Busy 8th-grader ranks at the top of her class Upper Freehold Regional School grad excited about moving on

Busy 8th-grader ranks at the top of her class
Upper Freehold Regional School grad excited about moving on

ALLENTOWN — Fourteen-year-old Jem Gabrielle Heinzel-Nelson has a busy schedule. She’s at school for most of the day, and when the school day ends, she has to fit in soccer practice, piano and voice lessons, and activities with her church. It’s a wonder she has any time to study at all.

But Jem has made time – and because of that, she’s the Upper Freehold Regional Elementary-Middle School valedictorian for the year 2000.

"It was really nice to hear that I was named valedictorian," said Jem, who moved to Allentown from Florida three years ago. "They [school administrators] didn’t tell us our exact GPAs, but I’ve been told it was very close."

Jem finished the school year with scores ahead of the other 80 eight-graders who graduated from the school this week.

But she said all those activities can take their toll, even on a dedicated student.

"Some days I feel like, ‘Why am I putting in this much effort?’ But I know my work has to be done and I end up doing it. I know this is what my future is based on right now," she said.

Looking ahead to that future, Jem said she’d like to become a Broadway singer, but she said she also has more down-to-earth goals. She’s considering becoming a pediatric oncologist, a doctor who treats children with cancer.

"I just love helping little kids out," she explained.

Although she has to keep a close eye on all her studies to maintain high grades, Jem said she enjoys science the most.

"I love learning new concepts. It’s fun to do different experiments and see how they really affect our lives," she said.

Writing and language arts are also among her interests.

"I feel that when I’m doing language arts work, I can really let my creativity show," Jem said.

Even though she’s done well in elementary and middle school, Jem said she’s a little nervous about going to Allentown High School next year.

"I’m going to be going from a big person in one school to this tiny freshman in another," she said. "It’s going to take some getting used to."

But she said she’s sure high school will turn out to be a great opportunity.

"I can’t wait to meet new people and start fresh," she said. "It’s very exciting."