Kudos to the TFP for running the “Top of the Class” series highlighting valedictorians of area high schools. Featuring athletic achievements and all the hard work and sacrifice that goes with them is fine. Academic achievements and all the hard work and sacrifice that goes with them is arguably more important and deserves to be prominently featured.
Thirty-five or 71% of the 49 valedictorians are girls. Isn’t that interesting! I wonder if there is a message there. This certainly demonstrates the important role women are and will be playing in our society.
I found the “Favorite Quote” category especially interesting. The themes expressed in them were most insightful and meaningful, and some actually made me emotional.
The two major fields of interest by the valedictorians were biology and the medical field, each with about 26%. Engineering garnered about 16%, which I thought was low considering the great demand for engineers as companies are actually giving hiring incentive bonuses to attract them.
All in all, congratulations to these fine young people and we can feel good about the future because of them.