Meet the Academic Top 10
April 25, 2023
Senior grades froze at the end of the third quarter and class ranks were settled. By early April, the school announced the students who had finished in the Top 10. Read about each one and their journey to having the highest GPAs in the Class of 2023.
Valedictorian: Ryan Eckerty
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: Biological engineering research.
Q: Where you going to college?
A: Georgia Tech.
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Biology.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: Yes.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “Started at 4, then went between 1 and 2.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “On-ramps Chem, AP European History, French 3, AP Economics and Government, AP Literature, AP Physics C, AP Calculus BC.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “Diving, UIL Academics, French Symposium.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “AP Literature. English is my worst subject and AP Literature is the hardest English class by far, but Mrs. Villegas has made the class so engaging and entertaining. She is almost always willing to talk me through what we’re reading and help me understand.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Madame Randall in French. She has always worked to make her class feel like a place I can be comfortable in and she has made me truly enjoy the French language enough to where I want to continue to study it in college and the future.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Put your time into things that you are actually passionate about.”
Salutatorian: Iman El Attar
Going to college.
Adam Wolf
Rank: Tied for 3rd
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: Engineer work for NASA; CTE courses & personal passions.
Q: Where are you going to college?
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Mechanical Engineering.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: Yes.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “Started at 6th and then fluctuated between 3rd, 4th and 5th over the years.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “Office Aide, 5 AP courses, & a double block Practicum course.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “UIL Academic Team, volunteer work for Aha Education.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “AP Calculus BC, because it makes sense and is fun.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Mr. Harvey Paneitz; Robotics I & II and STEM Practicum; owner of Aha Education. He helped me obtain my first internship at an engineering company & his robotics camps helped me get interested in engineering all the way back in elementary school.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “Being the only National Merit Finalist in my grade, as it has allowed me a unique opportunity to get most of my college education paid for.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “When my National Merit score got announced to me because I was anticipating it, and my mother’s reaction on the phone was priceless.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Choose your friends wisely and learn who you can really trust.”
Katherine Eckerty
Rank: Tied for 3rd
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “I want to work in finance – either consulting or risk analysis. Certain fields are finite: eventually there’s not going to be any oil left, surgeons will be replaced by robots, but people are always going to want help managing their money.”
Q: Where are you going to college?
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Finance.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: Yes.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “I was valedictorian my freshman year, then I dropped to 3.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “I only had 4 academic classes: Government/Economics, European History, Calculus BC, and Literature. I had late arrival, peer tutoring, and office aide as well.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: Panther Pals.
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “AP World History. I really loved the curriculum and Mrs. Danielson was a great teacher.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “The teacher that had the biggest impact on me is probably Mrs. Pitcel, my sophomore year English teacher. Growing up I read a lot, but once I got into higher grades I stopped almost entirely. While taking her class I read Pride and Prejudice and My Life in France and since then I’ve given myself more time to read. Now I read almost every day and I love it.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “Getting second in the physics boat races my sophomore year. My brother wouldn’t let me test it before the race so it was a miracle I didn’t tip over.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “In Spanish 3 my friends and I would just play card games. It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in high school.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Pay attention in Algebra 2.”
Derek Herrera
Rank: 5th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “Software Development or Data Science because they’re growing fields that genuinely interest me.”
Q: Are you going to college?
A: Yes.
Q: If so, where?
A: “I’m undecided.”
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Computer Science.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: No.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “My initial rank freshman year was 15, and I worked my way up to five.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “AP Calc BC, OnRamps Physics, OnRamps Chemistry, AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, Dual Credit English, Tennis, Student Council.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “FBLA Co Founder/President, Math NHS President, Student Council Vice President, History NHS Vice President, Tennis Manager, UIL Academic Team.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “AP Calc BC because it goes fast and challenged me each day (in a good way).”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Coach Balke, my AP Psych teacher. She was the first teacher I really formed a relationship with and she always encouraged me towards my goals.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “Getting 4th in the Cubing USA 2022 Southern Championships because it had 200 competitors and I didn’t think I would do so well since I took a year long break from cubing.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Take Dual Credit Theater and get a 5.5 instead of regular theatre for a 5.0.”
Cameron Williams
Rank: 6th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “Theatre Teacher/Director. Theater has always been a key part of my life; it has helped me relieve stress and find happiness in times of my life where stress was abundant and happiness was scarce. My hope is that by chasing this career I’ll be able to stay close to the passion that I love while instilling that happiness and love of theater in others.”
Q: Where are you going to college?
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Theatre Education.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: Yes.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “I didn’t check all that often. I was 2nd at the start of 2nd semester freshman year, then from the end of freshman on to the start of senior year I was 7th, and right at the end I bumped up to 6th.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “Late Arrival, AP Bio, AP Econ/AP Gov, Varsity Choir, OnRamps Statistics, Varsity Theater, Dual Credit English.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: Theater and choir and NHS.
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “Theater. It was the most carefree class I have. I could rest when I needed to, it’s where all my friends are, and where my passion lies.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “My theater teacher my freshman through junior year Abbey Fera and my theatre teacher my senior year Courtney Neuwirth. Both impacted me by fostering my love of theater in different ways. Ms. Fera helped me hone my skills as an actor and had faith in my potential the minute I walked into the department. She tested my abilities and made me competent and confident in my abilities.
“Ms. Neuwirth came in my senior year as a first year teacher coming from the same program at the same college I wished to attend. She has helped me prepare for my college auditions, got me in contact with people within the program, and jumped with joy when I told her I had finally been accepted into the program.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “My biggest accomplishment was winning Best Performer at the UIL One-Act Play Zone Competition my junior year. It was incredibly validating as a performer to be viewed by a panel of judges and be awarded for my performance in such an esteemed and honorable way.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “Probably getting cast as the male lead for UIL Competition my freshman year. Almost all the other boys decided not to audition and Ms. Fera took a chance on casting a freshman. My co-star was a junior and I was absolutely terrified the entire process, but just having that chance to prove myself was astounding. I learned so much about theater and myself over the course of the production including, embarrassingly, having my first kiss being a stage kiss. All in all, it was an incredibly exciting period in my life and I look back on it fondly.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “The opportunities will come, don’t fret. Enjoy the experiences as they come; you’re only young for so long.”
Keri Myers
Rank: Tied for 7th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “I want to become a doctor and specialize in either radiology or dentistry. Science has always been my favorite subject and I feel like going into the medical field is extremely rewarding.”
Q: Where are you going to college?
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Biomedical Sciences.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: Yes.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “I started out my sophomore year as number 6 and ended it at 7. Junior year I started at 8 and ended it at 8. And senior year I went back to 7 and ended it at 7. So I didn’t move much.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “I have late arrival and my classes were OnRamps Chem, AP Bio, AP Calc AB, Dual Credit English and track.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “I have been in varsity track for two years, and I am involved in National Honor Society.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “My favorite subject has always been science, especially AP Bio. I like how detailed and complex it is but also how it makes sense when you see the whole picture. I just think it’s interesting.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “The teacher who had the biggest impact on me was Coach Coovert. I took his AP US Histoyr class junior year and sent him an email about dropping the class. He didn’t let me. History has always been my least favorite subject because I think it’s dumb, but Coach Coovert is really passionate about it. He would bring us donuts for the AP review and do early morning study sessions before tests. He just shows that he cares about his students.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: I would definitely say top ten is the most rewarding. I think a lot of people’s impression of me is that I’m dumb or I don’t care about school. It doesn’t bother me but it’s nice to show that I’m not either of those things. It was really hard for me to find a balance between my friends and school. I made lots of sacrifices but I eventually figured it out. I made the best out of my high school experience while still staying on top of my grades, which is probably the one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “Junior year powder puff because we won the whole thing or helping out in the student section for football. Me and my best friends, Kenny and Pippi, went to every game this year, even the one in Lancaster. We made posters, cowbells, and helped out with the cheers. We had a lot of fun during the season and I liked being able to support my friends.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Stay on top of your grades. How you manage your time in high school teaches you how to manage your time later on in life, which is the most beneficial skill I think someone can have.”
Justin Savoie
Rank: Tied for 7th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “In the future, I aspire to become a lawyer with a specific focus on protecting healthcare professionals from malpractice lawsuits. Given the highly litigious nature of our society today, I am motivated to provide legal support to help them overcome these difficulties.”
Q: Where are you going to college?
A: University of Texas at Austin.
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Neuroscience.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: No.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “I started off ranked 29th freshman year, so I really had to work hard to get to where I stand now.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “My schedule sort of calmed down after I wasn’t able to fit soccer into my schedule this year, so really it was just school and my extracurriculars during the week and working at Chipotle during the weekends.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “HOSA, NHS, Science NHS, English NHS, History NHS, Math NHS. I work at Chipotle and played soccer for 3 years.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “My favorite subject has always been biology. I liked my freshman bio class and I like AP Bio this year as well. I find the content very interesting and both Mrs. Steingreaber and Ms. Lynam are phenomenal teachers.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Coach Balke had one of the biggest impacts on me during high school. I had her for AP Psychology, and she reminded me that learning can be fun while still extremely effective.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “My biggest accomplishment in high school was probably placing 4th at the state HOSA competition, one spot away from internationals, in medical law and ethics. It was something I worked hard for and relates to what I want my future career to be.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “A moment in high school that stuck out to me was when I got the news that I will be graduating in the top 10. I worked incredibly hard to get there, and it was such a relief and a joy to know that all of my hard work had paid off.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “It is important to start working hard and achieving good grades early on in your academic career to establish a strong foundation for future success.”
Allie Watson
Rank: 9th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “I hope to pursue something in marine and coastal conservation. I grew up visiting state, local, and national parks and hope to preserve the flora and fauna I admired so much as a little kid.”
Q: Are you going to college?
A: Yes.
Q: If so, where?
A: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Environmental Science.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: No.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “Freshman S1: 14, Freshman S2: 17, Sophomore S1: 17, Sophomore S2: 15, Junior S1: 12, Junior S2: 10, Senior S1: 9, Senior Q3: 9.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “Dual English 4, AP European History, OnRamps Pre-Calculus, Student Aide, Dive, Advanced Anatomy & Physiology, early release.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “VP Science NHS, NHS member, Math NHS member, English NHS member, varsity dive captain, part-time job.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “My favorite course I have taken was AP Human Geography. The content of the course was incredibly applicable to real-world issues and shaped my understanding and empathy of others around me. I enjoyed the challenge of putting myself in others’ shoes and learning about the relationship between geography and culture. Mrs. Prescott did a wonderful job at teaching the class and keeping it engaging and challenging.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Mrs. Rosato, my chemistry teacher sophomore and junior year, had the biggest impact on me. I had Mrs. Rosato for advanced sophomore chemistry and OnRamps chemistry my junior year. Even through COVID, Mrs. Rosato still showed up for us every day, recording lectures and teaching in-person when she could. She also put up with me going up to her desk several times a class period, happy to answer my questions and further explore topics with me when I inquired. Mrs. Rosato helped me find my love again for science and is a big reason why I chose to pursue STEM.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: My biggest accomplishment was maintaining my motivation throughout COVID (end of my freshman year and entire sophomore year). COVID was the first time my self-motivation was challenged in a time where I was getting more independence and could not necessarily rely on teachers to remind me to submit assignments or teach topics in a way that was easy for me to learn. I really fell back on my planner, taking good notes, and seeking out other resources to get me through sophomore year.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “One moment that stuck out to me, as the same for many, was it being announced that I would be optionally finishing my freshman year online and would be doing my entire sophomore year virtually. My expectations for high school completely crumbled and we were all forced to adapt quickly. This one moment made me learn a lot about myself and contributed to my character development in the following months and years.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Prioritize your sleep! I started sticking to a more strict sleep schedule my junior year and it completely changed my mood and academic performance. I had more energy to do assignments (and do them on time) and put genuine effort into them. Even with sleeping more, I had more free time and found myself enjoying my days more.”
Hailey Whiteman
Rank: 10th
Q: What career do you wish to pursue in the future? What has inspired you to chase that?
A: “I want to pursue research in the realm of quantum physics and astrophysics. I’ve always been inspired by the unknown intricacies of how the universe operates, and I hope to bridge the gap between the sciences and help humanity’s quest to formulate the Theory of Everything.”
Q: Are you going to college?
A: Yes.
Q: If so, where?
A: Sam Houston’s Honors College.
Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Double in biology/physics with a minor in astronomy.
Q: Have you been in the top 10 all four years of high school?
A: No.
Q: How did your rank look throughout school and how did it change?
A: “I started at 19th during freshman year and worked my way up.”
Q: What did your schedule look like this year?
A: “Astronomy, AP Bio, Applied Music, AP Calc BC, more band, and AP English Lit.”
Q: What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A: “Band, NHS, Math NHS, English NHS, Science NHS.”
Q: What was your favorite subject/class in high school?
A: “My favorite classes have to be tied between Anatomy and Physiology/AP Biology. I love the biological sciences and finding new ways that I can connect them to other disciplines.”
Q: What teacher had the biggest impact on you?
A: “Mrs. Villegas, my AP lit teacher, has had the most impact on me this year because she was the first teacher to treat me like an adult and affirm my autonomy as an individual being.”
Q: What would you say was your biggest accomplishment in high school?
A: “My biggest accomplishment was learning how to love myself. Without this, I would never be where I am with my motivation and drive to continue my academic career.”
Q: What’s a moment in high school that stuck out to you?
A: “A moment that sticks out to me now was when I cried about getting a 32 as my first OnRamps physics test grade (with the curve). I thought my life was crumbling before my eyes, and that I had damned myself to failure in my academic record. Well, unsurprisingly in hindsight, this wasn’t the case. But through this experience, I had learned that I was so much more than the ‘smart kid,’ and that my grades don’t define who I am as a person. Even though that’s kinda cheesy, it was really important to my personal development.”
Q: If you could give freshman you one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: “Start off strong and don’t doubt yourself. You’re capable of way more than you think.”
