Students are shoulder-to-shoulder each day in the hallways, but how much do they really know about the people walking next to them? This series will feature the students of FHS along with their talents, hobbies and passions. “A Closer Look” is meant to showcase what makes the students of FHS who they are.
The 2025-26 school year is ending at Fenton High School. Two senior graduates stand out for a clear reason: Gwendolyn Grove and Sophia Kildee, named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.
People around Grove would describe her with words that give a strong sense of determination. While she is valedictorian, she never exactly aimed for the title.
“I was never aiming to be the school’s valedictorian,” Grove said. “I always wanted to be at the top of the class, but I never expected I would be number one. People around me would describe me as hard-working, driven, kind and thoughtful.”
The motivation Grove had to be at the top was enough to put her in the highest spot in the school.
Kildee, the salutatorian, has her own unique experience in achieving the title, which was awarded in a way similar to Grove’s.
“I actually didn’t aim specifically for valedictorian or salutatorian,” Kildee said. “It was more of a byproduct of doing my best in classes and staying consistent with my schoolwork.”
Achieving the highly regarded roles of valedictorian and salutatorian was certainly no small feat.
“Some hurdles I faced were the difficulty of the classes while keeping up with extracurriculars,” Grove said, “and taking classes online that were much harder than taking in-person classes.”
Kildee adds that her challenges included burnout, time management and balancing school with her personal life.
“I didn’t really structure my journey around [getting salutatorian], but I definitely still faced moments of burnout, as well as challenges with time management and balancing school with other activities and responsibilities,” Kildee said. “Being able to stay motivated throughout high school was definitely something I had to work at.”
For future grads, both Grove and Kildee shared advice on how to work towards being the top of the class.
“If you want to be the valedictorian, you have to challenge yourself further than you might want to,” Grove said. “You must take the hardest classes in the school and achieve top grades while doing so—so continue to work hard, stay organized and take on challenges.”
In addition to hard work, Kildee offered advice on balance.
“My advice for future students is to focus on consistency, not perfection. It’s okay to not have everything figured out all the time, and it’s also okay to not be perfect at everything— no one is perfect,” Kildee said. “Stay organized, manage your time well and take pride in the effort that you put in, not just your results. Also, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Your well-being is just as important as your academics, and having balance is key.”
In the fall, Grove and Kildee both plan to attend the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
