IWA Valedictorian Joaquin Dionio says, 'hard work pays off"

Incarnate Word Academy Valedictorian Joaquin Dionio feels that all the hard work, effort, and dedication he put into his studies over four years have paid off. “I feel that IWA has prepared me for life after graduation by teaching me that success is earned, not given. If one wants to accomplish something and be great at something, they must put in hard work, dedication, and time in whatever they want to achieve,” he said.

Joaquin plans on attending the United States Naval Academy as an upcoming midshipman, then commissioning as an officer upon his graduation. “I mostly see myself pursuing a career in the Navy, hopefully in aviation. I am not 100% sure yet, but I know that the academy will expose me to all the possibilities, which will help me make my decision. If I decide to pursue something else, it would probably be in the world of CrossFit, either through owning a gym or possibly making a name for myself and becoming a sponsored athlete,” he said.

His favorite pastimes are training at his CrossFit gym, competing in CrossFit, playing the piano, and cooking. “I was lucky enough to qualify last year for the CrossFit Games in my age division, where the top athletes in CrossFit compete to be crowned the “Fittest on Earth.” I would say it is equivalent to making it to the Olympics in the sport of CrossFit.

According to Joaquin, his parents were his biggest influence on graduating with this honor. “They have always inspired me and pushed me to try my best in all I do and be the best I can be,” he said.

Parents Vince and Liza Dionio are very proud of their son and all of his accomplishments. His resilience is one of his best qualities in their opinion. "He never lets failure defeat him," Liza said. "He bounces back and tries harder."

His favorite subject was AP Physics I. “I feel like I learned a lot from that class in the realm of physics and about myself as a person,” he said. “The most important thing I learned in high school was never to be afraid to try something new and try your best in everything you do.”

If he could have done anything differently in high school, Joachin says he would have tried to be more involved in sports and clubs earlier on during his high school years. “I feel that I would have made more memories with friends that way,” he said. Surprisingly, however, Joaquin’s on-campus activities are pretty extensive. He is on the swim team, soccer team, and track team. He is president of IWA’s National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta club. He is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, REC Club, Drone Club, Medical Society, and Environmental Club.

To his classmates, he says, “You have the opportunity to make new friends, learn more about yourself, and maybe even find a new passion! Don’t be afraid to try something new. My definition of success is trying your best at everything that you do, so no matter the outcome, you will know that you tried to the best of your ability at whatever you have done.

Joaquin attended St. Patrick from elementary to sixth grade and IWA for middle and high school.

During his first year of high school, he recalled a school experience that helped shape his character. “My friends and I had an upcoming test in world geography, which we knew we had to study hard for to do well. Even though none of us wanted to study, I convinced my friends to get together so we could do a group study session together. Being a part of a group helped us push ourselves and each other to study and understand the material, which led to us doing well on the test,” he said. “It showed me the power of leadership, teamwork, and communication. Through these things, we could push each other to better ourselves.”

Parents Vince and Liza say, "We are very fortunate for having IWA, with Christ being the center of each child’s development and education. We are very thankful to IWA for helping Joaquin grow into the young man that he is now.”