A high-achieving 2012 graduate, Nicole Ralbovsky, says her experience attending Colonie Central High School helped shape her into the successful adult she is today, working as a scientist in the pharmaceutical field. Her involvement in several clubs and athletic teams allowed her to meet peers and fostered many positive moments over the course of her high school education.

“It allowed me to flex different areas of my brain and become a more well-rounded student,” Ralbovksy said about her participation in extracurricular activities. 

She acknowledged that these opportunities allowed her to be better prepared for her time at a liberal arts undergraduate college.

She enjoyed taking part in soccer, National Honors Society, art club, French club, yearbook club, and band. She loved having the opportunity to explore outside interests at school and express herself outside of schoolwork.

“I really enjoyed being involved in different activities because it allowed me to meet many different people who I never would have known otherwise,” Ralbovsky remarks. 

Colonie’s diverse offering of clubs allowed her to connect with other students while also connecting with herself. The deep connections she made through her participation in activities have stayed with her throughout her whole life. 

“Many of the friendships I made I still have to this day,” Ralbovsky is happy to say.   

Not only is Ralbovsky thankful for her extracurricular opportunities, she also says she was also inspired by her teachers in rigorous AP classes. She explains how the wide range of advanced placement classes offered helped her weed out her true interests and ultimately assisted in determining her major in college.

These positive interactions with Colonie’s teachers led her to push herself and take academically challenging courses. Ralbovsky feels she was properly prepared for college when the material became more difficult. She felt ready to take on the rigor college classes demanded.

Twelve years later, these academic challenges proved worth it because Ralbovsky is a scientist in the pharmaceutical field. The work ethic and standards she held herself to, with the inspiration from her dedicated teachers, still shines through today as she is in a highly respected occupation. The values she learned from her time at Colonie certainly assisted in her success later in life.

Ralbovsky admires the amount of classes and clubs still being offered at CCHS because the “reliable focus on improving and supporting the education of Colonie students while fostering independence and growth that is emphasized today is invaluable,” she states.

“Being able to have access to a wide range of activities and to study a variety of subjects is vital for setting students up for success in their futures,” Ralbvosky points out. 

Due to the opportunity she had in finding her own interests, and even dislikes, through programs offered at Colonie, she is happy to see students today being offered the same opportunities. All these reasons are why she believes that Colonie has only improved since she attended.

Ralbovsky enjoys hearing the success stories from current students.  

“Whether it’s through an exciting sports game, a recent production of a play, or students being recognized for their artistic and academic performances,”  she says it fills her with pride about where she attended school.

Being a Raider is still something she is proud of,  and her positive experiences while attending Colonie are invaluable to her. Her development throughout her high school career fine tuned skills she utilized in college and they still benefit her in her challenging career.

“I believe Colonie set me up well for my future and it makes me excited and hopeful to see Colonie have the same impact on today’s students,” she says. 

About the author:

Kelsey Dwire is a senior at Colonie Central High School. Her favorite class is AP Biology and she liked physics last year. She enjoys working at Bruegger's Bagels and hanging out with friends. Kelsey will attend Binghamton University and study pharmaceutical sciences.