Top Students
The list of honor students in the 2019 Albany High School senior class was released last week, naming Caroline Masters as valedictorian and Jillian Guinn as salutatorian.
Masters, daughter of Tami and Brian Masters, has a four-year average of 96.937.
The salutatorian, daughter of Robbin Guinn and Shea Guinn, has earned an overall average of 96.27.
Local students earn the traditional grade point average based on numeric grades for each class. However, it is actually the weighted grade point system that is used to determine class ranking.
“Rank is based on core academic classes only, and honors and dual credit courses receive more rank points,” said school counselor Dee Dee Waggoner.
The students in the top 25 percent of the class are designated as honor students. This year there are four honor students in addition to the top two graduates, including Haley Stewart – 95.619, Christopher Rivera – 94.082, Madison Wilkins – 93.823, and Cutter Edgar – 92.609.
Valedictorian
Caroline Grace Masters has been on the A honor roll all four years of high school and is a member of the National Honor Society.
She has been a UIL regional qualifier in prose, poetry, and science, as well as one act play.
A class officer, she has also been a varsity track pole vaulter, qualifying for the regional meet all four years and competing at state last year, with a chance to return this spring.
Caroline was nominated by her peers for Homecoming Queen, and she is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
As a varsity cheerleader, she was named All American Cheerleader and was a competitive Cheer National Finalist.
She worked at Albany Sports Center as a gymnastic and competitive cheer coach for five years, and she has assisted in her father’s practice, Masters’ Chiropractic PC, helping with insurance, front desk responsibilities, and patient therapy.
Masters has participated in various community and church activities, including the Fandangle, Feed Store, and FCA Leadership Camp. As a member of the Elliott Street Youth Group, she has volunteered in the food pantry, youth tutor program, senior/widow yard work, and VBS leader.
She has also been a member of a Belize mission team for seven years as a VBS leader and medical team coordinator, which launched her desire to become a surgeon.
“For years I have envisioned myself going off to college and using my interests and strengths to make a difference in the world,” said Masters. “I have realized that the operating room is the perfect place for me to contribute to the medical community. I love the idea of being up close and personal with our complex inner workings. I want to be someone that has the opportunity to improve lives.”
Caroline plans to major in biomedical science at Texas A&M, then attend medical school.
Salutatorian
Jillian Guinn is president of the AHS National Honor Society and was chosen by her class as Prom Queen and freshman Homecoming Princess.
She has been on the A honor roll all four years of high school and has served on the student council.
Her involvement in UIL news writing competition from the time she was a freshman led to a position as assistant editor on the Lions Roar student newspaper and various ILPC awards.
She was a regional qualifier in news writing for three years and earned a silver medal at the state level as a sophomore.
The salutatorian was on the softball team that went to the state tournament last year and has also been on the Albany track team.
Her favorite sport, however, was basketball. She was a member of the varsity squad for three years, helping her team win the bi-district championship and making second team all-district as a senior.
An award-winning fiddler influenced by her mother, she has won first place in her age division the last two years at Western Heritage, and she has also played in the Fandangle for several years.
Her father, a game warden, instilled a love for hunting and the outdoors, and Guinn has worked as a ranch hand for the last three years in addition to her school work and extracurricular activities.
Jillian plans to attend Texas Tech University and earn a degree in marketing and communications to become an event planner and fundraiser.
