The long nights studying, pressure-filled test days and participating in extracurricular activities have paid off for a select group of soon-to-be graduates of Newberg High School.
The cadre of seven valedictorians and one salutatorian is one of the smallest in recent memory at the school. That comes, according to Athletic Director Mark Brown, due to the school’s unusually small graduating class this year.
Regardless, the group will join roughly 250 other seniors in receiving their diplomas during a commencement ceremony set for 7 p.m. June 7 at Loran Douglas Field. The valedictorians will all graduate with a 4.0 grade-point average; the salutatorian will graduate with a slightly lower GPA.
"Every year, I am amazed at the accomplishments and excellence of our valedictorians and salutatorians," Mark Brown, NHS athletic and activities director, said in a release. "This year is no exception. However, one thing that sets this group apart is what they had to overcome to get to this point. These students started their high school careers in the fall of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. Their first experience with high school was through online classes and distance learning. It wasn't until midway through their ninth-grade year that many of them stepped foot on campus at NHS for the first time. In a situation where it would have been easy to give up and disengage from school, this group of students preserved and thrived academically even in the midst of a global pandemic that created educational experiences that no other students in the history of the world have ever lived through. This group of valedictorians and salutatorians is an extraordinary group of students, but an even more special group of individuals. We are proud to have them representing Newberg High School and the Class of 2024 as our valedictorians and salutatorians."
The Newberg Graphic, with the aid of the school district, forwarded a few questions to this select group to learn a little more about them. Here’s what we discovered:
Valedictorians
Abigail Brown, 17
Are you a Newberg native? “I was born in Palo Alto but have lived in Newberg since I was 3, and my mom grew up here as well.”
What are your plans after graduation? “After graduation, I’m going to be studying computer engineering at California Polytechnic State Institute (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “I did intentionally work to become a valedictorian, but it was also something that just came with taking the classes that I wanted to take. Maintaining a 4.0 was difficult, but I wanted to take all of the classes that I took, and I wanted to learn the material.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “For me, earning the title of valedictorian is an honor and proof that I am capable of difficult things. Accomplishing something that I have been working toward for the last four years gives me the hope that I’ll be able to make it through whatever else life throws at me.”
Nathan Call, 18
Are you a Newberg native? Yes.
What are your plans after graduation? “I will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “No, it was not a conscious goal.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “It’s cool. I’m the third one in my family to get it, so that feels good. Shoutout to Cary Carlson for teaching all three of us in fifth grade.”
Joshua Kim, 18
Are you a Newberg native? “I have lived in Newberg my whole life.”
What are your plans after graduation? “After high school, I am going to be attending Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, on a full academic scholarship. I plan on studying biochemistry with a pre-med focus in the fall.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “It was for sure a goal on my list. … Setting that goal was a key reminder for me to put my best work out there on every assignment and test. But I believe that, as a result of my hard work and dedication all four years of high school, I am here where I am now.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “It has become a tell-tale sign that I am making progress and reaching one of the many goals on the paper hung up in my room. It also tells me that my other hopes and goals for the future are possible and attainable if I keep working hard.”
Leesie Matthiesen, 18
Are you a Newberg native? “I grew up in Dundee.”
What are your plans after graduation? “After graduation, I plan to attend Sewanee University, starting in August, and to major in creative writing.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “Being valedictorian of my class has not always necessarily been my goal, but it has always been important to me to work hard and earn good grades to make my family and myself proud.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “It means that all my hard work has paid off, and it feels really good to know that all that I’ve put into the past four years is being recognized.”
Paige Stilp, 18
Are you a Newberg native? “I was born in Chicago, Illinois, but I was raised in Newberg.”
What are your plans after graduation? “I am enrolled at Biola University in La Mirada, California, for fall 2024, and I plan to major in nursing and minor in biblical studies.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “Yes, to become a valedictorian I chose harder classes to challenge myself, but also took the time to stay on top of my classwork so I would keep my GPA.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “Being a valedictorian is a major honor that I’m so grateful to receive. It’s great to see all our hard work is paying off, and I’m so proud to represent the amazing senior class of 2024.”
Jacob Wojcik, 19
Are you a Newberg native? “I've lived in Newberg since kindergarten, and I've lived in Oregon my whole life.”
What are your plans after graduation? “I am going to Oregon State University to study physics and chemistry.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “It was at the end of my sophomore year when I realized I wanted to be a valedictorian, which is when I started making intentional efforts to achieve this goal.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “I'm honored to be awarded with this distinction. I've always enjoyed learning just for the fun of it, so it's truly humbling to see this eagerness for knowledge being recognized instead of being overlooked.”
Sophia Wong, 18
Are you a Newberg native? Yes.
What are your plans after graduation? “I intend to go to Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and hopefully to eventually receive a Ph.D. in math as well.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “Yes, in a way. I never intentionally tried to become valedictorian specifically (as in, that was never my end goal), but I did intentionally try to get straight A’s in all my classes and I intentionally picked challenging classes.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “I think this is a representation of the work I’ve put in throughout my years of being here. I know that I’ve worked hard, and an acknowledgment of that means a lot to me.”
Salutatorian
Conor Wood, 17
Are you a Newberg native? “I have gone to school in Newberg for my entire education, but I don’t live in Newberg.”
What are your plans after graduation? “I am going to Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where I plan on getting my bachelor’s in physics or biology. Afterward, I plan on getting my master’s degree in biomedical engineering, specializing in designing more advanced bionic limbs.”
Did you intentionally work to become a valedictorian or salutatorian? “I hadn’t originally planned on vying for the valedictorian or salutatorian title, I just wanted to try and produce the best work that I could.”
What does it mean to you to earn this distinction? “To me, this award is proof of the work I put into school as well as a challenge to keep pushing forward.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0