Wylie High School Valedictorian & Salutatorian reminisce ahead of graduation
ABILENE, Texas () – In less than a week, high school seniors will walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, celebrating years of hard work and dedication. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Wylie High School Class of 2025 are cherishing these final moments before the big day.
Tehzeeb Grewal is this year's Salutatorian. She was born to Indian parents who immigrated to America a year before she was born. Growing up in Wylie, she discovered her voice through her uniqueness.
'I just was really shy, and I didn't think what I had to say was worthwhile because I felt like nobody really truly understood what I was saying and what I was going through or how my background was different from theirs,' Grewal recalled.
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Looking back over her high school career, she is soaking up every last memory she can make.
'Senior year has definitely flown by for me,' Grewal said. 'You know, the thing about how everybody just looks at their destination, but not the journey that they take to their destination.'
She said her biggest supporter is her mom, and she appreciates all the sacrifices and affirmations she has given her.
'She has made me the person I am today. She has been my ultimate voice of reason whenever I've reached my limits, always making sure to ask, 'Have you eaten today?' when I forgot, 'Are you sleeping enough?' when I wasn't, and 'What's really bothering you?' when I didn't even know myself,' Grewal said. 'The sacrifices that she has made to ensure that my brother and I would live a better life have never gone unnoticed; from navigating systems she wasn't born into and learning things from scratch, she still gave me the hope to continue on with my dreams and instilled in me the value of working hard.'
Grewal's friendly competition turned friend and class Valedictorian, Justice McGuiness, said that for his big speech, he wants to share the biggest lesson high school has taught him: having your own identity.
'Only you can say who you are, and only you can push yourself beyond. Only you can make that decision at the end of the day to work hard, succeed and be a good person,' McGuiness said.
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McGuiness said that while he is grateful for his accomplishment, it does not define him. He credits his parents and teacher, Holly Kirby, for teaching him this lesson the most.
'She reminded me that I can do much more than I really believe I can. She has always been like this light in my life who has inspired me,' McGuiness said. 'My mom and dad, they've been the most supportive people, and they've really helped me focus on myself. They haven't been the parents that they could have been, where they pressured me and made high school a lot harder than it had to be.'
Kirby said she saw both students blossom from shy freshmen to seniors who are confident classroom leaders.
'They don't just strive to get a perfect grade. They strive to be better humans. That's what makes them very special,' Kirby said. 'They are more confident in themselves. I think they've come into themselves a little more, and they feel more comfortable being who they are and leading, whereas freshmen, they were kind of timid.'
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Both are ready to take on the world: Grewal will attend the University of Texas at Austin to major in biochemistry on a premed track, and McGuiness will attend Abilene Christian University to study actuarial science.
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