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Inspiration drives student toward success
By TYLER PATRICK
Being apart of six organizations on campus, holding two leadership positions and balancing school can be a challenge for any student, especially while maintaining straight A’s through all of it.
Senior Charles Collins is one of 16 valedictorians with a weighted GPA of 5.02.
“It’s definitely an honor [being valedictorian]. I’ve been working for this all my life. It’s not something you can just pick up. I was raised to be the best I could,” Collins said.
Charles was captain of the cross country team and president of Mu Alpha Theta.
Collins looked up to his father for inspiration throughout high school and his life.
“[My dad] is the kind of guy who always does the right thing. As hard as that is to live up to, there is no one else I’d rather look up to,” Collins said.
Apart from his father, a few teachers on campus including Bill Daniels (Finance), Jennifer Hilley (Advanced Placement Literature), Theresa Tachon (AP Calculus) and Glenn Listort (AP Chemistry) inspired Collins.
Overcoming the lazy qualities of most teenagers was a repressing factor in Collins’ drive to do well in school, yet he overcame this time and time again.
“At the end of the day, I expect a certain level from myself. Maintaining that level was more important than taking the day off,” Collins said.
Collins plans to study business and Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill next year. Collins leaves advice to students who are also striving for success in high school.
“At the end of the day, be able to look yourself in the eye and say, ‘I did my best’. Don’t get caught up in what society tells you is right or acceptable, follow your own direction and do what makes you proud,” Collins said.