The Salutatorian of the PHS Class of 2020 is Grace Mathews, and she’s about to take the field of bio-medical engineering by storm.
She’ll be heading north to Purdue University with plans to use her engineering and STEM training from middle- and high school to propel her into the medical field some day. That path could lead to graduate school in engineering or medical school, with the ultimate goal of creating new devices, developing new medications, and ultimately, helping people.
During this week’s virtual Evening of Distinction, Mathews was honored with numerous awards and scholarships. In addition to earning a Core 40 diploma with Academic and Technical Honors, she is the 2020 Salutatorian and in the Top Twenty, graduating Summa Cum Laude and as an AP Scholar with Distinction. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a Rising Star of Indiana, was named to Academic All-State (Soccer), a National Merit Commended Student, and was awarded the Purdue Alumni Club of Hendricks County Scholarship, the Purdue University Presidential Scholarship, the Purdue University Marquis Scholarship, the Plainfield Tri Kappa Scholarship, the Shelter Insurance Foundation Scholarship, the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, and the Red Pride Booster Club Scholarship.
The four-year member of the PHS Girls Soccer team noted that her favorite high school memory was when the team won its first sectional title her sophomore year. Not only was the team made up of great athletes and friends, they cherished the opportunity to make school history.
Mathews has also been an integral part of student government, this year serving as Co-President of the student body.
Her advice to incoming freshmen? Don’t succumb to the pressure to get involved in everything. Be selective about the groups and causes you choose, and then jump in. Having experienced the other side of that advice her freshman year, she can attest to the stress of being spread too thin. Her final three years as a Quaker were more fun, while allowing her to get much more involved in the activities she prioritized.
Congratulations, Grace, and best of luck as you begin this next chapter!