Alyson Alcantara, Erin Goodpaster, and Joesphine Kelesey have been working hard since freshman year to maintain and keep their position in the WHS Class of 2024. These three girls are set to graduate at the top of their class academically on May 16.

    “Every class you take matters and you have to care. Many people during their freshman year don’t care and it hurts them in the long run,“ Kelsey said. 

   Sacrificing time and studying are two important essentials to sustain being a top senior.  

   “I sacrificed a great deal of time for success. There was one weekend where I studied about sixteen hours in order to make sure I was prepared for a trigonometry test! However, these sacrifices taught me what to prioritize and made my success in academics more satisfying,” Alcantara said. 

  “You have to work hard in your class and take some weighted classes if you want to keep your spot. Personally, I’ve had to work extra hard in Trig so I can keep my GPA up. I’m also involved in lots of things with our school so I just had to make sure I keep everything balanced and make sure nothing interferes with my time to work on homework,” Kelsey said. 

   Goodpaster said she was able to easily stay on top of her work because she prioritized school.

   “I honestly didn’t want to be a top senior so I didn’t struggle with getting this spot,” Goodpaster said. 

  It can be hard to maintain extracurricular activities while being in school. 

  “It was certainly challenging at times to balance both! There were definitely some times where I had to work on homework on the bus or sacrifice sleep to get everything done. What helped more than anything was to plan ahead and talk to my teachers in advance,”  Alcantara said. 

   These seniors say they have had a good support system and have been surrounded by people who cared about their education. 

   “My sister was certainly an inspiration! She was valedictorian of her class, and she certainly pushed me to do my best!  My parents were also a huge help. Whether it was a last-minute trip to Walmart for supplies with my mom or a six-hour study session with my dad, I am grateful for my parents’ support,” Alcantara said.