by Anna Bauman

Senior Abbey Haines was named valedictorian of the class of 2014 for having the highest GPA out of all her peers. According to Haines, throughout her years at STA she has worked hard to earn high grades with the goal of possibly becoming valedictorian. Haines took a rigorous course load all four years and said she does approximately three hours of homework each night. Haines discusses her academic life and what it’s like to be the valedictorian in an interview with the Dart.

Dart: When did you find out that you were valedictorian?

Senior Abbey Haines (AH): The day before Mrs. McCormick made the announcement to the whole school, she sent me a Moodle message asking that I come down to her office. I got the message during activity when I was in Mrs. Weller’s room, so I was free to go down to Mrs. McCormick’s office, and she told me then.

Dart: What was your reaction?

AH: It took me a minute to realize the meaning of her words. For a second I had to think about the fact that valedictorian has the highest grade, and that was me. I was kind of in shock, but then I was elated, and I ran upstairs to my backpack and grabbed my phone to call my parents.

Dart: Were you surprised or were you expecting to be valedictorian?

AH: I knew I had high grades, and that I was in the top 5% or 10%, but I didn’t know I was going to be valedictorian. It’s something I’ve definitely worked for, but I never wanted to get my hopes up.

Dart: How do you feel about being the smartest girl in a very smart senior class?

AH: Well, I know I’m not the smartest girl in this class. I just got the highest grades, which can’t always be a reflection of real intelligence. My class is so full of brilliant girls who have helped me learn material and have challenged me to think more deeply about our classes. Being valedictorian of this class is really an honor!

Dart: As a younger student, did you have the goal of becoming valedictorian? What motivated you to take hard classes and earn good grades?

AH: Yeah, I think I always had the goal of becoming valedictorian. That was why I took hard classes and tried to earn good grades, but I don’t know if it was for the title so much as just doing my absolute best.

Dart: Did you ever feel like giving up or not trying so hard?

AH: Yeah, sure I felt like not trying so hard sometimes. I think every student has felt that way. But usually I would still do my work even if I didn’t want to.

Dart: Was there ever any pressure on you from peers or teachers or yourself to become valedictorian? Did you feel like any competition between yourself and other girls in your grade?

AH: I think any pressure to be valedictorian came from myself. I always want to do my best, and I always wondered if I could be valedictorian, so it was a goal I set for myself. My parents were always supportive, and they didn’t check my grades or confront me about a bad test or anything. Sophomore year I felt like there was some competition among my peers and me, but especially junior and senior year, we’ve been really supportive of each other.

Dart: How did you manage to fit it in with your sports and extracurriculars?

AH: Honestly, I’m not really sure. I thought my grades would really start going downhill sophomore year because of my commitment to club volleyball. Looking back, I know that I just worked really hard. I got pretty good at managing my time and using my frees.

Dart: Was schoolwork a priority over other activities and sports?

AH: I don’t think I ever had to sacrifice sports or extracurriculars for schoolwork. Like, even when I was stressed about finals or college applications, I would still go to volleyball practice and tournaments. At the same time, I didn’t really let my extracurriculars get in the way of my schoolwork. So I guess they were both priorities.

Dart: Can you describe your study habits?

AH: I’m not good at getting my work done in loud environments, so if I have a lot to do, I usually go to the library or a teacher’s room where I know it’ll be quiet. Also, I’m not good at staying up very late, like I can probably count the number of times I’ve stayed up past midnight doing homework on a school night on both hands. Knowing this, I try to get my homework done as quickly as possible. Plus I usually tried to get to school around 7:10-7:20, so I could get some work done in the morning. I try to get work done ahead of time if I know I’ll be busy, too.

Dart: What classes did you take this year?

AH: First semester I was in AP Calculus, College French III, Honors Physics, World Faiths, College Latin IV, AP Government, AP Literature, and Contemporary Theology. Second semester I was in all the same classes except the theology classes.

Dart: What was the hardest class you have taken at STA? Why?

AH: The hardest class was Accelerated World History sophomore year. There was just so much material to cover, the text was really dense, and the tests were hard. Plus I had it first thing in the morning or last in the afternoon, which is never a good time to have a hard class.

Dart: After you were already named valedictorian, did you experience senioritis or lack of motivation, especially second-semester senior year?

AH: Even though I knew I didn’t have to keep my grades as high as they were, they’re still something I take pride in, so I wanted to keep doing well in my classes. I know Pomona [College, which Haines will attend this fall] will look to make sure I’m not slacking off and failing, but it’s more just a point of personal satisfaction. I just feel a little less stressed about my grades now.

Dart: What is the most important piece of advice you could give to someone aspiring to become valedictorian?

AH: I would say, trust yourself. You’re probably going to feel overwhelmed, and you’re probably going to wish you didn’t care so much. But remember that your grades aren’t a representation of your worth as a person, so try not to let them consume you. Just be hopeful and optimistic in general! And try not to give up. I guess that’s kind of advice in general and not to valedictorian hopefuls, but [valedictorians are] like anyone else, and anyone can aspire to be valedictorian.