Sachse High School administrators have named the two highest-ranking students out of a graduating class of 614.

Although seniors John McKelvey and Lauren Grecu spent most of their high school careers as valedictorian and salutatorian respectively, they managed to flip their titles at the last minute.

Lauren earned the spot of valedictorian with a GPA of 4.7153 on a 5.0 scale, and John was declared salutatorian with a GPA of 4.6994.

The valedictorian, 18, will attend University of Texas at Dallas in the fall to study accounting. She hopes to become a chief financial officer someday.

At SHS, she was involved in choir on top of her full load of Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Lauren served as alto section leader and made it to the all-state choir twice.

“I usually find my escape in music,” she said. “I’ve done choir for nine years and have played piano since I was 5. It’s easy to get caught up in your hectic life, but you need that release. That’s how you survive.”

She added that she’ll miss the family that choir provided but is grateful for the memories.

The biggest lesson Lauren learned is to move on from mistakes. After a few years of getting bogged down by worrying, she realized that changing her mindset made life easier. She noted that failures will happen but there’s still more to look forward to.

At graduation, she looks forward to celebrating her classmates’ achievements and passing on what high school has taught her.

“I’m excited to use my platform to speak my mind,” she said. “They see a label [of valedictorian] but not anything else. It’s important to see what it took to get there.”

John, 18, will study mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University. He was involved in Ultimate Frisbee at SHS along with AP classes, and was also a Boy Scout.

About halfway through his freshman year he overheard people talking about class rankings. When he decided to check his standing, he discovered he was first in his class. From that point on he made it his goal to finish in one of the top spots.

“It had challenges,” he said. “I made sure to do all my schoolwork, but having fun was also important.”

He added that a sort of fame came with his status – even if they didn’t know him personally, many of his classmates knew who he was.

In college, he’s looking forward to increased freedom and a greater variety of activities. After he graduates he wants to enter the military technology field.

Both students estimated that they spend around 55 hours per week on their studies, including time spent in school. They considered education their full-time jobs.

“All goals are attainable, depending on how dedicated you are,” John said. “If someone’s goal is to be valedictorian or salutatorian, work hard, get to know your teachers and ask for help. You’re not alone.”

Sachse High’s commencement ceremony is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the Curtis Culwell Center, 4999 Naaman Forest Blvd. in Garland.

For more stories like this, see the May 30 issue or subscribe online.

By Morgan Howard • [email protected]