MILLBROOK — This year’s Millbrook High School valedictorian, Alice Pandaleon, has been busy and productive throughout her academic career — and she’s loved every moment of it. Her enthusiasm, studiousness and attention to detail will likely keep her just as busy when she attends the University of Virginia this fall as a Rodman Scholar in the School of Engineering.
Alice is rightfully proud of that accomplishment, as only about 5% of the incoming class qualifies for the engineering program. These scholars are leaders with superior academic success who have engaged and made an impact on the world around them. Pretty impressive for a senior in high school.
As a student at Millbrook High School, Alice has always had an impact on those around her, in the sports programs and music programs she participated in, including the Jazz Band, the Pit Orchestra and the Brass Ensemble where she played the trumpet.
She was also a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Council and she participated in the Mock Trial Team.
Like most of this year’s seniors, Alice had curtailed activities over the past year-and-a -half due to COVID-19, but ever an optimist, she stayed as active as possible.
She said she will remember her years in the Millbrook district with fondness and a sense of gratitude. She loved being in a smaller school system, taking many different courses and doing extra-curricula activities. It gave her self-confidence and an academic background that provided her the ability to compete, which she admits she enjoys. It also provided the basis for studying aerospace and problem solving in biomedical engineering.
Alice said she’s looking forward to seeing her college campus in person; she loved the virtual tour and what she heard about the university from others who went there. She’s also looking forward to experiencing life on of a larger campus and meeting other students with like interests.
The idea of being away from home is exciting, but she knows she’ll miss her parents, dad Alec, mom Leslie and older brother Nick. She is grateful for their support, and for the support of the community and the entire Millbrook school system.
After starting her senior year remotely, Alice was glad she could end it in person. She understands the heartbreak of students who graduated last year socially distanced, and is grateful her own graduation will be closer to normal.
Alice is anxious to see graduation caps fly in the air come June 25. In August she’ll depart for college, ready to study aerospace, which, many will point out, is basically rocket science.
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
