Lunette Shaw (’25) was in her Calculus class when she was unexpectedly called down to the principal’s office on the morning of February 4. When she opened the door to the office, a group of administrators greeted her, their faces lit with smiles as they ushered her in. As Shaw shook Mr. Morrison’s outstretched hand in bewilderment, she received news that left her in shock—she was being named the valedictorian of the class of 2025.

“It’s a really big honor,” Shaw said. “I work really hard too, so I feel like it’s a really great thing.” 

Shaw cites her impeccable time management skills as the main reason for her academic success, which she intricately carries out using a planner.

“I think I’m a pretty organized person, and I’m very on top of my studies,” Shaw said. “I get really anxious when I don’t have an assignment completed immediately. So I think being diligent and really enjoying all of my work helped.” 

Shaw has a packed schedule not just from her homework and study hours, but also from her extracurricular activities such as cross-country, track, and playing the viola. With so many things to do, Shaw states that she hasn’t had the opportunity to de-stress from the rigor of her workload. Appreciating her tasks rather than seeing them as burdens was a foundation in Shaw’s mindset that allowed her to excel both in and outside the classroom without wearing herself out.

“I would try to just enjoy my work thoroughly so that I wouldn’t feel burnt out from doing all my tasks,” she said.

However, despite her current versatility as a student, Shaw started her academic journey at THS with struggles balancing her personal and educational priorities.

“At the beginning of high school, I valued success in very different terms,” Shaw said. “But now I value my personal health and happiness a lot more. And I know when to take a break.”

Being able to relax emotionally, exercising, and talking to friends and teachers before and after school allowed her to push through the rigor of her advanced courses and maintain her academic performance.

Moreover, to put out her best work, Shaw makes sure to study for tests one or two days in advance. By starting her studies early and not procrastinating, she maintains a healthy sleeping schedule that does not involve late-night cramming. This routine has allowed her to perform to the best of her ability in her classes.

“I have pretty good intrinsic motivation,” Shaw said. “I just don’t feel good if I turn in work that’s not my best effort. I think having the assurance of knowing it’s enough just to put my best foot forward is helpful in terms of doing my work.”

Despite being valedictorian, Shaw values honesty and integrity more than the letters on her gradebook. As advice to underclassmen, she encourages them to find meaning in the things they gain from work in terms of diligence and work ethic rather than academic supremacy.

“Be honest in your work and do not take shortcuts,” Shaw said. “Try and not do things for the end goal of college or some type of award, but for your personal benefit and who you are in the long term.”

With only a few months left before she graduates high school, Shaw hopes to more deeply navigate the fields she is currently interested in until she finds a path that rings true to her.

“I feel like I have a lot of personal goals that just have to do with my own interests,” Shaw said. “And I’m not really sure where I’ll end up in the future because right now I’m not really sure what I’m going to major in in college. There’s a lot of interests that I have that I think I’m going to end up exploring, but I think I’ll definitely figure myself out more in the next few years.”