GCHS Valedictorian: Tiana Carlson
GLENWOOD CITY — The Glenwood City High School Class of 2017 valedictorian will be Tiana Carlson.
She is the daughter of Thomas and Joan Carlson, and is hoping to pursue a career in the medical field. Carlson indicated she does not want to declare a specific major until she has taken some more classes relating to medicine, which will help her determine what classes and careers interest her most.
“I’m planning on attending the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse,” Carlson said. “I will complete my generals here, and possibly transfer to Madison if I decide to pursue a career in biomedical engineering.”
Right now, Carlson is focused on more immediate plans, mainly what she will do for summer work. She is hoping to get a job to help pay for college, and would like to work as a waitress, or something similar, in Menomonie so she can have an excuse to visit her brother who is currently living there.
Some of Carlson’s favorite high school memories are from her Spanish class trip to Ecuador when she was a junior. She said she has loved her Spanish class since her freshman year, and going to Ecuador allowed her to connect her passion to the real world.
“I loved seeing the different culture, interacting with individuals, and having to utilize the skills I learned,” Carlson explained. “I really love traveling and seeing new places, so that’s another reason this was a memorable event for me.”
The Hilltopper senior also has some fond memories of classes like human anatomy and physics. She voiced a love of her human anatomy course because she enjoys learning how the body functions, and how certain things can cause difference between individuals.
Carlson loved her physics class with Mr. Ketola not so much for the course content as for the life lessons she learned there.
“He was definitely one of my favorite teachers because he made sure you understood the class, and he made it interesting and fun by telling us his interesting, and sometimes concerning, stories,” Carlson said.
One of Carlson’s favorite high school activities was DECA. She expressed gratitude for the opportunities her membership afforded her, including several trips to international competitions held in Tennessee and California and led her to new friendships and skills.
Carlson stated she is excited to be valedictorian because she worked really hard to be successful in her classes throughout high school. She had a lot of support from her parents, teachers and friends, and indicates she probably would not have done as well if she had not been encouraged to study and do her best.
“I think my parents are almost as excited as me, mostly because they won’t have to stay up late having to help me study anymore,” Carlson noted. “More than anything, I’m just thankful for the experiences I’ve had throughout high school, and teachers and others who taught me the skills I will need in the future.”
