Hillsborough Valedictorian: 'Now Is the Time for Action'

Marielle Brady said she was surprised to learn she was to be valedictorian for Hillsborough High School's Class of 2013, since she hasn't always been too focused on her GPA.

But she did say she learned to focus on her schoolwork. 

Marielle came to Hillsborough as a freshman, and said she was taken aback in some of her early classes because there were "so many smart people here."

So she buckled down and studied. Through the ups and downs of her high school years, she said she learned to "be diligent about your work."

She also learned to relax—she joined the school's choir and chorus groups, which she said gave her lots of opportunities to participate in events, such as fundraisers, as well as perform at community events, including Veteran's Day and Memorial Day events.

"I think that is a fun way to get involved in the community," she said.

Marielle said her valedictorian speech will focus on her class' spirit, and she'll urge her classmates to continue that enthusiasm into whatever they do in the future.

"I think it's really important not to get too complacent," she said.

She said she remembers when her class, as sophomores, won the annual Spirit Day contest, beating that year's senior class, as an example of her class' spirit. She said the class has been known for its efforts to improve the school, and she added she hoped she captured the spirit of the class in her speech.

"A lot of it 'Now is the time for action,'" she said, of her address. 

She said high school students can look back on years of being told what to do and where to go, but "now it's time for us to act on the goals we set for ourselves."

That thought led her to a Dr. Seuss quote, which she said is almost a theme of her address: "And you will decide which is the way to go."

Looking back, Marielle refused to take a stand on who her favorite teacher was. "I have a bunch of favorite teachers—I shouldn't give a shout out to one," she said.

Marielle will deliver her address at Thursday's graduation, which begins at 6 p.m., capping her outstanding high school career.

Afterwards, there's a trip to Hawaii with her mother, Joyce Tiemens, and the move to Dartmouth, where she'll study biology in hopes of prusuing a career in research.

"I like learning and researchers are always finding something that wasn't known before," she said.