Holly Kolmel has earned the honor of salutatorian for the Pine Bush High School class of 2021. And earn it she did.

Holly said she has always been a pretty good student but high school didn’t necessarily come easy for her. And that’s just how she planned it.

“I worked very hard and stayed consistent through school,” said Holly. “I could have taken easier courses and breezed through. But I took tough classes and challenged myself.”

And she did it while working remotely this school year.  Working remotely can be difficult for students, but not Holly.

“Working remotely was hard in some ways but I’ve always been self-motivated,” she said. “Some kids need to be held accountable. That’s not me.”

That determination will pay off when she enters UCONN’s honors college in the fall, majoring in biology.

“I hope to go to medical school and be a physician,” Holly said.

While attending Pine Bush High School, Holly was a member of the First Aid Club, National Honor Society and student council. Her interests outside of school include 4-H horseback riding and JuJitsu, which she does with her family.

Holly, who attended Circleville Elementary School, Pine Bush Elementary School and Crispell Middle School, describes herself as a math and science person – they are definitely her favorite subjects. She loves to read but writing isn’t her strength. However, when she talked about her most influential teacher, she named Daniel McMahon, her sophomore English teacher.

“English is not my strong suit but Mr. McMahon taught in such a way that I was so interested,” she said. “My writing improved so much and that helped with my college essays.”

She is also encouraged by a supportive family.

“My family encourages me to go above and beyond what is expected,” Holly said. “I always wanted to go to med school. I want to work with passion. I knew I’d need to work with passion to be a doctor. My dad, Ricky is my stone during this, giving me all I need including encouragement. Sometimes I’m hard on myself but he always encouraged me to try.”

Holly also has an older brother, Nick, and a younger sister Suzie, who is a student at Pine Bush High School.

To students entering high school, Holly recommends they challenge themselves. Be consistent and do your homework.

Looking forward, Holly is excited for graduation and the parade of graduates through the town.