Photo By: Shelby Clemons
27 February 2013
HONORABLE: Natalie Ethell (12) and Emma Cunningham (12) are the Valedictorians of this year’s graduating class, alongside Jaclyn Adaskaveg, Arnav Mishra and Sam Stetkevich, the Salutatorians of the senior class.
By Leti Bernard, Features editor
Every year, there is a distinct group of students in the senior class who are recognized for their unparalleled academic success throughout their high school careers. At the top of this prestigious group, the individual or individuals with the highest grade point average of their graduating class are the Valedictorians; the students with the second highest GPA’s are the Salutatorians. This year’s Valedictorians are Emma Cunningham and Natalie Ethell; accompanying these two are the three Salutatorians: Jaclyn Adaskaveg, Arnav Mishra and Samuel Stetkevich.
The journey to earning a Valedictorian title is not an easy one; a student has to have extensive high school courses, starting from the beginning of his or her freshman year, in order to maintain their top GPA ranking. “I took all the Honors and AP classes I could throughout high school. This year, all 5 of my classes are AP. Last year, 4 of my classes were AP, and one was Honors. Sophomore year, I took AP European History, with the rest of my classes Honors, excluding French 2 because there is no Honors class for that. Freshman year, I took as many Honors classes as I could,” Ethell said.
Cunningham also had a rigorous academic schedule from her freshman year to her current classes as a senior. She took majority honors and Advanced Placement classes her freshman through junior year, and is now taking all AP classes this year. “My classes were very extensive . In every subject I took, I went up to the AP class. French 4 AP was probably one of the most in-depth classes I took , since I had to learn not only French, but also the cultures of French-speaking countries,” Cunningham said.
But the intensity of their schedules does not stop at academics; Ethell is also an active member of many extracurricular activities. She has been dancing ballet since she was five years old and has performed in The Nutcracker for the past 8 years. Ethell is also on the tennis team, a member of Link Crew, a participant in the California Math League competitions, the president of French Honors Society, Editor-in-Chief of Bear Tracks and a babysitter in her community.
Cunningham is also extremely involved in activities at school and in her community. She is a defense and prosecuting attorney on Mock Trial, a two-year Link Crew leader, president of the French Honors society, editor-in-chief of Bear Tracks, a volunteer at the San Bernardino county museum and a championship-winning competitive Irish dancer, something she has been doing since she was six years old.
The plethora of activities, clubs and sports Ethell and Cunningham participate in is another reason why the two deserve co-Valedictorian. They both know that academic success is the essential part of becoming the senior class Valedictorian, but they are also aware that a successful student is one that is well-rounded. With that in mind, Ethell and Cunningham worked, and continue to work, to their full potential in order to be the Valedictorian, a title that Ethell has wanted since she was a freshman. When the co-Valedictorians and salutatorians received the news on February 13, one could only imagine Ethell’s elation when she realized that her dream of becoming the Valedictorian is a reality. “I was extremely, extremely excited! I called my parents right after I found out, and was ecstatic to tell all my friends,” Ethell said.
However, the title of Valedictorian was definitely not one of Cunningham’s goals when she began high school. “When I was a freshman, I did not think I was very smart. I worked hard, and ended up getting straight A’s freshman year. So, I took the next hardest level in all my classes sophomore year. Again, I worked extremely hard, and got all A’s first semester of sophomore year. That’s when I became number one in my class. When I found out I was number one, I was stunned. In fact, I took a picture of my transcript because I thought it wouldn’t last long, and next semester someone else would be number one. But, I stayed number one. That’s when I realized that I could actually be valedictorian. So junior and senior year I took all AP classes, so I could try to hold on to number one, and I did,” Cunningham recollected.
With everything that Ethell and Cunningham have on their plates, one may wonder how they balance everything in their lives. It all comes down to prioritizing and being dedicated to their work. “Sometimes I don’t even know how I do it. I would say that when I have to get things done, I get completely focused, and don’t let anything distract me. Sometimes I have to turn down social events to get my work done, but there is definitely a lot of compensation,” Ethell said.
The perks of both Cunningham and Ethell’s academic perseverance most definitely makes up for missed opportunities to hang out with friends or watch the latest movie. Both young ladies have received an abundance of academic awards, reflecting the hard-working students that they are. Ethell was named an Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Distinction, designated Commended Student by the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program, won the All Academic Team Award for Poly’s tennis team and the RUSD Sweepstakes Award for her science fair project in RUSD’s Science Fair competition.
Cunningham was named the Riverside Rotary Club Student of the Month, won the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award, 1st place at District, County, and State levels of National History Day, was a Nominee for the Blue Ribbon Award, was a Best Defense Attorney Nominee for the Blue Ribbon Award, was named Best Defendant AP Scholar with Distinction Gold Key, won the American Visions and Voices Award for California– Scholastic Arts & Writing Award, earned the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal Award and is a member of the California Scholarship Federation.
Ethell and Cunningham’s achievements prove that hard work is rewarded.
Success from working hard may be difficult to attain, but it is absolutely achievable. From her four-year academic journey, Cunningham has discovered the key to her academic accomplishments: “Never underestimate yourself. Coming into high school, no one really took me seriously academically, including myself. But if you work hard and try your best, you can accomplish more than you think you can. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s honestly what I’ve learned from becoming valedictorian.”
All outstanding students must make sacrifices, but it behooves them in the end when they achieve great successes–such is the case with Ethell, Cunningham, and all three of the Salutatorians. These students serve as a clear example to their classmates of where one can end up if one fully applies oneself to one’s studies.