But Oakwood High School’s Anniston Brant knows that she will be a Class of 2020 Valedictorian because of what teachers have done for her.

“I truly believe that my love for learning came from my teachers,” Brant said. “I have had a lot of teachers who are extremely passionate about what they do and I feel as though it made learning more fun. My favorite classes were always those with the teacher who truly loved their job and sharing knowledge with others.”

A first-year teacher at Oakwood, Judy Turner really left a mark on Brant during her senior year. 

“Everyday she reminded our whole class of the potential that we have,” Brandt said.

It’s a message she’d heard before. 

“My family has always been the biggest support system in my life, especially when it came to my academics,” she said.

“My family and teachers have all encouraged me to be the best that I can be and I have to say that I would not be the student that I am today without their motivation. I feel as though every teenager deserves the support that they have shown me throughout my time at Oakwood.”

Named the Daughters of the American Revolution Award recipient, Brant was also a D.A.R.E. role model, the National Honor Society Vice President, a member of FCA and an after school tutor for Project Success. 

Her time was also spent as a member of the competitive cheer squad at Oakwood.

“Since I’ve been on the squad, we have won the Vermilion County cheer competition twice and made it to state three times, placing tenth my freshman year,” she said. “I have also danced at a studio outside of school since I was three years old.

“I feel as though getting involved in these activities helped me tremendously because it allowed me to get close to people that I would have otherwise never talked to: people that ended up being some of my closest friends. It also gave me more school spirit because I was really involved in all of the pep assemblies.”

She said the way that Oakwood gets behind each other through school spirit only showcases what Principal Tim Lee says, “It’s a great day to be young and a Comet!”

“Before the pandemic, my senior year was everything that I had hoped it would be: I was having fun at school, made a lot of memories with my friends, and had a successful cheer season,” she said. “While the year ended a lot earlier than I had expected, I feel as though everything happens for a reason.”

Brant has her sights set on moving on to the University of Illinois to study psychology. She’s like to pursue a career as a criminal psychiatrist.

“For me personally, I was very nervous about starting the next chapter of my life and I think the past eight weeks have helped me accept the fact that it is time to move forward in my journey. Instead of worrying about what’s to come, I am looking forward to it,” she said.

“I have found that I am sometimes reluctant to change because I get so used to a certain routine. However, this mindset can allow you to miss out on a lot of the stuff that is going on around you.

“Instead of worrying about what’s to come, I am looking forward to (moving on to the U of I). 

“However, I am still very excited for all of the activities that the school is wanting to put on for us. It is nice to be able to get some sort of closure, even if it is not the traditional way.”

The post Teachers help propel Oakwood’s Anniston Brant to Valedictorian first appeared on SJO Daily.

Illinois State Scholars must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen who is also a resident of Illinois. The student must attend an approved high school, take the ACT or SAT between Aug. 1 and June 30 before the third semester of high school graduation, perform in the top one-half of the high school class at the end of the third semester prior to graduation and/or score at or above the 95th percentile on the ACT or SAT. They must also graduate from the high school during the academic year in which they were chosen as State Scholar.

The post Oakwood High School Illinois State Scholars first appeared on SJO Daily.