NBHS Valedictorian to Head to Medical Profession
By Chris Seymour | Correspondent at June 23, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Print
After earning the top spot in the New Britain High School Class of 2016, valedictorian Hawley Brown is ready for the next chapter in her life.
Hawley will attend Tufts University in Medford, MA, where she plans on majoring in biology (though she says that could change).
“I am really excited,” said Hawley of going off to college. “I am looking forward to the academic opportunities.”
The daughter of Jane Rowe and Ron Brown, Hawley plans on pursuing a career “in the medical field, I think; I also really like statistics so biostatistics is interesting. I don’t really know yet,” she admitted.
Hawley has enjoyed the courses she has taken during her time at NBHS.
“I really like science; I have been in the health academy for the past four years,” she said. “I like what I am learning and having that passion and curiosity has helped me.”
For Hawley, doing well at school comes naturally.
“School comes really easily to me,” she explained when asked if there were any secrets to her academic success. “My sister is really good at musical theater, but me I can’t do that—but I am good at school.”
Before she heads off to college, Hawley will work as a counselor at a camp in Sharon for three weeks this summer.
“This camp is based through the United Church of Christ, which is the denomination that I grew up in, and it is very much about acceptance and being who you are,” said Hawley. “I like seeing kids thrive in this environment that is completely open and accepting of everyone.”
During her time at the camp, Hawley—who also previously attended the camp as a youth before she was a counselor—will work with kids in grades 3-8.
Hawley, who is a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society, is also looking forward to getting involved with extracurricular activities once she arrives at Tufts.
“I know Tufts has an Interfaith Service Club,” she said. “My parents are both pastors and I am half-Christian and half-Muslim so I really enjoy learning about different religions and applying those. I think service is the most important part of the application of religion.”
Since her freshman year, Hawley has been part of HOSA.
“That is the Health Occupation Students of America and we do state competitions and we do awareness like promoting health awareness in the community,” explained Hawley, who was HOSA’s treasurer this year.
She has also participated in Youth and Government, which is “a mock legislative program and is really fun; I like to debate.”
As she departed NBHS last week with her classmates, Hawley touched on a Walt Whitman poet during her valedictorian speech.
“I am using a poem by Walt Whitman called O Me! O Life!,” she explained. “And I am basing it off that, basically talking about finding our purpose and what we can give to the world.”
