Elizabeth Hogrefe has been involved in a lot of things throughout her school career, but the most important thing for her has always been keeping her grades up.
“I’ve just always wanted to do the best I could do,” she explained about her pursuit of earning the top academic rank of her class.
Hogrefe walked across the graduation stage on Sunday, May 23 with a Grade Point Average of 3.994. Her secret to getting there? Doing her work as it was assigned and studying every night.
“Don’t wait until the last minute,” she said as advice to the underclassmen of Eagle Grove High School. “Good study habits start in middle school…and it will really pay off later.”
But it wasn’t all work and no fun for Hogrefe. Throughout high school she participated in golf, volleyball, band, National Honor Society, Talented and Gifted (TAG), Leo’s Club, and served on the Band Council. She also took time to volunteer out in the community, especially with her church, Sacred Heart, even serving as a Religious Education teacher this year.
Hogrefe said being involved in activities outside the classroom helped her become a more well-rounded person, giving her a chance to “see what else was out there besides high school classes.”
Hogrefe will be attending Morningside College in the fall where she will be studying for a BSN (nursing). While she is excited about this new path, she said she will miss the upbeat teachers of the Eagle Grove Area School District.
Megan Anderson admitted that she never really started high school thinking she would be one of the top two students in her class, but when she realized it was possible, she set out to achieve that goal.
“I just sort of started out at the top of my class and then decided to stay dedicated to the goal because I knew it would help me out in the long run,” Anderson explained.
She achieved the Salutatorian spot with a Grade Point Average of 3.983 by staying dedicated to her school work
and getting her work done on time, taking things one step at a time, and trying not to stress herself out. Her best advice to the underclassmen of Eagle Grove High School, just always try your best and do the work as it comes in.
Anderson was also active in extracurricular activities including golf, volleyball, band, National Honor Society, Leo’s Club, Talented and Gifted (TAG), Spanish Club, and Swim Team. She was also a member of the Washington Winners 4-H club in Webster County and volunteered in a variety of capacities at her church – S. Enis in Vincent. In addition, she has worked as a pool lifeguard in Eagle Grove as well as has a job at Marshalls in Fort Dodge. Anderson believes being involved in all of these activities not only made her a better student because of the need for time management, but it also helped her enjoy school more.
“Participating in extracurricular school events also helps you get to know other kids in other grades,” Anderson added.
This fall, Anderson will be attending Iowa Central Community College to major in Web Tech and Design. She said what she will miss most about EGHS is the opportunity to get to know so many people so well, seeing her friends every day, and developing professional relationships with the teachers.
