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Idaho Enterprise

First Semester Honor Roll, Valedictorian, Salutatorian and Cumulative Senior Honor Roll Released

Mar 09, 2022 03:42PM ● By Anna Pro

Malad High School Principal Michael Corbett recently announced academic honors for the first semester of 2021-2022 school year, as well as the graduating Seniors top 10% and 25%.  In addition, Samuel Pickett was named the Class of 2022 Valedictorian, and Colton Ihler was named the Class of 2022 Salutatorian.  

The first semester Honor Roll includes the highest GPA earners across the school's grade levels, at the 10 and 25 percent levels.  Excelling at school over the course of the semester has been especially noteworthy, as Idaho schools transition back to relative normalcy after the disruptions of the previous semesters impacted by COVID.  “These are some of the best—and also most mischievous—students I’ve had the privilege of meeting,” Corbett says, with clear pride.  “They’re all clearly leaders, and on their way to a lot of success in life.”

The Graduating Class is also represented in the accompanying pictures by the Valedictorian Sam Pickett, Salutatorian Colton Ihler, and the Top 10 and 25 percent GPA earners over the full course of their high school careers.

Valedictorian (from the Latin “to say farewell”) is the designation typically given to student with the strongest academic performance, as calibrated by GPA, additional course credits, and sometimes extracurricular and additional success.  Sam Pickett plans to attend BYU-Idaho upon graduation.

Salutatorian (from “to greet”) is a designation for the second highest academic recognition, and is usually awarded to a student with similarly strong academic performance, as well as a noted ability for written and spoken communication skills.  Typically, the salutatorian speaks first at a graduation event, while the valedictorian provides the final speech, or valediction.  Colton Ihler plans to serve an LDS mission after graduation, and then decide which of several schools he would like to attend.

The accomplishments of all of those in the top quarter of the graduating class deserve all the adulation possible. “These are amazing kids,” Corbett says.  “I’m proud of all of them!”