Welcoming the Class of 2017’s Valedictorian

                After reading the text Best in Class by Margaret Talbot, who discusses the stress placed on students of high academic rank and that competition for the valedictorian title, I was interested to see how Mayfair students under this category of academic excellence felt. I decided to speak with Micah Rodriguez, a Mayfair senior who will accept the title of valedictorian for the 2017 graduating class. Micah has a total GPA of 4.7 and has completed 12 AP courses so far at Mayfair. When asked about her stress level because of AP classes Micah stated, “I understand that taking APs could seem stressful, but I look at the difficulties of these classes as obstacles to overcome in order to enhance my learning experience and try to not think too negatively”. In other words, Micah looks at stress in a rewarding way, noting that the different learning experiences of APs further her knowledge more than a regular class would. On the topic of competition for the title of valedictorian Micah claimed she wasn’t too concerned with her class ranking, she just aimed to do her best. Unlike most people assume, Micah shared that her parents are very proud but haven’t place too much pressure on her grades, instead she is very self-motivated and disciplined. Micah chooses classes based off of interest rather than for a boosted GPA with no specific subject preference. When I asked Micah whether she felt the valedictorian system at our school was fair she understood two sides to the argument. Micah agreed that while the status of valedictorian maintains competition which motivates students, it fails to take into account extracurricular activities and time such activities consume. Micah made a strong point by mentioning that colleges recognize your overall accumulation of accomplishments, taking note of these extracurricular activities, so well-rounded students will be recognized where it most matters. The status of valedictorian is fair enough in recognizing strictly academic achievement, and other forms of recognition should be used to celebrate the extra achievements aside from those academic.