Four years of work, four years of midnight deadlines, four years of meeting new people, four years of finding oneself, yet only two months until seniors leave North Atlanta. As March comes to a close, an emotional bitter-sweet feeling has recently consumed the halls after the announcement of Valedictorian and Salutatorian. This not only celebrates those at the top but also indicates the years of everyone’s hard work coming to a close.
The word Valedictorian comes from the Latin phrase “vale dicere,” which translates to “to say farewell.” Hence why valedictorians are known to give the farewell address to their classmates before they venture out on their future paths. Salutatorians typically give the first speech at graduation, offering a greeting to everyone in attendance while also introducing the Valedictorian. Nonetheless, the title doesn’t make the person and it’s essential to learn who that person is.
Seventeen-year-old Christian Satcher holds the title of Valedictorian for the Class of 2025. Satcher does not see this honor as being the best, but rather that he has taken on the most challenging course load, performing to the best of his ability. He did not know he was in the running for Valedictorian until the beginning of his senior year. Following this, he began to work even harder. He gives props to his ability to challenge himself through the IB program, all the APs, and the online courses he took. “I spent a lot of time studying and doing my homework, but I also made sure to balance schoolwork with extracurricular activities,” said Satcher.
Though Satcher knew he was in the running, he was still surprised to know that his hard work of challenging himself aided in hearing he made Valedictorian. His excitement does not stop at realizing he is top of his class, but at the opportunity to speak to his classmates at graduation. Furthermore, Satcher advises people to learn from bad grades and tough courses, emphasizing that they are inevitable. He believes that preparing and learning how to do your work is just as important as doing it. He strongly believes keeping balance is key and it is an honor to hold this title for his graduating class. “This doesn’t mean I haven’t missed an assignment, failed a quiz, or even bombed a test—just that I’ve figured out how to address these challenges and grow from them,” he said. “My rank didn’t come from a single grade, it is the result of a well-designed constantly evolving system I use to continue improving my academic performance for years to come.”
There was one hardship that Satcher took on with the title of valedictorian: the weight of pressure and added eyes on him. The weight of getting perfect grades, working harder, “competing” with his peers, and staying focused clouded his mind constantly. Many were not aware of his rank, so this pressure was an internal struggle for him more than an external competitive one. His internal pressure carries into making an impactful speech for his classmates at graduation. Nonetheless, this feeling does not transfer to the future he has in mind for himself. “My dream is to create or contribute to a widely used renewable energy source, which means I aspire to be a chemical engineer in either energy development or nanotechnology,” he said.
Behind the 13 letters of Valedictorian is Christian Satcher, the student who maintained a growth mindset and improved any chance he could. He utilized all the resources provided by the school and explored different subjects outside of his comfort zone. He never let the challenges get to him because he challenged himself naturally. He wanted to fail and to be doubted in order to succeed. This is the student behind the title. This is who the Class of 2025’s Valedictorian is.
