Columbia Academy has a bit of fun with how it reveals class rank to its top graduating seniors. They are each gifted an egg that they have to open to find out where they finished among their peers. When Lauren McDaniel opened hers, she was stunned to learn that she is CA’s 2023 valedictorian.
Although she never set out to graduate No. 1 in her class, McDaniel said it is special and truly an honor to be valedictorian. On the first day of her freshman year, teacher Kellie Watts told McDaniel’s class that someone in that room would be valedictorian.
“Never in a million years did I think it would be me,” McDaniel said. “When Ms. Ginny (Kemp) handed us the list that I was No. 1, it was so awesome. I was so excited honestly. My heart was racing so fast. I always made good grades, but I never expected to be valedictorian. It’s an honor.”
McDaniel plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi to pursue a degree in audiology. She has “super sensitive” hearing and the littlest noises can bother her. Her mom suggested that she should be an ear doctor, and that idea has stuck with her ever since.
She will be attending USM as a Lucky Day Scholar, which guarantees her a substantial scholarship and allows her to stay in the nicest dorms on campus. Almost 1,000 prospective students applied to be a Lucky Day Scholar, but only 80 earned that recognition, including McDaniel and two other CA students.
“I am super thankful and blessed to be a Lucky Day Scholar,” McDaniel said.
At the beginning of her senior year, she wanted to go to Ole Miss, but McDaniel’s parents, sister and grandmother are all Southern Miss alumni. As she learned more about the university, visited and earned the scholarships, she decided USM was the better fit.
McDaniel said she is so thankful for her teachers who were extremely invested in her education and that they pushed her to become who she is today.
“All of the faculty and staff at Columbia Academy is just so great, especially Ms. Kellie Watts, Ms. Rebecca Bass, Ms. Jane Middleton and all of the teachers,” she said. “They have invested their time and effort into me and prepared me for the future.”
There are a lot of memories throughout her time at CA that McDaniel will cherish forever, especially homecoming every year, all of the fundraisers and devotion every morning.
“Every Monday morning we would come in the Fine Arts Building, and they would have someone do the devotion. It’s a great way to kick start your week and get some good motivation,” she said.
With all of the great things seniors get to experience during their final year on campus, McDaniel advises that younger students take the time to enjoy the little things because it goes by so quick.
“Everyone always says your senior year flies by, and it truly does. I want to say to the younger students that you need to enjoy every single minute of every single day. It truly goes by so quickly,” she said. “I can remember the first day of seventh grade, and now I’m embarking on my last few days as a senior.
“Take every day slow, enjoy every moment, be kind and enjoy it while you’re still here.”
While she admitted that she’s very nervous about giving her valedictorian speech, McDaniel said she’s also very excited about it. As the vice president of her senior class, she gives announcements every day at school and she’s used to talking on stage, so she hopes she will be able to draw on that experience for her speech.
McDaniel is the daughter of Mark and Sandra McDaniel.
