The Union County High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian and Salutatorian were named on March 19, revealed as Mikala Souther and Turner West, respectively.
And after cultivating busy high school careers, the pair look forward to bright futures after walking across the graduation stage on May 23.
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Both agreed that being named the top of their class was an exciting revelation, but not entirely a surprise.
“I would say that it was one of my goals to always be one of the top students,” admitted Souther. “I don’t know if it was to be exactly Valedictorian, but I always wanted to be up there.”
For his part, West said the position of Salutatorian came naturally. Good grades followed in the wake of his love of learning; West was also named one of Union County’s STAR Students of 2025, and he chose Dixie Conger as his STAR Teacher.
With a bright personality and healthy dose of determination, West regularly strives for greatness. Following an internship to get his foot in the door, he hopes to pursue a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery, putting him a path that will take him first to the University of Georgia to major in biology.
Souther, meanwhile, has her sights set on becoming a patent attorney, having always held an interest in law. She’s already committed to attending the Georgia Institute of Technology this fall, and following her undergraduate program, she’ll move on to law school.
But for all their determination, both Val and Sal want to acknowledge that they couldn’t have reached the top without support.
Of course, Souther and West thank their families – particularly their parents – but they also credit school staff like Dr. Melissa Bridges and Alecia Frizzell for their “constant support.”
Though their big speeches aren’t ready yet, Souther said she has an idea of what she wants to outline in hers, to be unveiled as a surprise on graduation night. Similarly, West will continue to work on his until the time is right.
They do, however, have some ready advice for any younger students who are considering following in their academic footsteps.
“I think if you engross yourself in your studies and pay attention in class, you will inevitably rise to the top,” West believes, with Souther suggesting, “Keep being you, keep studying hard. If this is one of the things that you want, go for it.”
Among their own classmates, Souther and West have come to know them well not just by growing up beside them, but by participating with them in extracurriculars like DECA Club and the Technology Student Association.
In describing his graduating class, West views them as an incredibly diverse and unique group of individuals, and just as she had a message for younger students, Souther would also like to address her peers.
“Failure is a key point to success,” Souther said, disclosing that she learned to accept this viewpoint through her journey with college admissions and building up her own future. “Life will go on.”
But despite any failures, both agree that their time at Union County High has shaped them for the better. Souther and West look back fondly on their four years as UCHS Panthers and are eternally grateful for the good memories they’ve gathered.
“There’s so many great experiences I will never forget,” said West, who moved here earlier in life and views it as a defining feature of his journey to date. “I’m just super fortunate to have Union County High School and the experiences that they have allowed me to have and enjoy.”
