Author: Celeste McLaughlin

As many high school students approach their senior years, they choose classes they think will be fun and interesting. That’s the approach Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) Class of 2016 valedictorian Ethan Munden took, although what’s fun and interesting to him might cause other students to raise an eyebrow. His senior classes included AP calculus B/C, AP computer science, AP physics 1, AP physics 2, AP environmental science, plus honors government and economics.

“Other people might not think these classes are fun,” says Ethan. “But I do.”

By taking the most rigorous courses and earning straight As, Ethan earned his school’s top weighted GPA of 4.67.

Ethan didn’t have English on his schedule because he had taken a college-level dual enrollment English class during his junior year, “to get it out of the way.” He wanted to focus on the math and science courses that really interest him.

“Calculus is a lot of fun,” he says. “It’s interesting because there are some odd math concepts that aren’t explored that much in algebra. It’s teaching a new way of thinking.”

He says he also enjoyed chemistry, “because of its real world applications.”

Munden will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, in the fall.

He’s not sure yet what he wants to major in, but says he is leaning toward electrical or chemical engineering. He says he’s also interested in computers and coding, and his environmental science class made him consider a professional interest in energy and alternative energy.

“I really haven’t figured it all out yet,” he admits.

Although Ethan was born in Oregon, he started kindergarten at Wesley Chapel Elementary and lived in the same house, going to local schools, his whole life. He says leaving his family and friends to go all the way to MIT is a “big jump.” In true mathematical fashion, he says he’s “50 percent excited and 50 percent nervous.”

His two older sisters are college students – one at Florida State University in Tallahassee and one at University of South Florida in Tampa. His younger sister will start high school next year.

The first three years of high school, Ethan was in band, playing saxophone and bassoon, and spun flags, rifles and sabres in the color guard. He decided to take this year off from those activities and figures when he gets to Massachusetts, he’ll be looking for new activities to pursue. When he visited MIT, he realized there are a lot of clubs and many new activities to pursue, everything from juggling to gymnastics.

This year, Ethan served as president of his school’s National Science Honor Society, and was a member of Key Club.

He says he never really focused on the goal of becoming valedictorian.

“At the beginning of high school, I thought about it, but I decided I wanted to take the classes I thought I would enjoy taking.” But, he says, “I put it a lot of work to keep up my grades and manage all the homework.”

He says he realized he could be valedictorian at the beginning of his senior year, when his friend Neil Sambhu created a computer program to estimate the GPAs of many of the school’s top students. It predicted that Ethan and Neil would be at the very top of the class, based on the classes they were taking, and assuming they earned all As.

As it turns out, Neil’s program was correct, as he is graduating as the WRH Class of 2016 salutatorian.

Ethan generally comes across as very laid back, even when talking about being named valedictorian.

“People say I’m calm and collected,” he says. “But, I’m very excited.”

When asked if he thinks being valedictorian is going to help him in the future, he had these wise words to say:

“I think what’s more important is what I’ve gained from working hard and striving for success. That’s how I got to be valedictorian, and that’s more important than the title.”