Valedictorian - Eleanor Rodgers

Ellie is best known at SCA for her academic prowess in STEM subjects, but she is also an accomplished musician who has played piano since her early childhood and is a dedicated conservationist. Academically, she is distinguished by her ability to make connections across disparate fields. This interdisciplinary approach is reflected by the multiple academic medals for best class performance that she’s received in subjects as diverse as AP Physics, American Literature, and even Chorus. With her interest in cognitive science as the prime directive, our valedictorian crafted a four-year academic plan that allowed her to take 11 AP classes, including every AP science class that we offer, and to exceed our math curriculum, all while earning an incredible GPA of 100.33. To further her academic interests, this student spent two years working after school and during the summers with a neuroscience laboratory at Vanderbilt. The professor for whom she worked described her as the best high school student that he had worked within thirty-seven years. This student is not just academic. She is also a leader who has served as her class vice-president, a school ambassador, the lead programmer of our robotics team, the President of Mu Alpha Theta, and Vice President of NHS. In addition, our valedictorian has devoted herself to many hours of service, especially during Covid when she worked with Second Harvest Food Bank. Most importantly, this young woman is gracious and giving. She is both brilliant and talented, but she accepts the honors she has earned with a wonderful sense of modesty and humility. This fall, she will attend Dartmouth College, where she plans to major in neuroscience.