Valedictorian Kathryn Anderson and Salutatorian Brandon Cowling have had an amazing run in high school. From standout moments to inspirations to advice and more, take it all in from the top two bulldogs in the school.
What are your plans upon graduating from WHS?
Kathryn: I plan on attending Texas A&M University with a major in neuroscience and a minor in business.
Brandon: I’m attending the University of Texas at Austin as a neuroscience major and Jefferson scholar.
Was it a goal of yours to be THE top of your class, and when did this become a goal for you?
Kathryn: I am very competitive and enjoy setting long-term goals, so I had my eye on being in the top ten from the start. I honed in on the top spots at the end of my freshman year.
Brandon: I didn’t necessarily plan to be at the top. When I started high school, I just made a commitment to my grades and always tried my best on my schoolwork, and it turned out for the best.
Please list the organizations and activities you spent time in during high school.
Kathryn: I am honored to be a lieutenant on the Wylie Varsity Belles, a PAL, a secretary for Student Council, the vice president of NHS, and a part of UIL academics.
Brandon: I participated in Investigative Math and Science and varsity tennis.
What high school activity, class, or teacher was most impacting on who you are today?
Kathryn: Being a PAL has changed the way I see the world. I have learned to approach every person and situation with curiosity, not judgment, and I have been taught the true power of a loving community. I only hope that I have impacted the students I have had the pleasure of mentoring half as much as they have impacted me.
Brandon: I think tennis has definitely influenced who I am today. It introduced me to some of my best friends, and it taught me lessons about myself that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
What is your most cherished memory from high school?
Kathryn: I treasure the time I spent competing with my literary criticism team last year. On bus rides to and from meets, I had some of the most profound, humorous, and insightful conversations I have ever experienced. I also cite this time as the root of some of my most valued friendships and mentorships.
Brandon: Winning the regional finals against Amarillo High to go to state my sophomore year was unforgettable. Logan Bible, a senior on the team, won the last match, and we all charged the court and lifted him up in the air. It was awesome.
Share a time when you feel like you overcame a challenge and the lessons learned from it.
Kathryn: I had a difficult time adjusting to a leadership position during my second year on the Belles. I was constantly down on myself for every little mistake, and it was starting to affect my ability to perform. With the support of some awesome people and a lot of self-reflection, I learned to treat the little failures of life as opportunities to learn.
Brandon: Varsity tryouts as a freshman was one of the most stressful experiences in my life, but I battled my way through and made it into the top 8. This validated all the hard work I put in and taught me that I can achieve the things I want with effort.
What advice would you give to under classmen about making the most out of their high school experience?
Kathryn: Focus on what you love. For some, that is academics, but that isn’t the case for everybody. If you let passion guide you and measure success by your own metric, you can’t go wrong.
Brandon: Don’t be afraid to ask people to hangout. If you’re sitting at your house bored, chances are someone else is too, so find them and go goof off.
What advice do you have for parents about supporting their students in academics and extracurricular activities?
Kathryn: I can hardly offer any wisdom to parents they don’t already have, but I can say that my parents did an excellent job of supporting my interests and reminding me to take it slow every once in a while.
Brandon: Be attentive but not overbearing. In the end, it’s their own motivation that’s going to make them have good grades, not yours. Try to instill the importance of school in them, so they’ll want to do it for themselves.
Who or what gives you inspiration?
Kathryn: My mother. She is the most strong, brilliant, and passionate woman I know. She has been my role model for as long as I can remember. I can only aspire to one day be as good at mahjong (and life in general) as her.
Brandon: My parents definitely push me to be my best self, but more than that, I think creating a future where I can make myself and others happy is my biggest motivation.
What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
Kathryn: It is difficult for me to pinpoint my proudest achievement, as the accomplishments in which I take the greatest pride have all been internal. I suppose I am proud that I have finally turned myself from my greatest critic to my greatest competitor, which is to say that I have learned to push myself forward, not down.
Brandon: Being a National Merit finalist because it felt like I was able to put my test taking skills and practice to use in a way that was actually impacting my future.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Kathryn: I’m a pretty open book, but it may surprise some to learn that I really enjoy cooking and baking. I am not necessarily good at either, but learning is half the fun.
Brandon: I love to play the piano, and I’m actually very spiritual.
Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you reach this achievement?
Kathryn: I would like to thank my family and friends, who have been endlessly loving. I would also like to thank every teacher I have had over the years. Each and every one of you has played an essential role in getting me where I am today. Furthermore, I owe my thanks to all of Wylie’s administrators, custodians, and other staff.
Brandon: Thanks, Mom and Dad! I won’t say y’all weren’t annoying sometimes, but I will say that I know that y’all are always looking out for me and care so, so much about me.
As you look forward, will you enter your college years the same as you spent your high school years or will you do things differently?
Kathryn: It is hard to say. I will probably continue to devote a lot of my time to academic pursuits. However, considering how much I have changed over these past four years, I think it is nearly impossible for me to guess how I will spend my time over the next four years. I am certain about one thing, though: I will never stop devoting time to the things I love.
Brandon: If I can get the same results academically, I’ll be more than satisfied; however, more than anything, I want college to be an experience where I can grow and learn more about myself and the kind of person I want to become. I hope to be as social as possible and form connections to last me a lifetime.
Fun Fact
Anderson and Cowling are both National Merit Semifinalists, meaning they were among more than 16,000 high school seniors (of an initial 1.3 million) across the nation to advance to compete for the National Merit Scholarship.
Related: Top 10 Graduates of the Class of 2024
By Kristen Johnson
Photos By Christi Stark