Ringgold High School valedictorian Saulye Nichols poses for a portrait at South Chickamauga Creek Park on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in Ringgold, Ga. Heritage High School valedictorian Saulye Nichols was born in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, but she hasn’t given it much thought. Perhaps because she’s been too focused on being the head of her class.
Adopted at 9 months old, Saulye said she has no memory of her native country, nor her birth family.
“I have gotten a little more curious recently, but I haven’t really wondered about it much,” she said in an interview.
She said that could be in part because there are a few other young people around her age from Kazakhstan.
“I don’t really know why they are here,” she said. “I just know them.”