By Ella Franzman – Editor-in-Chief & Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law senior Deepika Chitirala was named Valedictorian for the Class of 2025.  

Chitirala, who will be attending The University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 2025, has compiled an outstanding resume in her time at Law. At UT Austin, Deepika will be majoring in Statistics and Data Science. 

“When I found out I had officially won the Valedictorian spot, I felt a mix of joy, pride, and relief,” Chitirala said. “It was the final culmination of all my years of hard work, late nights, and self-discipline, and that moment made it all worth it. I was proud to see my dedication recognized with the shining title and represented in such a meaningful way.” 

In Chitirala’s time at Law, she has taken 12 Advanced Placement courses including AP Computer Science Principles, AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science A, AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Latin, AP Environmental Science. She is a member and officer for many Honor Societies at Law, including the National Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Art Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Latin Honor Society.

Chitirala was also honored with the Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award in May 2024, The National Merit Commended Scholar in October 2024, and was an AP Scholar with Distinction Award in July 2024. 

“My first impression of Deepika as a ninth grader was that she was someone who was determined to succeed, was quiet and sort of kept to herself while doing really well in school,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “Deepika has grown into a person who has a ‘quiet confidence’ about her. She not only does well in her classes, but has also opened up socially in our building while becoming a vocal leader in the Senior class.”

This marks the 11th consecutive year a female has been named Valedictorian, and the second year in a row that both the Valedictorian and Salutatorian are both female. 

Computer Science teacher Ms. Corriveau has had the privilege of teaching Chitirala all four years of high school, including two AP classes.

“I have had the relatively unique experience of having Deepika during every year of her high school career,” Corriveau said. “It has been an absolute pleasure of watching her grow not only as a student but as a conscientious, kind, and funny human being.”

Outside of school, Chitirala has also built an impressive resume. She serves as the President of The Greater New Haven Math League, she has been a Girl Scout for six years — where she was also awarded the Girl Scouts of Connecticut Daisy Dream Award in 2024. In addition, Deepika has contributed over 250 hours of volunteer service through various community organizations.

“Balancing rigorous classes, sports, club meetings, and work was complicated, but I managed everything by staying as organized as possible,” Chitirala said.” I always had a planner in my backpack to track my tasks, a whiteboard in my room to help me visualize upcoming deadlines, and a detailed calendar on my phone for all my activities and reminders. I also tried my best to maintain a journal, where I wrote my days, not just to document them, but as a way of keeping myself grounded and collected.”

When asked about her most memorable moments at Jonathan Law, Chitirala couldn’t pick just one. Instead, she highlighted her experience with Model U.N. 

“After four years in the club (three of them as an officer) and attending three NHSMUN conferences, I became part of a close-knit community of people who shared my interests in global issues and debate,” Chitirala said. “It was the perfect way to wrap up not only my senior year, but also a club that has been such a meaningful and defining part of my high school journey.”

As the top student in her class, Chitirala faced her share of challenges. She admitted that burnout and lack of motivation were some of the hardest hurdles. 

“Learning to break tasks into smaller and more manageable steps and setting boundaries helped me push through those moments and build healthier habits for the future,” Chitirala said. 

Chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte, who was Chitirala’s teacher sophomore year and Science Club advisor for four years, said Chitirala has consistently demonstrated both academic excellence and strong leadership skills, especially in her role as President. 

“I did my best to make the most of my four years at Law, with each one bringing new memories and stories that I’ll always carry with me,” Chitirala said. “Now, as I’ve come to the end of high school, I appreciate everything I was able to experience and accomplish. While it’s a bittersweet feeling, I’m happy to close this meaningful chapter of my life and look forward to the next excitements.”