Valedictorians

Most U.S. and Canadian high schools recognize the graduating student who holds the highest academic standing with the title of valedictorian. Although the naming of a valedictorian is one of the most common markers of achievement in the United States, top academic standing is largely absent from the gifted literature. There is relatively little research about valedictorians and increasing controversy about whether to continue the designation. This entry describes some of the issues relating to valedictorians and gifted.

Literally “farewell sayer,” the valedictorian traditionally gives a speech at high school commencement. The first record of naming a valedictorian appeared in Harvard College presidential papers in 1759. The practice was widespread among U.S. high schools by the 1840s, serving both as public recognition of individual achievement and showcasing of bright graduates. Today, most schools award the title of valedictorian to the graduating student with the highest cumulative grade-point average. Less frequently, the student body votes for the valedictorian or holds a speaking contest to determine the recipient. In other cases, school administrators name a high-achieving student who also exemplifies some measure of outstanding character. Students with identical grade-point averages sometimes share the honor as covaledictorians. Nationally, girls outnumber boys among high school valedictorians.

Earning high academic marks across subject areas requires a particular set of abilities and motivations. In an empirical study of high school valedictorians, the Illinois Valedictorian Project, Karen Arnold and Terry Denny followed 81 high school valedictorians and salutatorians longitudinally for 15 years through a combination of periodic interviews and surveys. Arnold and Denny found that high school academic talent was a constellation of intellectual ability, enjoyment of learning, hard work, and willingness to conform to family and school expectations. Outstanding academic performance also relied on what Joseph Renzulli has labeled “schoolhouse giftedness,” including sophisticated understanding of teacher requirements and superior ability in tasks such as note taking, memorization, and testing. In keeping with their well-rounded profiles, Illinois Valedictorian Project members were highly involved in extracurricular activities and friendships.

Post-high school achievements of Illinois Valedictorian Project participants reflected their generalist interests, comfort in institutional settings, and strong work ethic. Valedictorians in the study earned postsecondary degrees in much higher numbers than did their high-ability peers nationally and continued to earn high grades in college. Most entered professions, including business, law, medicine, and academia. However, occupational attainments varied far more than academic performance, and valedictorians' well-rounded, pragmatic approach to work and family life did not lend itself to career eminence or creative productivity.

Gender, race, and social class strongly influence valedictorians' professional outcomes, as shown in both the Illinois Valedictorian Project and a study of North Carolina valedictorians by Anne York. Arnold found that valedictorians of color from the class of 1981 were less likely than their White peers were to finish college and take professional jobs and that women achieved less than men when they planned their careers around family roles. Two decades later, York found that 2003–2005 female high school valedictorians in North Carolina were less likely than were male valedictorians to attend the most selective colleges and to choose highly prestigious, top-paying professions. She also found that female valedictorians were more likely to attend a prestigious college if they graduated from a high school with high-average SAT scores; male valedictorians chose colleges based mainly on their own grade-point averages.

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