Valedictorians, Salutatorian Named At Enfield High School

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield High School has announced its top academic achievers from the Class of 2024, who will be featured speakers at commencement exercises on June 14.

Kristy Chen and Jimmy Padilla Jr. are co-valedictorians, while Lukas Ky Phimvongsa will be the salutatorian.

Here are brief biographies of the three students, sent to Patch by the school.

Co-Valedictorian: Kristy Chen

During her time in high school, Kristy has served as a member of both the National and Spanish Honor Societies. She has also been the manager of the Varsity Girls’ Volleyball Team and a member of the Student Equity Advisory Board. In addition, she has actively participated in various clubs, including the Chemistry Club, Diversity Club, GSA Club, Peer Tutoring, and Friends of Rachel Club. Beyond her school commitments, Kristy has been a frequent volunteer in the community, dedicating approximately 100 hours over the past four years to a wide range of events and organizations. These include Enfield Loaves and Fishes, Enfield Food Shelf, the school’s annual Art Festival and Pancake Breakfast, the Red Cross, Enfield Green Family Day, and youth mentoring programs. Moreover, Kristy has made contributions through donations, arts and crafts projects, and video editing efforts, virtually assisting others in pursuing their passions. Her achievements have earned her several awards, including the Jane Goodall Life and Sciences Award, Algebra Award, WPI Book Scholar Award, AP U.S. History Award, and the AAPPL Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. Additionally, she was selected as a Day of Pride Scholarship recipient at the University of Connecticut.

Kristy plans to attend a four-year university to pursue studies in the science field, specifically in biology/chemistry, with the aspiration of eventually obtaining a PharmD and becoming a pharmacist.

Co-Valedictorian: Jimmy Padilla Jr.

Throughout his time at Enfield High, Jimmy has served in various organizations. He has held the positions of Lead Programmer and Safety Captain on the robotics team, Buzz Robotics. Additionally, he is a member of the school's orchestra, performing in both the main and chamber groups. Jimmy has also dedicated time to helping others and supporting the community by participating in Peer Tutoring, the Spanish National Honor Society, and the National Honor Society. Furthermore, he has played a vital role in his community as a Board of Education Student Representative. Lastly, Jimmy has been recognized with awards such as the Yale Book Award, the APPL Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, and has been named an AP Scholar with Distinction.

Jimmy currently has plans to go to a 4-year college, and possibly pursue further education, majoring in either computer science or physics.

Salutatorian: Lukas Ky Phimvongsa

During his time in high school, Lukas has been an active member of both the National and Spanish Honor Societies. As the varsity tennis captain, he earned the title of All-State in each of his four seasons and participated in national tournaments outside of school. In addition to his athletic achievements, Lukas joined the Peer Tutoring Club, Coding Club, and Pro-Start Culinary Club. He has also been a frequent donor to his community, contributing to local organizations such as "Loaves and Fishes" and the local food shelf. Lukas has received several awards, including the Rochester Institute of Technology Math and Science Award, the Springfield College Book Award, SAT Numeracy Award, Statistics Award, the AAPPL Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, and was nominated for both the Hugh O'Brian Award and the position of Grand Marshall at the 2023 Enfield High graduation.

Lukas is committed to playing Division 1 tennis at Brown University, where he plans to study computer science/software engineering.