Josena Noel: From Orange High School Valedictorian to Notre Dame Scholar

ORANGE, NJ - Junior year is typically associated with being one of the toughest years in high school. For Orange High School's 2024 Valedictorian Josena Noel, this proved to be true. Josena was at a crossroads. She was faced with a tough decision on how to prioritize her time and her many responsibilities. Little did she know, her decision to let go of something she loved would have a positive impact, and send her down the path of politics.

Early Life and Influences

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Born in Newark, New Jersey, Josena spent most of her adolescence in Essex County. Her academic aspirations for high school were molded by her aunt, a significant positive influence in her life. Her aunt, an alumnus of Orange High School, shared her own experiences and encouraged Josena to aim high. This conversation fueled Josena’s determination for academic success, and motivated her to strive for greatness. It wasn’t until junior year that Josena learned that she was at the top of her class after a conversation with her mentor and academic counselor.

Tough Decisions

For Josena, maintaining her grades and extracurricular commitments were not a simple task. During her junior year, she juggled four AP courses, dance ensemble, cheerleading, dual enrollment courses, and served as the main host for cultural events at Orange High School. These responsibilities led to sleepless nights and immense pressure. Realizing a change needed to be made, Josena made the difficult decision to leave the dance ensemble, giving her the opportunity to find herself, and eased the stress of maintaining her academic standing.

Political Passion

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Josena's choice to prioritize her own needs ultimately paid off, allowing her to dive deeper into her passion for politics. She credits the Rutgers RU Ready program for opening her eyes and giving her an experience that changed her outlook on politics going forward. This program hosted 45 students from across high schools in New Jersey to participate in a conference. Three months prior to the meeting, the students were taught lessons by their history teachers about civics and Supreme Court rulings. The program also included representatives from Rutgers and Drew University. They taught the students about the intricacies of voting and taxes, and how they differ across state lines. Finally, after the prepping process, all of the students met and split up into different groups. Their task was to come up with a campaign mission, and representatives helped walk the students through the process of getting certain laws passed. Josena called this experience eye-opening saying, “It encourages me, because if these students can learn and do so much, then I can do the same and be impactful in my community.”

Realizing her Calling

It was after this conference where Josena realized her mission and became committed to educating her community about politics. Josena finds it integral to spread information rather than misinformation. She notices the fragile political climate of the country, and stresses the importance of media literacy. “I feel like when you add misinformation targeted towards people of color who just became eligible to vote, it is easy to drive division”, remarked Josena as she stressed the importance of making informed decisions.

Heading to Notre Dame

Josena will be attending Notre Dame this upcoming fall, drawn by its rigorous academic program and strong religious community on the campus. She plans to study political science, with goals of becoming a politician. She has always been outspoken on political issues, and wants to become deeply immersed in the cultural climate of Notre Dame.  She remains vigilant in her commitment to being a stellar student first and pursuing this passion second.

As she prepares to embark on her journey at Notre Dame, she carries with her the experiences and lessons from her time at Orange High School. Her dedication to academic excellence, passion for politics, and commitment to combating misinformation set her apart as a future leader. With a strong foundation and a clear vision, Josena is poised to make a significant impact not only at Notre Dame but also in the broader political landscape.

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