In order to be Valedictorian, a student must have the highest academic achievements of the graduating class. To be Salutatorian, the student must have the second highest academic standing. For the graduating class of 2017, Emma Kate Callahan has been named Valedictorian and Katie Donnellan has been named Salutatorian.

For Callahan, she had a feeling that she was among the top students for her academic standing, but it came as a surprise for to to be have the highest.

“I thought I was fifth or sixth [highest],” Callahan said. “But it’s exciting… I like school, I like doing homework, it makes me feel good. I just work hard to get good grades. I wasn’t aiming to get the top but it just kind of happened.”

Donnellan also agreed that she was surprised by the announcement.

“Mrs. McCormick notified Emma Kate and I before the announcement [was made] so I already knew,” Donnellan said. “But I was surprised when she told me… I wasn’t really expecting it.”

Both Callahan and Donnellan are undecided in where they want to attend college, however they do have specific paths they’d like to follow.

“I’m hoping to go into nutrition,” Callahan said. “I still have four colleges on my list… Rockhurst University, Kansas State, University of Dallas and Regis University. I’m competing for scholarships for those and that’ll help determine where I’ll go.”

“I’m still figuring [colleges] out, I have to wait until April to hear from most of my schools,” Donnellan said. “I kind of want to go into business and maybe accounting and minor in environmental studies… not as a hobby but as an addition to my career.”