Hampton City Schools announces top students in the Class of 2023 at Hampton High School

Ethan Kyle Alfonso - Valedictorian

Ethan’s activities include serving as president of the YMCA Hampton Leaders Club, the YMCA Youth and Government, National Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. He was vice president of the senior class, served on the Science National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Honor Society, Virginia Leaders’ Club Kickoff Rally Planning Committee (executive chair), captain of the boys varsity volleyball team, International Baccalaureate student ambassador, and a Starbucks barista.

He was accepted to Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Villanova University, University of Virginia, College of William & Mary, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, and Stanford University. He will attend Stanford University in the fall where he plans to double major in political science and comparative studies in race and ethnicity, and minor in human rights. After college graduation he plans to attend law school to achieve a Juris Doctor.

Fondest high school memory:

“My fondest high school memories include the volleyball practices and games. I enjoyed building bonds and memories with the boys and girls team. As Hampton’s volleyball program continues to evolve, it was beautiful to participate in building the foundation. I cannot wait to see the progress the program makes in three years.”

A tradition at your school you will miss:

“I will miss our homecoming pep rallies and parades. Homecoming ignites energy and excitement felt throughout the entire school. It is always an entertaining experience filled with many long-lasting memories.”

An achievement you are most proud of:

“After being dormant for 5+ years, I am most proud of establishing Hampton High’s boys volleyball team and achieving playoff status.”

I am proud to be an HCS graduate because:

“I am proud to be an HCS graduate, because of the people I have met throughout my high school journey. Without the passionate and determined faculty and staff, it would be much harder to achieve greatness. I am forever grateful for all the adult mentors HCS provided me.”

If you could thank a teacher who had the greatest impact on you, who would it be and why?

“1 for every 325. This statistic refers to the average counselor-to-student ratio in Virginia, which is one counselor for every 325 students. The national counselor-to-student ratio is one counselor for every 430 students. This challenge is just one of the many inequities in the education system. A school counselor does so much with very little help. They also often play the role of social workers, parents, and therapists. There are not enough individuals in these fields to provide for the need of the community. I remain grateful and honored to have received support from my school counselor, Ms. Alexis Porter. In our short time together, Ms. Porter has cultivated my high school experience. Once I felt comfortable and opened up to her, she approached me differently than any other counselor. Instead of looking at me as 1 out of her 325 students, she treated me like I was her only concern at that moment. With everything on her plate, her priority will forever be her students. During that moment with Ms. Porter, her support made me feel heard and accepted. Ms. Porter and I were able to discuss my concerns and create a strategy to combat them. I would not be able to be where I am today without her. What differentiates Ms. Porter from the rest is her ability to connect with her students and give them the support they need. School counselors seem preoccupied with their other responsibilities. The heavy workload causes students to not come to counselors when they need it the most. It is not the fault of the counselors. It is due to the lack of support in school counseling departments. On the other hand, Ms. Porter flawlessly does it all. She has shown me the importance of prioritizing those you hold close to your heart. Ms. Porter holds all 325 of her students with each of their stories and individual needs close to her heart, and it clearly shows.

Muhammed Al Saffar – Salutatorian

Muhammed’s activities include Hampton Leaders Club, YMCA of The Virginia Peninsulas Youth and Government, School Board student representative, HCS Steel Drum Ensemble, Academies of Hampton ambassador, Tri M Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and varsity soccer.

He was accepted to University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), University of California San Diego (UCSD), University of California Irvin (UCI), Old Dominion University (ODU), Virginia Commonwealth University, College of William & Mary, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt University, New York University, University of Virginia, and Cornell University. Muhammed will be attending the College of William & Mary, majoring in neuroscience with a minor in public policy. He plans to become a medical consultant for local, state, and then national government and to eventually create his own business.

Fondest high school memory:

“(My fondest high school memory is) is ninth grade marching band.”

A tradition at your school you will miss:

“(A tradition I will miss) is doing the morning announcements and ending it with ‘at THE Hampton High School’.”

An achievement you are most proud of:

“(I am most proud of) being invited to the White House to see Sir Elton John perform and President Biden give his remarks.”

I am proud to be an HCS graduate because:

“(I am proud to be an HCS graduate because) I can always come back to the teachers who have impacted me and to give back to my community in the future.”

If you could thank a teacher who had the greatest impact on you, who would it be and why?

“(I would thank) Mr. Bell, our band director. Without him, I would have never been able to transpire my passion for music.”