Outstanding academic achievement has won senior Kristi Buice the honor of being named the Noon Optimist Student of the Month for October.
Buice, who is ranked No. 16 in her class of 117, has a GPA of 95.0 and an SAT score of 1460. In her four years at the Upper School, she has earned eight honors and four AP credits.
Raymond Murray, adviser of the Honor Council, calls Buice “one of Darlington’s great citizens.” “I know her best for her work on our Honor Council,” he said. “She serves as secretary to the council and is on its executive committee. She is one of our most discerning members, and her opinions carry a lot of weight with other council members. She is an excellent student who always puts forth her best effort, and I know she will make a wonderful contribution to any college campus.”
While at Darlington, Buice has been awarded the Parents Association Award and the McCain Scholarship. In addition to Honor Council, she has been a member of the Discipline Committee, National Honor Society, House Senate, Senior Leadership Committee, Leadership Rome and is head day prefect of Milford House. Buice has also made time for several extracurricular activities, including varsity cross-country (captain), varsity track and field and FCA.
“I have known Kristi Buice for five years, both as an English teacher and a cross-country and track coach, and she is one of the most delightful student-athletes I have ever had the opportunity to coach,” said Ken Wempe, track and field coach. “Although she is quite talented, what stands out to me about Kristi are her skills in leadership, responsibility and enthusiasm. She’s a positive force for everybody around her.
“She leads our track workouts, beams excitement and enthusiasm when everybody else is exhausted and does all the small things that good leaders do quietly, behind the scenes – stretching, cooling down, supporting younger teammates – that make her responsible far beyond her years.”
Buice will be honored at a luncheon Monday, Nov. 29, along with Darlington’s Noon Optimist Student of the Month for November. She is the daughter of Rick and Fran Buice of Rome, Ga., both teachers at Darlington Upper School.
