Every year students compete to be deemed the valedictorian of their class. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to keep your GPA up and stay at the top of the class. Senior editor Avery Smith talked with 2020 Valedictorian Reilly Heinrich to talk about her high school experience and what it took her to get to this point. 

Q: How does it feel to know all of your hard work has finally paid off? 

A: It’s a huge relief to know that everything I’ve worked towards has paid off. 

Q: What was the most challenging thing for you in school?

A: The most challenging thing for me in school was juggling lots of AP classes and prioritizing my work. 

Q:  What is it like to balance school and extracurriculars? 

A: It was very stressful balancing school, volleyball, babysitting/work and a social life. There were often times that overwhelmed me because of my busy schedule, which sometimes seemed impossible. 

Q: What is your best study tip?

A: My best study tip is to get ahead. A lot of times I had to cram the night before a test, but I found that I was a lot less stressed when I set aside time a week or so in advance to gradually study and prepare for an exam. 

Q: What’s your process for getting good grades?

A: My process for getting the grades I do is to reteach myself the concepts that I learn in class. I don’t always pick up on things immediately, so when I get home I have to go back to the beginning of a lesson and try to teach myself and take in the information in different areas of every subject, which helps when I’m studying and preparing for a test. 

Q: What kept you motivated all four years?

A: What kept me motivated all four years is the possibility of earning scholarship money to help pay for college. Before I found out my ranking I aimed to be in the top ten so I could ensure that I would be eligible for academic scholarships. 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: Class of 2020- you rock. I’m beyond excited to see what the future holds for everyone. Lots of love, Reilly Heinrich.