WOODBURY – Honors and Advanced Placement classes might sound overwhelming to a lot of students, but not for Grace Rubacha. She packs her schedule fitting every high-level class she can, sports, and extracurriculars.
“I’m pretty much always overwhelmed,” said Rubacha, a sophomore at Nonnewaug. “I’m used to it and I don’t like being bored.”
Currently enrolled in three honors and three AP classes, Rubacha is certainly keeping busy and thrives in all her classes.
“I feel like every time I throw an extra challenge at her or the difficulties ramp up, she meets the expectation or exceeds it,” said Ray Robillard, the AP computer science teacher at NHS. “She doesn’t back down from challenges.”
High-level classes aren’t Rubacha’s only accomplishment; she is also a three-sport athlete for NHS competing on the swim team, cross country team, and outdoor track and field team.
“I’ve ran cross country and track and field since middle school,” Rubacha said. “I’ve been swimming since fifth grade. It’s my main sport and I love it so much.”
Being one of the five girls on the cross country team, she helped lead the team to the 2023 Berkshire League championship. Without her, the team wouldn’t have had enough girls to qualify for the league title – and she overcame injury to do it.
“When we went to championships, her leg had been hurting all week,” girls cross country coach Arleigh Duff said. “We only had five girls, and if anybody went out, we wouldn’t have won the league, but she ran through it and she ran great and helped us win the league.”
Hard work and commitment is what makes a good athlete. Rubacha shows these qualities in every sport she plays.
“Every year we have an award called the Golden Kickboard that’s awarded to someone that shows sportsmanship, hard work and is a team player, and last year Grace got awarded that,” said Abby Walsh, the NHS swim coach. “She’s always hardworking and very motivational. She’s always at the end of the pool cheering for people and she’s a great teammate to have.”
If AP classes and three sports aren’t enough, Rubacha is also involved in the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society.
“I’m happy she joined it, and she seems to have a real love for mathematics and just kind of learning about outside-of-the-box math,” said Robillard, who is also the club’s advisor. “She’s been a valuable member for the short time she’s been with us, and I’m happy she’ll be in it for another two years.”
Requirements for Math Honor Society and other honor societies are tough to meet, with certain grades to maintain and community service hours to earn.
“Right now, I’m in Math Honor Society and I’m joining Science National Honor Society,” said Rubacha. “I think they are great opportunities and look really good for college applications.”
Some would think Rubacha’s schedule is already full, but clearly she doesn’t agree. Schoolwork, clubs and three sports aren’t the end of Rubacha’s accomplishments. She is also involved with the NHS band.
“I love playing instruments,” Rubacha said. “I’ve been playing the clarinet since eighth grade. I’ve been playing viola since third grade, and I just love how you can put your own spin on the instrument. I can’t wait to play in a symphony in college.”
Rubacha has a long list of accomplishments, especially considering she’s only a sophomore. In terms of her future plans, she has already begun to express interest in one specific area.
“I’m obsessed with biology and I love marine biology,” Rubacha said. “I would love to have research opportunities in college where I can go and learn more about biology.”
With big plans for the rest of high school and her thoughts already about college, Rubacha looks up to her older brother Jack, the class of 2023 salutatorian and who is a freshman at Northeastern University, for all her schooling advice.
“A lot of people think there’s a lot of competition with my brother at home, but he’s genuinely my biggest supporter,” Rubacha said. “We’re friends, we’re besties, [and] he really helps me choose what classes to take and gives me advice for all my academic endeavors.”
