Starkville High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian, Emma Claire Spradling, has advanced to earn recognition as a National Merit Finalist. Spradling, who has also been named Starkville High School's 2025 STAR Student, an AP Scholar with Distinction and Distinguished Senior, is among only 15,000 students nationwide to achieve Finalist standing for her outstanding performance in the National Merit program.
Spradling scored in the top one percent of students in Mississippi on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test to be named National Merit Semifinalist. After writing essays, taking the SAT and earning scores that confirmed her PSAT/NMSQT Semifinalist performance, Emma Claire qualified as a Finalist. She has been awarded a $2500 scholarship through the highly competitive National Merit Scholarship program, an award given to only 2500 students nationwide.
Spradling's National Merit Finalist Scholarship award as well as her place as Valedictorian and top of her class were announced during last week's Senior Awards Recognition Program at Starkville High School. The SHS administrative staff lined up to congratulate her on the outstanding accomplishment as well as her leadership and involvement in student activities during her high school career.
"We are incredibly proud of Emma Claire for this outstanding accomplishment of being named a National Merit Finalist," said Dr. Watress Harris, principal of Starkville High. "Her academic performance throughout high school has been excellent, and she is a shining example of what it means to be a Yellow Jacket. We can't wait to see what she accomplishes in her next steps."
In the Fall, Spradling will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and plans to study Data Science and explore its application in the fields of psychological research and cognitive science.
When speaking about her experience in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, which she has attended since 4th grade, Emma Claire says the diverse student body and the passion teachers have had for their subject matter have prepared her for success not only in high school but as she embarks on her future plans.
“As a Yellow Jacket, I have always been surrounded by a group of diverse and driven students. As I go into college, I will have the experience of working with people who have different strengths and perspectives than myself,” Spradling shared.
In thinking about her future career and the desire to combine her areas of interest, Spradling says her experiences in advanced classes like Algebra III, AP (Advanced Placement) Statistics and AP Psychology helped to spark her interest in data science and hone her passion for pursuing a career that could bring those skills together. And, she credits her Starkville High School teachers with exposing her to those possibilities and helping her put together a vision of the future -- both in and out of the classroom.
“I learned so much about the experimental models that I hope to work with in college by taking AP Statistics and AP Psychology from amazing teachers," said Spradling. "I have been privileged to have teachers who pour their heart into the success of their students. Not only have I learned Calculus and U.S. History, but I have also received invaluable life and career advice,” said Spradling.
In February, when Emma Claire was chosen as Starkville High School's STAR Student, a designation earned by achieving the highest score on the ACT among her Yellow Jacket peers, she chose SHS instructor, Jason Scott, as STAR Teacher. Scott taught Emma for her Algebra III and AP Stats classes, and she credits him with sparking an interest in data science as well as helping her understand her own learning style.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, administered by the Mississippi Economic Council, recognizes high school seniors in Mississippi who earn the highest ACT score in their school each year. The STAR student then selects a STAR teacher from his or her school who has most impacted the student's studies and high school experience. The honor came for Spradling early in the Spring as she was beginning to narrow down her choice of colleges, and Mr. Scott's impact on her future plans made him a well-deserving choice.
“I owe my passion to go into statistics and data science all to him. His systematic approach to teaching appealed to me as a logical thinker, and he was always able to see exactly what his students needed,” said Spradling.
When asked what she would say to younger SHS students about making the most of their time in high school, Emma offers sage advice that reveals just how grounded she is about the future and high school's place in shaping it.
“Take advantage of the wide range of classes available to you," she says, "because not everyone has the opportunities you do. Aim your classes towards your passions, be inquisitive, and do not be afraid to expand your interests. Find a balance between school work and social life, and you will enjoy learning so much more."
Emma Claire has done just that. In addition to pursuing the advanced courses that have inspired her pursuits of Data Science, she has also been a four-year runner and medal-winning member of the Yellow Jacket Varsity Cross Country and Track & Field teams. During her senior year, she participated in the MSU Early Honors program, a partnership with Mississippi State University where she enrolled in her first dual credit honors class through the MSU Shackhouls Honors College. Outside of school, she has also pursued competitive dancing for a number of years, as well as volunteered and even spearheaded community service projects.
As her time at SHS draws to a close at tomorrow's Graduation ceremony, Emma Claire will deliver a farewell address to her fellow Class of 2025 graduates and the Starkville High faculty in attendance. For now, she reflects on the family that's been created growing up in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
“I know I am part of a district that really cares about every one of its students," she says. "That support doesn't end with high school. I know it will follow me throughout my life.”