Hundreds of students graduate from Patchogue-Medford High-School each year, and some of these students go on to accomplish extraordinary things that make their hometown proud. These alumni can range from athletes to actors, and all have had their start right here, at Patchogue-Medford High-School. Now, what if we were to look ahead – in the future – to people projected to do great things in life from what they’re accomplishing right now? Who would we see?

Today, we look at Irma Valverde, Class of 2014 president four years running, and chosen to be Speaker of the House for the Hispanic Youth Leadership in her senior year.

Beyond Patchogue-Medford, Irma has continued to participate in leadership roles by running for Senator of the University of Connecticut’s Student Government in her freshman year. In her sophomore year, she decided to run for Vice President, and continued that until her junior year when she decided to run for President of UConn’s Student Government, a position that she won just this past month.

All of this considered, we here at Patchogue-Medford High-School can only expect more great things to come from Irma Valverde, and since she is Pat-Med alumnus, we are proud to call her our own. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Irma Valverde.

Q: Are you happy with the role you’ve played in the Student Government, and for what reasons?

A: I love what I do for USG because I see the impact it has for its students, for example in my sophomore year I had arranged a Cultural Center Open House. They were big celebrations on the cultural centers we have here on campus devoted to a diverse group of people and with the Open House we were able to give the centers more exposure. Being able to see some tangible effects I have on this school is something special to me, and the power you can have if you speak up and work with other people.

Q: Why do you believe diversity is important in life?

A: I believe the reason I feel very close on the aspect of diversity is because I am a Latin woman, and I’ve seen the obstacles I’ve had to face and have seen the obstacles other students have had to face as well. I believe that the best way for other people to understand other people’s point of view is by educating them on diversity. Embracing diversity will only help individuals in the long run.

Q: Do you see yourself involved in politics in the future?

A: I think it’s important for young people to get involved in politics and that’s why, in the near future, I’m going to get involved in volunteering and helping promote political engagement because I believe that’s something that our country needs. In the more distant future, I’m still very unsure because I’d like to be the voice for people who don’t have one, and I am very passionate about certain issues. Maybe when my life has settled down I think it would be interesting to run for something in the state government.

Q: Do you see state government as one of your goals?

A: That would be great if it ended up being one of the paths in my life because of how much I do care for advocating for people. So, yes, I could consider it a goal to one day get involved in the state government.

Q: What drove you to run for Class President at Patchogue-Medford High-School?

A: Wow, that would be about eight years ago, time flies. As a freshman, I was trying to find my niche. At South Ocean I had a great group of friends; however, going into a large high school like Pat-Med it was kind of hard to foresee where I belonged. When I got elected President I was given the opportunity to find myself, and it was a lot of fun planning trips, and motivating people during Homecoming. To be honest, I loved my class, I adore the Class of 2014. I love seeing how successful everyone is right now, and I take a lot of pride in being President of that class.

Q: Do you believe having that experience of Class President in high school taught you leadership qualities?

A: Without a doubt, in high school I learned a lot in the classroom environment but, the involvement in student government is what made me the leader that I am today, because it showed me that I had the ability to lead large groups, and had the communication skills to lead other people. So, when I arrived to UCONN I knew Student Government was something I was going to pursue.

Q: What workload is different from high school to college in terms of student government roles and responsibilities?

A: In high school, I was more of an event planner, and someone who motivated people during Homecoming. Here at UCONN, the USG President is the spokesperson for the student class which consists of 19,000 people. The president also oversees the entire organization which is staffed with over 100 people, and they run an executive board of 14 people, and manage the funds at campus. They are also responsible for building the relationship between faculty, administration, and students.

Q: What class prepared you most for college?

A: I can’t say any specific class, so I would say bits and pieces helped me to be a successful college student. I think, most importantly, it would be the teachers at Pat-Med that made me as successful as I am today. The life lessons I learned from those teachers are what pushed me to find my potential and be the student that I am today.

Q: In your campaign for USG President what would you say was your hardest obstacle?

A: A lot of people tried to push me down, personally, and that was difficult to endure. During my campaign, there was a lot of discrimination towards my race and my gender which was something I had never experienced; however, I still believe I am lucky enough to go to a school that I do feel is accepting of diversity. There are always people that want to see you fail, but it’s best to use that as motivation and push yourself to succeed.

Q: What would you say is your proudest achievement?

A: I would have to say my proudest achievement so far, as strange as it may sound, is landing an internship with Geico because it shows me that everything I worked so hard in, paid off. Not only that, but I came from a family of immigrants and my parents came here with nothing so, I knew from a young age I had to push myself harder and learn to be independent, and as such, make my family proud.

Q: What motivates you?

A: My parents. As I said before my parents came to America with nothing, and to know that they worked so hard to provide my siblings and myself with the opportunity to succeed is something that I will never take for granted, and I therefore always strive to be the best that I can be to honor them.

Q: What words of advice could you offer a student here at Pat-Med?

A: I would say to never be afraid to take a risk, and to never fear the outcome of it.  Surround yourself with people who will help you rise up, and take advantage of the opportunities given to you in life. Also, it’s important to never fade into a crowd.

Q: Your most memorable moment in Pat-Med?

A: The most memorable moment in Pat-Med was winning Homecoming in my senior because we had worked four years for that moment. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that, and it wasn’t just the moment itself, but how I felt knowing what my class had achieved together.

In the end, Irma Valverde is more than just an alumnus from Patchogue-Medford High-School, but has the enduring qualities that make her what the Red & Black would consider a true contender for the future Hall of Fame. Her persistence and work ethic have made her the success she is today, and her growing list of accomplishments will bring her home someday to be honored by the community she has never forgotten. She will only continue making Pat-Med proud and we wish nothing but the best for a fellow Raider.