Wesley Su is the Salutatorian of the Class of 2016, a National Merit Finalist, and will graduate with a GPA of 3.99 and top academic honors.  Here he reflects on his experience as a high school student at Providence.  Congratulations Wesley from all of us at Providence Classical Christian School!  May God richly bless you

Please briefly tell us where you were born, grew up, and any hobbies or interests you are passionate about.

I was born and raised in Kirkland, and I’ve dabbled in a lot of different activities in my time here. I enjoy anything competitive, and that’s really what shapes my activities. I play a lot of sports. I’ve been on the school soccer team since third grade, I’ve been a swimmer since first grade, I’ve played several years of basketball, and I have a black belt in TaeKwonDo. I’ve also been on the high school debate team for four years. I like arguing, as a lot of my friends have found out.

What has been your biggest challenge during your high school years at Providence?

Sleeping. No question. This is a hard school. I love it, but it takes hours of dedication to succeed here.

What has been your most memorable experience while attending High School at Providence?

The 2015 soccer season brought me some of the best times of my life. No one thought we would make state playoffs, but we did. That season brought all of us closer together as friends and as brothers, and that made us ten times better on the field.

What is the most important thing you learned while attending Providence?

This isn’t exactly something taught by Providence, but I think attending the school has made me a lot better at managing my time. Throughout high school, I had to balance sports, debate, the drama production, and the challenging classes, and I think all the work has been a blessing that will help prepare me for future challenges.

What will you miss the most when you graduate from Providence?

I’m going to miss the community. I know almost everyone personally. There is a tight bond between the students here as well as the teachers. I consider most of my teachers to be my friends.

What was your favorite book read while attending Providence and why?

The Providence curriculum is full of great books. You have several of the Chronicles of Narnia, A Tale of Two Cities, To Kill a Mockingbird, Crime and Punishment, Fahrenheit 451 and more. But my favorite is still The Phantom Tollbooth from fifth grade. Norton Juster is hilarious. He takes the theme, “Don’t waste time,” and carries it through a make-believe world. The book is comprised of ridiculous jokes, but the ideas behind them are incredibly serious, and I appreciate that.

Do you have any regrets or thing you wish you had done while attending Providence?

Sometimes I wish I had taken more leadership opportunities. I’m not a natural leader, but I would like to be. And I would be better at it if I had acted as one more often. In such a small school, there are tons of opportunities to step up as someone that people want to follow. I was normally one of the followers.

What are your plans after you graduate from Providence?

I don’t have any specific career plans. I’m going to the University of Richmond to study computer science, and I’m considering studying law in graduate school. I’ll just have to wait and see where I end up.

What are your top three goals in life?

I want to keep my mind in good shape, my body in good shape, and my relationship with the Lord in good shape. As someone who doesn’t have a career plan, those are the most important things I can do. I don’t care particularly what I end up doing with my life as long as it is something that I can do to glorify God and to use the gifts He has given me.

What parting words of wisdom / advice would you give to other Providence students?

At Providence, you can choose how seriously you take the education. The classes are tough, and you can either devote hours and hours to getting the best grade possible, or you can give up your studying time for time to do other things. I gravitated toward the first choice, and that’s a lot of the reason I’m getting interviewed here. But that’s not necessarily the right choice for you. It’s more important that you do what you won’t regret. My advice is to set goals for yourself. Set academic, physical, and spiritual goals for yourself, and be specific. Don’t say, “I want to do better in school.” Instead, say, “I want to raise my GPA by 0.3.” Don’t say, “I want to read my Bible more often.” Instead, set out a specific reading plan. Specific goals are the only way to hold yourself accountable.