Trey Bonham is one of the 27 valedictorians.
What college do you plan to attend? “University of Florida.”
What is you intended major? “Business.”
What other colleges accepted you? “Rollin’s College, Florida State University, University of Central Florida and University of North Florida.”
What clubs and sports did you participate in? “Theatre Troupe for 4 years, Varsity Swim Team for 4 years, Student Body Vice President, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Rho Kappa, Law Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.”
What is your favorite memory from Boone? “Winning a Best in Show for his duet acting scene at Districts with Katie Wurst, and getting crowned Homecoming King this fall.”
What is your advice to incoming students? “Nothing separates you more from your peers than the effort you put in. Regardless of how thoroughly you understand subjects, or how well you perform in sports and the arts, determination will ultimately lead you places unforeseen by yourself and others. Be ambitious, and constantly push the line of what you think is possible for yourself. Try out for the team, audition for the show, take that AP class, because every challenge you take is not an opportunity to fail; it’s an opportunity to succeed. You are capable of so much. These next four years will be rich with possibility, make sure to make the most out of them.”
How did you keep up with school work and stay so active in sports and clubs? “The possibility of success motivated me to do all the things I did. That being said, there’s only so many hours in a day, so I had to do a lot of compromising. During the busier months of the year, I didn’t get a lot of downtime or sleep.”
How do you think being able to take on so many things at once prepared you for life? “Taking on a lot of things at once taught me the importance of grit and remaining positive. I see the last four years as a preview of what is to come in college and my career. I had to learn how to deal with stress pretty quickly, and time management became crucial.”
What did you learn at Boone that you will keep with you the rest of your life? “Boone taught me the importance of connection. The socialization that comes with high school was something I took for granted for a while. During quarantine, this was something that hit me hard. During the school year, even though I wasn’t able to hang out with people all that often, I’d still see them at school. My senior year, I started to make time to go to soccer, football, and lacrosse games and cheer my school on. I went to all the Homecoming events, and participated in the plethora of traditions we have at Boone. I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities Boone provided me to thoroughly enjoy my time in high school.”
What are you most looking forward to about college? “The opportunities. College is the start of one of the most exciting chapters in people’s lives. I’m excited to meet new people, study things that interest me, and continue to do the things that I love.”
What does being a valedictorian mean to you? “From the moment I stepped on to campus, the possibility that I could become a valedictorian pushed me to study harder and stay up later; it was my motivation to get the best G.P.A. I could. Now, as four years come to an end, it’s a reminder that hard work can pay off.”
What is your biggest motivation or inspiration? “Ten, 15 years from now, I want to look back at my time in high school and be proud. I want to be able to say that I did everything I wanted. High school is a unique time; you can star in a show, compete in a swim meet, run for office, and ace a test all within a week. I knew going in as a freshman that I’d never get another experience like this, so I wanted to make the most of it; that was my inspiration.”