Valedictorian, Tessa Jones – Texas Tech University/Biochemistry
Salutatorian, Keira Robinson – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University/Homeland Security and Intelligence
Future Snapshot
TJ: I am attending Texas Tech University to major in biochemistry with a minor in Spanish to prepare for
medical school.
KR: I plan to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and I am majoring in Homeland Security and Intelligence.
Goals: Valedictorian and Salutatorian
TJ: Yes, being at the top of my class was always a goal of mine. I first set this goal in fifth grade after receiving the highest GPA award. From that point on, I stayed motivated to maintain that standard, consistently working hard throughout middle and high school to reach valedictorian.
KR: No, this was never really a goal of mine. I have always expected quality work from myself even back in elementary school. I didn’t have an end goal in mind. Having a high rank just sort of came as a bonus.
My Time at Wylie
TJ: Abilene Philharmonic Belles, barista at Statesman Coffee Company, UIL Spelling, UIL Headline Writing, church youth choir, Youth Pastor Search Committee, Club and JV Soccer, National Honors Society, HOSA, MEDLIFE, 60-hours shadowing in neurosurgery and interventional radiology.
KR: Varsity Soccer, Varsity Track, UIL Journalism
Most Impactful Activity, Class, or Teacher
TJ: The teacher who most impacted me was Mrs. Kirby because she consistently encouraged me and pushed me to do my best. Having known her all four years of high school, she truly understood my goals and what motivated me, especially my aspiration to become valedictorian. She continually challenged me to strive for excellence while also offering support and understanding. Her positive influence not only strengthened my confidence but also helped shape my determination and work ethic.
KR: Soccer and track have impacted me the most. Coach Ruffin, Coach Oglesby, Coach Maddie Martin, Coach Richardson, and Coach Hurst have all changed my life during my time as an athlete in high school. Through asthma attacks, injuries, and many frustrated tears, they continued to expect me to give my best effort, which helped me to never give up on myself. These women have changed everything about the way I handle adversity.
Most Cherished High School Memory
TJ: My most cherished high school memory was attending the UIL State competition my junior year and being part of the state championship spelling team. It was an incredible experience to travel to Austin and compete on the UT campus while growing closer to my teammates. Beyond the competition itself, getting to explore the city and even try virtual reality made the trip even more memorable. That experience is something I will always look back on with pride.
KR: My most cherished high school memory was winning the Area championship game in soccer my sophomore year. Playing in the game wasn’t particularly memorable; it was what happened after the final buzzer went off. One of the senior girls on the opposing team crumpled to the ground in tears because of the loss. Me and one of my other teammates kneeled down and hugged her. I remember this so clearly because I thought about how that would one day be me. My high school soccer career would come to an end, and I would reach out in tears to hug a girl I didn’t even know the name of, from a town hours from my own.
Overcoming Challenge & The Lessons Learned
TJ: My biggest challenge throughout high school has been listening to the right voices. It is important to seek out the people that care enough to get to know you and understand the reasons behind your goals, and love you enough to help in their achievement as opposed to listening
to those that do not know you and becoming distracted by their noise. Find the people that offer genuine support and do not get pulled into outside opinions, quick judgments, and advice that is not rooted in real understanding of who you are and what you are trying to achieve. Value the voices that are aligned with growth instead of the ones that are unsupportive and just fill the space.
KR: It might be surprising, but I struggle so much with getting my schoolwork done. Something about getting to the end of a long day of school and practice and then sitting down and trying to get homework done in the evening is really difficult for me. My solution for this was to just start writing. I have this journal that I started my freshman year. It is filled with timelines for history classes, equations for math classes, to-do lists, and anything else I jotted down. If I needed to memorize something, I would just write it over and over again. Now, in my senior year, I am on my last five pages of the journal. I have almost filled it cover-to-cover, and it is not neat, but that is exactly what doing this has taught me. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to make sense at first. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to make sense at first. But in order to get something done, you just have to start. Whatever that may look like.
My Inspiration
TJ: I have always been inspired by curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. I have a strong desire to understand the world around me, and that curiosity drives me to keep learning, explore new ideas, and challenge myself academically. It has been a constant source of motivation, pushing me to seek out opportunities and grow both inside and outside the classroom.
KR: My parents inspire me. They always seem like they have everything about being an adult figured out, but they are quick to remind me that they were young once too. They took chances, trusted each other, got through hard times, and built a life that they are proud of.