IWA Valedictorian and Salutatorian share their love for their school

IWA Valedictorian Catherine Thomas

Incarnate Word Academy Valedictorian Catherine Thomas has attended IWA since she was in kindergarten. “I love the intimate community, the many extracurricular opportunities, and the Catholic culture at IWA,” she said.

Catherine was TAPPS all-state first team basketball and received the senior female athlete IWA award. She was president of the National Honor Society, a volunteer in the music ministry and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at her parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She is also a proud member of Angels for Life – a pro-life club at IWA.

Other than playing basketball, Catherine loves to play the piano, read and bake. Her favorite class was physics with Mr. [Thomas] Buckner because she enjoyed his labs.

Catherine will be attending Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia, in the Fall. With a major in math and a minor in physics, she plans on pursuing a degree in engineering.

Her parents, Stephen and Alyssa Thomas, are happy they sent Catherine to IWA and continue to be proud of their daughter’s work ethic and eagerness to contribute to her parish and school.

IWA Salutatorian Charlie Flood

Incarnate Word Academy Salutatorian Charlie Flood has attended IWA since he was three years old and has “loved every minute of it.”

“Over the years at IWA, I have participated in several extracurricular activities such as TAPPS Academic Team, the boys’ basketball team, National Honor Society, Student Council, and so on,” Charlie said. By “so on’s,” Charlie means he was founder, president or a member of the Global Engagement Debate Club, Boys Basketball, TAPPS State Team, National Honor Society, Lincoln Douglas Debate Team, Spanish Honor Society, Angel Ambassador, Student Council, Mu Alpha Theta, Triumph Over Kid Cancer, DTOT Club, Drone Club, and Camp La Junta.

His list of accomplishments includes volunteering as a Corpus Christi altar server, a Nueces County Clerk Office volunteer/poll worker, Food Bank delivery driver, Project Backboard Creator, a Virtual Math Tutor, and a STEM Fair representative.

Charlie said his favorite class was Mrs. [Theresa] Mader’s calculus class. “I loved this class as it challenged me, day in and day out, to expand my mathematical knowledge and take my education to new heights.”

Outside of school, Charlie loves to spend his time surfing on North Padre Island. “It’s been a new hobby of mine that I’ve picked up more so during the pandemic,” he said. “I come from a large, loving family that I am lucky enough to call my best friends, as I spend a great deal of my time with them.”

In the Fall, he will be attending the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and plans on working within the government in some capacity (still yet to be determined.)

Parents John and Patti Flood feel Charlie is well prepared for college. “He has enjoyed healthy and happy relationships with great friends, and IWA has helped him mature into a young adult ready for the next stage of his life,” Patti said. They are most proud of Charlie’s kindness and empathy. “He very intentionally tries to understand how others experience life,” Patti said. “It’s an unusual thing for a young person; it gives him a wise perspective.” 

Charlie believes that students considering attending IWA will never regret becoming an Angel. “Incarnate Word Academy provides a unique education. The small class sizes truly work towards their advantage,” he said. “Not only does IWA offer a fabulous education that prepares one for college like no other high school, but the close-knit community it maintains becomes an advantage for every student.” 

“I’d like to tell my classmates to live boldly. Over the next four years of our lives, we will be presented with new obstacles and what seem like daunting tasks. My advice is to meet these challenges head-on; don’t let yourself stand in the way of your future success,” Charlie said.