Beatrice Thomas, a lover of all things light green and “The Big Bang Theory”, is an 18-year-old senior at JFKMHS. Thomas reflects on her life both in and out of the classroom and shares her plans for the future.

Getting to Know Beatrice Thomas

The Thomas household is one full of love and people, with six siblings and parents, there is always someone to connect with.

“I’m the youngest, I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers,” Thomas states. “When all of us [siblings] lived in the house, it was loud and there wasn’t much to do because of our big age gaps. Now that I’m older, we [siblings] talk so much because we understand each other a lot more.”

Growing up in a packed household has given Thomas a circle full of support and love, but it has also caused her to work hard in everything she does.

“It is a lot of pressure, to be the youngest because I feel like I have to live up to the expectations they set up for me.” 

Besides being part of JFK’s class of 2022, and the youngest member of her family, Thomas has many “things” that make her who she is. When asked to describe herself, she spoke about the characteristics that make her stand out the most.

“I would say I’m a creative person, I do a lot of watercolor paintings and I like to sing,” Thomas states. “I would also say I’m an independent person, I like being on my own. I love being with friends, but I work better alone.”

Activities and Clubs

During her last four years, Thomas has been an active member of the Kennedy community. She has been involved in Key Club, American Cancer Society, and Badminton Club. When it comes to sports, Thomas enjoys playing softball with her family and she is currently on the varsity cheerleading team.

“Cheer has made my self-esteem climb so high, over these past years,” Thomas shares. “I used to be so shy and scared to make mistakes, but cheer made me realize it’s okay to make mistakes. No one’s gonna judge you, and if you don’t make mistakes, you can’t learn.”

Outside of school, Thomas volunteers for her church and is a girl scout.

“This is my 12th and final year scouting, it’s been a really big part of my life ever since I was little,” Thomas stated. “Scouting has helped me be independent and try lots of new things. I’m so grateful I got to be part of it. I made a lot of friends, through scouting, these past 2 years because a lot of older girls joined the troop.”

COVID-19 Struggles

When school shut down, Thomas was halfway through her sophomore year and forced to do virtual learning for a year and a half. 

“I feel like covid at first disrupted school for me tremendously,” Thomas starts. “I had straight A’s and then my grades dropped to B’s and eventually C’s. I got better at handling virtual school towards the end of my junior year, but I still prefer in-person classes.”

Thomas also expressed how grateful she is to be back in person for her last year.

“It honestly feels amazing to be back, because I feel like I’m getting the privilege that the last senior classes didn’t get,” Thomas stated. “I’m so happy I get to experience a somewhat normal senior year.”

Thomas also shared that she was able to make quarantine a little easier by making a new group of friends outside of school.

Influences

All her achievements throughout high school would not be possible if it weren’t for her hard work and amazing support system. Thomas wants to give a special thank you to her cheer coaches, Mrs. Paloti, her best friend Janki, and her older sister Hannah for always believing in her and encouraging her to reach her full potential.

Life Beyond JFKMHS

After graduation, Thomas plans to attend Albright College on a scholarship and major in psychology. She also plans to get her master’s degree in counselor education. Her dream job is to become a counselor to prevent others from feeling the bias she felt when getting help. 

“I never want someone to feel the way I felt,” Thomas stated.

As Thomas leaves JFK and starts a new chapter in her life, we are sure she has a bright future ahead!