The race for the top spot of the Tharptown High School Class of 2016 was an extremely close one. The top three students in the class were separated by a small margin, but the honor of valedictorian would end up belonging to Makayla Franks.
The rankings for the senior class were announced during the National Honor Society induction ceremony in March, and Franks said that while she knew it was going to be close she was overjoyed when she found out that she was the valedictorian.
“I was ecstatic once I found out that I was number one,” Franks said. “It felt as though everything I had worked for had finally paid off. Words just can not describe how happy I am to receive this tremendous honor.”
Franks believes that her faith in God and her family helped her get to where she is today.
“I give all the credit to God, because without Him, none of this would even have been possible,” Franks said. “My family really helped me along the way, whether it was helping me with homework, giving me advice or just being there for me when I need them. Whatever it was, they were always there for me and helped me be the best person I could be.”
Barry Laster, principal at Tharptown High School, said he wasn’t surprised that Franks held the top spot when it was all over.
“Makayla has been a very determined student since she first set foot in these halls,” Laster said, “so I was not surprised that she was the leader.”
While Laster had an idea of who the valedictorian would be, he said it was interesting to watch the students compete.
“Every year it’s fun to sit back and watch the students who are in contention compete for the top spot,” Laster said. “This year it was especially exciting since the top three were so close in contention for it.”
Franks’ plans after high school are to attend Northwest-Shoals Community College for the first two years to pursue an associate’s degree in science. After she finishes her time at NW-SCC, she plans to then attend Samford University, where she hopes to obtain her degree in pharmaceutical sciences. Franks has received an ambassador scholarship to NW-SCC, along with the Isbell Ash scholarship and the “There’s-a-Way” scholarship.
Franks also has some inspiring words to future generations who want to be successful.
“Work hard. Don’t be afraid to be called a nerd,” Franks said. “When you get something like this, it makes you feel as though you’ve made something of yourself. If you work hard and stay in school, you can achieve great things.”
