The students who achieve highest academically throughout their high school years are rewarded by being their class valedictorians. Having this title at the end of a student’s senior year, shows their commitment throughout high school.

After three years of academic success, few prospects for the class of 2015 valedictorians are left. Kaitlyn Albers, Samuel Cvijanovich, and Angeline Hsu are some of the few who may be 2015’s valedictorians.

Albers has been in a total of 8 Advanced Placement (AP) classes. She is also a Cross Country, Track and Field Varsity athlete, president of Chemistry Club, vice president of California Scholarship Federation (CSF), and senior class Promotion Manager for Associated Student Body (ASB).

Albers shared that at a young age, her parents encouraged her to do well in school and ever since then it stuck with her.  “I want to make them proud, but not only that, I want to prove myself what I am capable of,” said Albers. Furthermore, she stated that she has being influenced by her father the most. “He’s always there to give me advice when I’m unsure of myself,” Albers said.

Although Albers has succeeded, her “biggest challenge would be balancing my time between trying to study and get homework done while also trying to have fun in high school,” she said.

Likewise, Hsu is currently taking four AP classes and has taken six in the past. She has been part of Varsity Track and Field, Academic Decathlon, Key Club, CSF, Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (M.E.S.A.), Jacket Connect, and Chemistry Club.

Recently she has dealt with the death of her grandfather, which lead up to “a difficult time concentrating on my schoolwork, and it was even harder with AP tests [were] just around the corner,” said Hsu. Despite the hardship she still managed to stay at the top of her class.

She added that having been able to maintain a high grade point average (GPA) was a result of self-motivation, “I always knew I wanted to get accepted to a university with strong academics, and I knew I needed to maintain excellent grades to do so,” Hsu said.

In addition, Cvijanovich has taken a total of six AP classes, currently taking four out of the six. Not only is Cvijanovich part of multiple clubs, sports, and ASB, he is also a Boy Scout and an avid pianist.

He was homeschooled as a sixth, seventh, and eighth grader. Cvijanovich stated that although his transition to high school was a bit of a shock to him, he still was determined to do his best. He also said that after earning straight A’s his freshmen year, he decided that becoming a validictorian would be his goal throughout high school.

As these students continue senior year, their achievements continue to be examples of success. “My dad always tells me that there are multiple ways to reach a goal,” Hsu said. “But it’s easier and more efficient to take the road that goes directly there instead of traveling down a winding path.”