Twins Top Tampa Catholic's Graduating Class of Seniors

For the first time in Tampa Catholic High School’s 50-year history, identical twins have been named the school’s 2010-11 valedictorian and salutatorian.

Valedictorian Megan Walsh will graduate with a 4.58 GPA, and salutatorian Allison Walsh will graduate with a 4.54 GPA.

In a news release on Friday, Principal Thomas Reidy announced the twins as their class' academic leaders. Both girls plan on continuing their education at Catholic universities. Megan will study accounting at Villanova University, an Augustinian university located in Pennsylvania. Allison will pursue a nursing degree at Marquette University, a Jesuit university located in Wisconsin. The two Tampa Catholic seniors received more than $500,000 in scholarship offers.

The Walsh twins came to Tampa Catholic from St. Lawrence Catholic School and are St. Lawrence parishioners. Both girls played volleyball all four years at TC and as seniors co-captained the team.

Identical twins with similar co-curricular interests, the girls offer each other more encouragement than competition in their shared activities. They also enjoy being recognized for their individual accomplishments. Choosing to go to separate universities offers them an opportunity to explore their individual interests. Their selections stem from different career studies, the quality of the school programs offered and choosing a school that fits their individual personalities. 

The Walshes are members of a highly accomplished senior class. There are 114 students of the Tampa Catholic class of 2011 who qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Twenty-five students qualified at the highest level of the program as Academic Scholars.

Also recognized for academic achievement this year are Peter Gonzalez, a National Merit Commended Scholar and National Hispanic Scholar, and Rebekah Repasky, a National Merit Commended Scholar. Additionally, Nick Rose will receive an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at graduation.