AS if earning 200 medals for her academic achievements from Grade 1 to high school was not enough, this studious student from Lingayen went on to graduate, earning a degree from Boston College in Massachusetts, USA, magna cum laude.

The unassuming April Christelle de Leon, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology minor in Global Public Health, posted her graduation pictures, including her diploma bearing her Latin honor on Facebook and wrote, “For your sacrifices, Papa, Mama, Kuya, Ama, Inang, Grandma, titos, titas, this is for you. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me beyond what I deserve. I will continually seek and fulfill my life’s purpose in gratitude for these blessings.”

In an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday over Messenger call, April humbly stated, “I just worked hard”, when asked how she achieved another great honor in a foreign land.

She admitted she really is studious.

Initially, she said she went through a big adjustment as she befriended new classmates in senior high school at the New Trier High School. She knew all her classmates in Lingayen 1 Central School and in Pangasinan National High School (PNHS) until junior high school. (Her family migrated to the US in 2017 after she finished Grade 10).

Eventually, she said she found her teachers kind and they helped her adjust easily.

She found Bio-Chemistry her most difficult subject and was challenged by it after some of her classmates dropped out. She became more determined to pass it.  And every time she felt tired with her studies, she always managed to pull herself together by thinking of the sacrifices of her parents to send her to Boston College.

Grateful for her foundation in education in the Philippines, she said it helped her greatly to have a unique set of skills with different perspectives in life.

After her graduation on May 23, she will start working with a group of doctors next week from whom she expects to get some guidance when she pursues Medicine after a year. She said it had been her dream to enroll in Medicine when she took up BS Biology.

“They (her parents) did not know I was graduating magna cum laude until my grades were finalized,” she said with her girlish giggle. “I did not really aim for it as I only wanted to finish it,” she humbly narrated.

It may be recalled that the first story in The PUNCH about April’s academic achievements, displaying her many academic medals, trophies and plaques became viral.

She was Most Outstanding Campus Journalist in the National Schools Press Conference, Most Outstanding Student given by San Miguel Corporation, Leadership Awards, Miss United Nations, Lakambini ng Wika and Science Quizbees, Creative Writing in the National Festival of Talents.

Her caption read: “These memories will forever be treasured and will always be with me wherever I go. Goodbye, Lingayen, Pangasinan.”

She advised young people “not to forget where you came from”. She said she would always think in the context of how she could apply her learnings in her hometown, how these can benefit more people.

April is the daughter of Engr. Bobby de Leon and Maria Luz de Leon, a dentist.  (Eva Visperas)

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