AMELIA GOMEZ:

Valedictorian Traditional

GPA: 7.62

When did you realize you were going to be in the top two of your class? How did you react?

I have technically been number 1 since the beginning of freshman year, there was one point where I flipped o third but by the next quarter I was back to 1. Being valedictorian wasn’t something that I was going for in high school until the start of my senior year when I realized that it was attainable. It honestly didn’t feel real until we had our top 10 lunch and they officiall announced that I was valedictorian. It was crazy but at the same time it was an amazing feeling to know that years of hard work had lead to something I didn’t even know was in my reach.

What’s something you wish you knew about high school before entering 9th grade?

There are two things that I wish I would have learned before entering 9th grade. One being to not sweat the small stuff There is going to be a lot of new challenges or new types of drama that you encounter but you just have to learn how to really focus on the stuff that maters. Courses are going to be hard and have challenging aspects but if you just stay focused on that class and what is going on you will do just fin. Same with any drama that occurs, you just have to focus on staying true to yourself and staying true to your friends and knowing when it’s time to step back from what is happening. The second thing Is to just put yourself out there and go for stuff. I was never a person who had a ton of friends or talked to a bunch of people but as I got further into high school I started joining more clubs and running for homecoming court and prom court and class councils. By taking the opportunity to join these clubs and really try to get involved in my school I feel like I was able to have a more expansive ending to high school. By putting yourself out there it doesn’t necessarily mean doing every single club or doing every single activity that your club does but it may just mean running for an officer position for a small club, which in turn could lead to you meeting new people or getting new opportunities that you might not have originally had. Also as someone who is not typically outgoing to people they don’t know joining and putting myself out there allowed me to really be able to enjoy high school more and know that you can still have an impact without being popular.

What is your favorite high school memory?

I have two favorite high school memories, one being my senior prom and the other being our last pep rally. This year for my senior prom I had a group of friends that I went with and I had never had a group for any dance until this year and I think it made it so much better. I was also on prom court and nominated for two senior notables, one of which I won (I won hidden genius). I put myself out there and ran for stuff or my senior year and just winning that notable and even making it on prom court was just an amazing feeling. My second favorite memory was our last pep rally of the year. It was our blackout pep rally and it was only juniors and seniors, we had a good amount of people show up, fun games, and prom court got to be recognized. Our student government recreated the Rihanna halftime show with our mascot and did the mascot reveal for the year and it was all like glow in the dark and light up themed. The energy was amazing and everyone who was there got really into it and had a great time and I think it was a great way to send off the eniors and provided us with our final spirit stick win.

JAY CHAPLOT: IB SALUTATORIAN

GPA: 8.76

When did you realize you were going to be in the top two of your class? How did you react?

I realized that I was going to be in the top two of my class earlier this year in the middle of the third quarter. I reacted very pleased and was excited to tell my family. What’s something you wish you knew about high school before entering 9th grade?

Before entering 9th grade, I wish I knew that high school would be just like another home and a place to enjoy time with your friends.

What is your favorite high school memory?

My favorite high school memory is when my friends threw a surprise birthday party for me. We watched the World Cup, went to Busch Gardens, and did a lot of other fun activities.

What is the most important lesson you learned (from a teacher or another student) while in high school?

The most important lesson I learned was to always have a direction in the things you do. It helps to organize your daily work in a more structured and purposeful way.

What extracurricular activities did you participate in and why?

The two main extracurricular activities I participated in were Orchestra and Robotics. After orchestra in middle school, I wanted to keep playing in high school. The entire community in my school Orchestra was great, and I had a lot of fun with my friends in the countless after-school rehearsals and concerts. I started participating in Robotics in 9th grade. It was always something I found interesting, and I still plan to pursue that area even today.

What are your college plans and future career goals?

Next year I will go to college at Georgia Tech and study computer science. Hopefully, in my career, I can find a table job that I enjoy doing.

What advice would you give students who want to be valedictorian or salutatorian?

I would recommend that students truly take classes that they are interested in. There is no point in taking classes just for the sake of doing them. Classes should act as a guide for you to find omething that is enjoyable and something you can be passionate about.