ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996 TAG: 9606060012
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-35 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALESSANDRA SOLER STAFF WRITER
Teresa Monsour says she's happiest when doing things for others. She keeps busy by organizing events for her teachers and classmates, helping out at her church and volunteering at a local elementary school. And time for herself, she admits, isn't all that important.
"I'm a real people person," confessed the 19-year-old homecoming queen. "Some days it might be nice to stay home and sleep all day, but I'm the kind of person who likes to stay busy. I love doing things for others. I don't need much time for myself."
This Sunday, Monsour will graduate - second in her class - from Roanoke Catholic High School. She'll give the welcoming speech at the ceremony, but as this year's student government president, Monsour is already used to giving her share of speeches.
"At first, I used to get really nervous, but now I feel pretty comfortable if it's something that I've written and rehearsed," said Monsour. "I'll probably be a little nervous at graduation, but I'll be so excited to be finally graduating that it won't matter."
Shannon Kelly, guidance counselor of the upper school, said Monsour is well-respected by students and faculty members. "So many overachievers tend to focus on one particular area that they're comfortable with, but Teresa's abilities span a variety of areas," said Kelly. "You can tell her something needs to be done, and you won't have to ask again."
As the student government president, Monsour planned activities for Homecoming Week and organized nature retreats for students. She said she hopes her leadership skills will help her fulfill her dream of becoming successful in the field of hotel and restaurant management, a career she's been interested in since writing a paper on the topic in 10th grade.
"I know I have a lot of things that I can offer companies," said Monsour, who will attend James Madison University in the fall. "I want to travel, learn new things and become better-educated. I have very high expectations for myself, and I think I'll accomplish most of my goals."
"She is a very kind and poised person," said Ray-Eric Correia, vice principal of the upper school. "I think she has a good ability to size up a situation. She brings the students' concerns to the administration's attention and helps us improve certain situations."
Studying and maintaining a 3.4 grade-point average didn't keep her from participating in sports. She was a cheerleader her first two years in high school, and also ran on the school's track and cross-country teams. As the point guard and captain of the school's basketball team for the past three years, Monsour plans to try out for the basketball team while in college.
Aside from the academics, clubs and athletics, Monsour also works 30 hours a week as a waitress at a local steakhouse. "It's very tiring, but it's something I really enjoy," said the Roanoke native.
Although she was torn between whether to attend James Madison University or Virginia Tech (her father, a local stockbroker, went to Tech), Monsour is confident in her decision. After high school graduation, she plans to work and save money for college.
Her goals are simple: "I want to work hard, do well in school and find a good job, maybe in North Carolina, after graduation," she said. "I'll probably want to get married and have kids sometime in the future, but I don't know. I want to be a real career-based kind of person."
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL Staff In addition to being an honor studentby CNBand staying busy in activities at Roanoke Catholic High School,
Teresa Monsour is a part-time server at the Outback Restaurant. She
plans to prepare for a career in hotel and restaurant management at
James Madison University.