The valedictorian and salutatorian are the graduates with the highest and second highest grade point averages in the senior class.

VALEDICTORIAN

Shiloh Turner has been named valedictorian for the Class of 2019 at Randolph-Henry High School with a 4.6176 GPA.

He is 18 years old and lives in Phenix with his parents Robert and Jennifer Turner. He also lives with his older brother, Joshua Turner.

He is a graduate of the Governor’s School of Southside Virginia, where he participated in the Humanities program. After high school graduation, he plans to attend online classes through Liberty University. He plans to attend classes in the Computer Science and Information Technology fields with a focus on Cybersecurity.

“Cybersecurity has become a large concern for many people in recent years. The news constantly states that we have no more privacy, and all our lives are connected to the insecure internet. Banks and large companies are constantly getting hacked, and all of our private information never stays private. I love technology, but any imperfections in our technology can lead to data-breaches and a lack of privacy and security. I believe that everyone has a right to privacy, and I believe that working in the cybersecurity field would allow me to serve others while also doing what I love.”

“Throughout my experiences at both Randolph-Henry and Governor’s School, the most important lesson I have learned is that anybody can do anything, as long as he or she is willing to work for it. Completing classes in high school and college isn’t always easy, working at a job isn’t always easy, and following our passions and desires is never easy; however, all of those things can be done if we are willing to work for them. To put it simply, we can do anything, but we have to work for it. Thankfully, we don’t always have to work alone. We have friends and family that will be there to support us. Ultimately, don’t be afraid to work toward something because anything is possible, but we must put a lot of time and effort into everything that we do to accomplish our goals.”

SALUTATORIAN

Hannah Goldman has been named salutatorian for the Class of 2019 at Randolph-Henry High School with a 4.618 GPA.

She is 18 years old and lives on her family’s vegetable farm in Cullen with her parents, Cornell and Melanie Goldman.

Goldman is a graduate of the Governor’s School of Southside Virginia, where she participated in the Humanities program. After high school graduation, she plans on attending the University of Virginia (UVA), where she will study Biology on a premed track.

“Life and its inner workings have always fascinated me, which is how I knew I was destined for the field of biology. As a young child, I can remember being enthralled by how the minuscule seeds I planted with my dad on our farm developed into such complex and beautiful organisms. My love of nature and agricultural background prompted me to join the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization where I eventually joined the chapter’s Veterinary Science team. Through veterinary science, I was able to mimic and gain insight on various veterinary procedures while gaining a wealth of knowledge on the biological systems of animals; thus, strengthening my love of biology. It was a phenomenal experience, and it taught me something extremely important — that I belonged in the field of medicine. In addition, those close to me know that I have an intense passion for helping others and would do anything to help ease the pain and suffering that my fellow human beings go through. A career in medicine will give me the opportunity to turn that passion into purpose. Therefore, after graduating from UVA, I hope to attend medical school and enter the field of cardiovascular surgery. ”
“My experiences at both Randolph-Henry and Governor’s School have taught me that I am capable of doing any and everything I set my mind on. I have learned how to embrace the toughest of challenges and how to adapt and thrive in all situations. I am extremely grateful for my teachers, especially those at Governor’s School and the late John Noel of Randolph-Henry, who have equipped me with a strong foundation of knowledge that I will build upon as I matriculate through the University of Virginia and through life itself.”