CARL E. FEATHER / Star Beacon
KELSEY PALMA earned the Outstanding Scholar trophy from Braden Junior High. The North Kingsville resident has set a goal of being the valedictorian of her Edgewood Senior High Class in four years.
Published June 23, 2009 12:11 am - The piercing above her left eye, the spiked collar around her neck, black clothes and pink streak of hair belie the academic bent behind Kelsey Palma’s “goth” exterior.
Two in a row: Braden student maintains 4.0 GPA during her two years in junior high
By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
The piercing above her left eye, the spiked collar around her neck, black clothes and pink streak of hair belie the academic bent behind Kelsey Palma’s “goth” exterior.
In fact, Kelsey, 15, says she really doesn’t like gothic, she just wanted to be different from the other students at Braden Junior High School.
She does it with more than external appearances, however. During her two years at the school, the North Kingsville resident set herself apart with academic performance, earning straight-A’s in both seventh and eighth grade. On her last day of school, her accomplishments were recognized with an Outstanding Scholar trophy for both school years.
Kelsey was the only Braden student to receive the trophy this year, although in past years other students rose to the challenge.
It will be a while before it happens again, however. There were no seventh graders who had a 4.0 in the past year, so there will not be a Outstanding-School trophy winner next year, either.
The daughter of Patsy and Greg Palma, Kelsey is a self-motivated learner.
“When it comes to education, Kelsey makes it easy on us because she does it all on her own,” Patsy said.
Kelsey said there’s no secret to how she accomplishes perfect grades.
“I prepare for class,” she said. “And when I’m going to take a test, I study for it, unlike a lot of other students.”
She makes homework a priority — it gets done before she plays video games or watches television.
“Her parents never have to tell her to go study,” says Cindy Bucci, their neighbor who considers Kelsey her “second daughter.” “She’s very independent. She takes her education very seriously.”
Kelsey’s interests in dance, music and art are more likely to distract her from academics than electronic media. She has been a student with Colleen’s Studio of Danse for nearly 10 years. She plays French horn and trumpet in the school band and is learning the alto horn. Kelsey loves art; her father admired one of her drawings so much he had it tattooed on one of his legs.
Well-rounded
Patsy said her daughter is one to give to others. When she had hair down to her waist, Kelsey had it cut and donated the hair to Locks of Love.
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