a career in forensic science. “You can have a very clear impact on people, and obviously it’s nice to have a purpose,” she said.
DeBolt attributed her drive to a deep-rooted sense of commitment and a passion for learning. “Once I’m told to do something, or I’ve said I will do something, then I’ll do it,” she said. She also thanked her parents, Janine and Ken DeBolt, for encouraging her pursuit of academics.
To future students, DeBolt offered a piece of advice: “Keep an open mind, because I remember taking some courses thinking, ‘oh, this is going to be boring; I’ll never need this,’ and then finding something interesting that I really liked.”
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