Dozen years of school,
never missing a day

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Katie Lindsay, who graduated from Archbishop Ryan last week, never missed a day of school in 12 years.
She’s got certificate to prove it.
For eight years at Our Lady of Consolation in Tacony and for four more years at Archbishop Ryan, it didn’t matter if she had a cold, the flu or just needed a pajamas day — Katie went anyway.
If she were really ill, she’d come home early, but she always got up and went.
She even left the hospital at 2 a.m. with a 103-degree fever so she wouldn’t ruin her perfect attendance record.
“I love school,” she said.
So much so, that when she sold enough pies to earn a day off from school, she went anyway.
Katie wasn’t always a morning person. So how does this teen drag herself out of bed every morning?
“I set my alarm at 5 a.m. when I want to get up at 6 a.m., and I keep hitting the snooze button until 6,” she said.
Science is her favorite subject.
An honor student, Katie also earned a scholarship to Gwynned Mercy College, where she’ll study nursing.
After she earns her nursing degree, she wants to continue her education and become a forensic pathologist.
Not surprisingly, CSI is one of her favorite television shows.
Katie’s had a couple of role models when it comes to perfect attendance and hitting the books.
Her sister Laurie Lapatina, who graduated from Ryan in 2004, also had 12 years of perfect attendance, and her mom is studying for her nursing degree at Community College of Philadelphia.
Before she heads off to college, Katie will spend the summer working at Skate Zone’s day camp for underprivileged kids. ••