Inside the mind of a valedictorian: Aadya Menon

Aadya Menon’s rise to becoming Valedictorian

Photo by Ian Sands

Everett Baumann, Copy Editor & Ian Sands, Staff Writer

Have you ever met a valedictorian who didn't know that they were top of their class? 

Let The Messenger introduce you to Aadya Menon, Northview High School’s valedictorian for the 2024-2025 school year. She earned the honor by having the highest GPA in a class of 436 graduating students. 

But that might be the least interesting thing about her.

If you really want to know Aadya Menon, you'd learn that she enjoys winding down on her own, whether that be with long walks or crocheting. She is in two honors societies, class council, likes to bake, and plays the flute in the marching band. Most interesting of all, she displays discipline, is caring, and is a role model to everyone she meets.

"She's very compassionate, always helping other people out. She's never kept to herself and is always super extroverted," Menon's long-time friend, Sruthi Vangavolu, said. "She's also very diligent about her work. She has a 'get it done' attitude."

Growing up, Anagha Menon witnessed firsthand Aadya Menon's rise to valedictorian. She saw how her sister broke their parents' tough shells with her bubbly, playful personality. Her ability to make any tense moment lighthearted is one of the hallmarks of her personality as she gets ready to head off to college.

"As [Aadya Menon] has grown older, I've seen her mature in a way that made me look at her as a young adult, rather than just my little sister. And it's been really cool and really comforting to see that change in her," Anagha Menon said.

Aadya Menon's maturity has also transitioned to the classroom. After she joined the marching band and began to take more advanced classes sophomore year, Aadya had a lot on her plate. She fashioned a routine that fit her schedule while still staying disciplined in her studies. After she completed her school day, Aadya Menon would head to marching band practice, then she'd come home and take an hour to herself. This helped her prepare for the homework for the night ahead. As a result, she stayed on top of her work and created solid study habits that earned her valedictorian. 

Her parents believe that the academic environment that Northview fosters played a major role in her drive to succeed. They took a hands-off approach to Aadya Menon's schooling. Aside from checking Infinite Campus, Aadya Menon's parents mostly let her manage her own education.

"I knew she was doing well. I just didn't know what to expect. She was on top of all the assignments that she was doing. Everything else that we found said that she was scoring well in her other subjects," Manoj Menon, Aadya Menon's father, said.

The news didn't come as a surprise to Aadya Menon's physics teacher, Chris Kemp. He is Aadya's Advanced Placement Physics C teacher and recognized the hard work that Aadya put into her grades. Aadya is a model student who performs well in Kemp's class. When Mr. Kemp found out the news, he had nothing but nice things to say.

"It's certainly an honor, with the highly competitive nature of the Northview student body, for someone to receive that recognition, so I was just genuinely happy for her to have achieved that," Kemp said.

Kemp noticed what many others around the school already have -- Aadya is a very hard worker. Her diligent studying clearly paid off in both Kemp's class and her other subjects. This hard work and dedication led to the well-deserved honor of valedictorian.

Aadya Menon is clearly very talented academically, but she is much more than the valedictorian. Whether it's playing the flute in marching band, baking, or crocheting items, Aadya has many interests outside of school. As any of her friends will tell you, she balances her studies with hobbies exceptionally well. She understands that good grades and school are far from the most important things in life.

"It's really important to balance everything that you're doing. Not just academics, not just extracurriculars, but also your relationships and the time that you spend with your family and your friends," Aadya Menon said. "You could be doing so much and doing so well, but you'll lose your drive if you don't enjoy life."