Student urges Fulton board to reinstate valedictorian, offers alternatives including superintendent’s medal

Finley Nye, a senior, told the Fulton City School District board that restoring formal valedictorian and salutatorian recognition would materially affect scholarship awards and college admissions.

"I truly believe that identifying valedictorian and salutatorian for their academic excellence recognizes their accomplishments and opens so many opportunities for admittance and final financial earning in their collegiate journey," Finley said during the meeting’s public forum. She also proposed delaying official rank until the end of the first semester of senior year to reduce competitive behavior earlier in the year.

Finley’s grandmother, Pat Marino, and her parents described data they provided to the board, including a printed example they said showed a roughly $20,000 difference in merit aid tied to a student’s rank. "Disregarding demographics...a private well-established collegiate institution put an extra $20,000 on that number," Pat Marino said while presenting the family’s materials.

Dr. Marissa Hanlin, a parent and university faculty member who serves on an admissions committee, told the board that academic designators help readers of lengthy applications quickly identify top candidates. "When we see those designators, a valedictorian or salutatorian, we automatically know as a committee that those are the cream of the crop," she said.

Board members recounted the district’s past process: the high school proposed eliminating class rank and associated titles pre-COVID, led by then-principal Donna Parker. Several trustees expressed sympathy for Finley’s case while emphasizing the difficulty of creating a fair, consistently applied ranking system. Concerns focused on how courses are weighted and the recurring disputes that used to arise about infinitesimal differences in grade-point averages.

One board member said a hybrid approach is possible: continue broader recognition for high-achieving students while still finding a way to honor a top scholar. The board directed that the topic remain at the building level for an initial proposal: Superintendent Lawrence said he would share the board discussion with high school leadership and recommended the high school bring a formal recommendation for any change to graduation honors.

What happens next: the board asked the administration to follow up with high-school leaders and bring options (for example, a superintendent’s medal, a top-10 recognition, or delayed ranking) back to the board for formal consideration. The board also noted the need to ensure any approach does not disadvantage students applying to scholarships or selective programs while the district finalizes policy.

Credit and context: Finley Nye and family presented during the board’s public forum; the board discussed history and options during its superintendent report and regular business. The district’s prior decision to eliminate class rank and the titles was described as originating from the high school and implemented in the years before the pandemic.