Over half a million students sat down on Wednesday for the first test of the maturità, Italy’s final high school exam. The exam began with the Italian written paper, which asked students to choose from seven essay prompts, ranging from literature to history, ethics and civic values.
One essay topic honoured anti-mafia judge Paolo Borsellino, assassinated by the Cosa Nostra in 1992. Students were asked to reflect on his message: “Young people, my hope.” Borsellino’s children responded, saying. “He nurtured enormous hope in future generations,” in a statement. They added he believed deeply in the potential for a better, more just society.
Other essay choices included a reflection on the meaning of respect, a poem by Pier Paolo Pasolini, an excerpt from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s Gattopardo, and a historical analysis of the 1930s New Deal based on a text by British historian Piers Brendon.
One student sitting the Maturità exam has already made international headlines. 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who recently became the third-youngest driver in Formula 1 history to reach the podium, sits the paper today. Antonelli secured third place at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal last weekend.
Despite the pressures of racing, Antonelli remained committed to his studies in international relations and marketing at the Gaetano Salvemini Institute near Bologna. His teacher, Alessandra Regina, praised his dedication: “He never lost sight of school. He’d return straight from the airport to class, ask questions, and sit tests like everyone else.”
Antonelli’s classmates have supported him throughout, and the feeling is mutual. “He once told me something beautiful,” said Regina. “‘I’m happy to go back to school, for my classmates.’”
His podium in Canada marked the first time an Italian driver had finished in the top three in Formula 1 since Jarno Trulli in 2009.
