Rachel Fuson has received her share of honors at DCHS but perhaps none is more special than being the Class Valedictorian.
Tonight, she will deliver an address during the commencement that she hopes will inspire the grads.
Fuson said being the Class Valedictorian is a high honor. She earned the distinction by having the highest grade point average of any student in her class. “They look at your GPA after fall semester of your senior year. The spring semester this year didn’t count toward class rank. They look at your GPA and whoever has the highest GPA is the Valedictorian. Mine was 5.016 as of December,” said Fuson.
Rachel explains how the GPA is calculated. “Your regular classes are just four points toward your GPA. Your honors and dual enrollment classes which are taken mostly through Motlow State Community College also count as honors credits and those are worth five points. And then your advanced placement classes count toward the GPA. You have to take a test at the end of the year to get college credit through AP. Those are more accelerated in the learning rate and those are worth six points toward your GPA,” she said.
During her senior year, Rachel has served as a captain of the DCHS Football cheerleading squad, the Vice President of the BETA and Climate Crew clubs, President of the Science Club, and was named Miss DCHS.
She has received thousands of dollars in scholarships and will be attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville this fall. “ I am planning to study Biology when I arrive there. I am hoping to get my degree in three years because I have done several classes through Motlow. I want to study abroad while I am in college and then I am hopefully going on to optometry school in Memphis,” she said.
Fuson has already earned 12 hours of college credit through dual enrollment (equivalent to one semester of college work).
Rachel is the daughter of Joe and Melissa Fuson.
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