As Johanna Bozic sat in her AP Research class, discovering the big news at the same time as the rest of the school via email, she could not be more elated.

Bozic, Div. 951,  has an inventory of successes and positions held throughout school. She is a Lane scholar, played for the Girls Varsity Soccer Team, ran for the Cross Country Team and is a member of the National Honor Society.

“The one way I can sum it up, is proud,” said Bozic, on her achievement of being named the Class of 2019 Salutatorian.

“I was very happy,” Bozic said. “I felt very accomplished.”

Bozic has been on the principal’s honor roll since freshman year, she has earned a biliteracy seal in German, and is expected to be receiving an AP Capstone diploma this year at graduation.

Aside from her many academic achievements, Bozic has also developed a passion for film.

“Sam Sorich and I went to state for our documentary [for a history fair], and that’s actually how I got started in film,” Bozic said.

It is clear that she leaves no room for question when describing her love for film.

“Film has become one of my favorite hobbies, and if I could do anything, I would love to become a cinematographer or director, but it’s really hard to make it in that. Medicine is also a passion,”  Bozic said.

Bozic credits part of her win as class salutatorian to the approach she took to the video element of the application.

“After the written portion [of the application], they told us to make a 60-second video, and I was like ‘This is perfect — sunlight shining down on me — this is what I do,’” she said.

Bozic ended up creating one of the winning entry videos: an entire production featuring some of her friends, her dog, and her LTAC cap and gown.

One of Bozic’s best friends and fellow classmates Bryanna Rubi, Div. 969, praised her contributions to their shared film class.

“[Bozic] has so many great ideas and skills and positively contributes to our filmmaking process,” Rubi said.

Rubi further explained Bozic’s ability to lighten up the working dynamic within the classroom.

“She is an overall fun person to work with, making the process even more enjoyable,” Rubi said.  

However, it is not only her close-knit friends that recognize Bozic’s shining qualities.

Her 7th grade LTAC pre-algebra teacher, Ms. Jencius, remembered her work ethic inside and outside of the classroom. When she heard the news involving Bozic, she was reminded of a time when she was exposed to Bozic’s true demeanor.

“We take the 7th graders to Camp Duncan, a YMCA camp, and they were playing a game of soccer,” Jencius said. “[It was] a group of 15 girls and a handful of boys, and the girls were just dominating. That describes her personality. Whatever she sets her mind to she does and she does well.”

Jencius described Bozic as a “hard worker” and expressed Bozic’s true desire to genuinely understand the material in the classroom, not just learn it.

As graduation quickly approaches and the many “lasts” are beginning to pile up, Bozic said that she cannot deny the excitement she feels to begin anew.

“I think the best memory for me at Lane will be graduating, because if I’m being honest I cannot wait to leave,” Bozic said. “It’s been a long six years.”

Although Bozic is itching to leave high school behind, she cannot help but feel a little nostalgic as well.

“High school is not like what you would expect it to be,” Bozic said. “I think that’s a good thing. It’s taken me four years to realize that. I would say I had this horrible stigma around it, but I’ve matured,” Bozic said.

Moreover, Bozic made it clear that balancing it all did not always come easy for her.

“I would say a significant part of my high school career was spent worrying about a test grade or something, and I would sacrifice other things like getting food with friends, and that sucks,” Bozic said.

She emphasized that having multiple priorities is okay.

“Of course, there are those moments when you have to put your studying first but remember those important things that you should allow your time to,” Bozic said.

Bozic wants to make it clear that high school should also be filled with a bit of fun.

“Don’t sacrifice things you’ll remember for much longer, and then forget to incorporate those things into your daily life,” Bozic said.

Her parting advice to this year’s graduating class focuses on embracing the present.

“I would say we all have learned different things but college is going to teach us a lot more,” Bozic said.

“Enjoy everything that you have experienced and will experience,” Bozic said.

Bozic wants to encourage the upcoming senior class to not stress too much about the future.

¨Live in the moment.”

Johanna Bozic will be studying Biology at the University of Michigan in the fall and is excited to explore her new independence.