Senior class dean Dr. Matthew Harley formally announced Anika Mohindra as the Class of 2016 valedictorian during the senior class meeting on April 26.

“I was surprised because I didn’t really expect it, but I don’t think I had a very dramatic reaction. I texted my mom right away, and she was very excited,” Anika said.

The title of valedictorian is bestowed upon the member of Harker’s senior class with the highest cumulative GPA throughout their four years at the upper school.

Reflecting on the past four years of her high school career, Anika advised younger students to have a wholesome high school experience.

“Academics are great and very important, but don’t let them be your sole focus, which I think was a huge mistake I made during my freshman and sophomore years,” Anika said. “Put yourself out there more, make new friends, go all-out for spirit events, join a club for fun and find a class that feels more like hanging out with friends than an academic requirement. It’s the little things that are really going to shape your high school experience.”

Though Anika has not yet begun writing her valedictory address, which she will deliver at the Class of 2016 graduation ceremony on May 19, she is looking forward to addressing the senior class at graduation.

“Right now, I’m thinking about talking about something not so academic,” she said. “Probably [a speech about] self-identity and friendships.”

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on May 4, 2016.