Good Experience ONE

VALEDICTORIAN.

Growing up I, like many others, was taught to "never give anything less than your best." Many people are given this advice and each person follows it to his or her own degree.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have taken this advice to heart.  As I grew up, that advice stuck with me, but in a more meaningful sense than doing it merely because someone told me to or doing it for myself.  As my relationship with Christ matured, I found I myself applying this advice not for myself, but as a means to glorify the Lord.  The verse Colossians 3:23 is one of the verses I try my best to live by, it says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." I take this verse very literally and believe that if God has given you the ability to perform a task, you should do it exceedingly well, as gratitude to Him.  As much as I secretly wish it weren't, school work is no exception.  From 6th to 8th grade, I was a straight A student.  Upon entering into high school, I didn't have any expectation to keep the streak going. However, after getting straight A's my first semester of high school, I had set a standard for myself.  I "worked with all my heart" and doing that earned straight As, so I knew what I was capable of.  AKA, if I didn't get straight A's, I must not be working with all my heart.  Freshman through senior year I kept a high work ethic and it paid off.  It was not easy, to say the least, juggling school, soccer, track, youth group, bible study, national honor society, work, and camerata & symphony orchestras, let alone trying to find time to socialize.  Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I like having a busy schedule because I work well under pressure and it enabled me to have excellent time management and multitasking skills.  Even doing so, I was often up until the wee hours of the morning completing projects, writing essays, or studying for exams.  Anytime I was given an opportunity to receive extra credit, I would pounce on it. I did anything and everything in my power to give it my 110% all the time.  Being able to keep my grades essentially what you could call perfect through all the ups and downs of life for 4 years (7 if you count middle school) showed me that I can excel at multiple things without sacrificing quality.  Not only that, but it earned me credibility and respect from my teachers and peers.  It was a proud moment on graduation day, June 11, 2010 when "Emma Neustel" was announced as one of six valedictorians among all of Sprague High School's 2,000 students.  In recognition a shiny, heavy medal was placed around my neck that I will treasure forever; it is a tangible reminder that when you work with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men, you can achieve great things.




        Sprague High School 2009-2010 Valedictorians