Vazquez and Weston are top grads
Liz Vazquez and Landon Weston are the top graduates of the 2022 Pea Ridge High School graduating class.
Vazquez, valedictorian, and Weston, salutatorian, both said they’re looking forward to graduation.
“I think it’s really scary and exciting,” Vazquez said. “I didn’t think I’d get valedictorian… I was just doing my school stuff and then I found out the other day that I got it and I was overwhelmed.”
She says she was definitely striving for excellence, for As, so she could get into a good college.
“I was wanting to get into a good college and get scholarships and stuff to pay for it, so I was just aiming for As the whole time,” she said.
Vazquez is a member of the National Honor Society, HOSA, co-president of the Math Club, cheer, cross country, track. She has earned honors in athletics as well as academics and recently signed a letter of intent to run track at John Brown University.
“Be ambitious. As long as you have good time management, you can easily balance academics and school.
“Go for it. Don’t limit yourself to just one thing,” she said. “Have more goals in mind, that way college and scholarships are easier.”
She credited coach Heather Wade and Mrs. B.J. Dye, both of whom encouraged her to “try harder” and do her best.
Landon Weston, son of Kevin and Brooke Weston, is salutatorian. Landon said he involved in eSports and used to be involved in Odyssey of the Mind.
“It’s cool,” Landon said of achieving second highest honors. He said it should help him get job offers. He plans to attend Missouri University of Science & Technology, become a mechanical engineer, then find a job.
To younger students, he says: “Schools not that hard, just do your work and turn it in. Take AP classes. Try hard.”