[slideshow_deploy id=’84156′]Although he did not enter high school aiming to be valedictorian or even salutatorian, Alexander Britton realized his potential and strove to make it happen. At the end of his junior year Britton had a 4.0 GPA, even after completing AP U.S. History, and felt that he could achieve perfection
Then he took a government class at Valencia that relied upon three tests, one homework assignment, and one buffer class participation grade that made up the entirety of the semester grade. Having not scored as high as he hoped on the final exam, he earned his first B, making him the salutatorian.
“[Getting a B] really sucked,” Britton said. “When I received my B, a part of me felt like all my work went down the drain.”
In addition to his course load, Britton balanced time between academics and club obligations such as National Honor Society, chorus and Math Club. But his biggest time hog was theatre, as he is the current president of drama.
Some of his best memories from high school occurred in theatre.
“My fondest memory [during high school] would be spending time in theatre basically everyday and all the people that I have gotten to know through the department,” Britton said.
Britton said his greatest struggle as a high school student was the amount of independence and self-discipline he had.
“Without class assignments being a buffer for my grades, especially for Valencia classes, I had to spend more time studying. For me, I easily get distracted and lose a sense of time so due dates and test dates sneak up on me quickly,” Britton said. “Along with having to manage my time wisely, I didn’t have an accountability partner. Therefore, I had to rely on myself more than I ever have.”
In spite of this perceived setback, Britton believes has actually turned this into his greatest achievement during high school.
“I took on more responsibilities and became my own person,” Britton said. “Through this I became a leader and now I am the president of drama.”
Britton plans on attending the University of Florida and thinks he will choose a mathematic or scientific oriented major, particularly accounting or engineering.