Valedictorian Amanda Blettner

When the Dallas Morning News’ “Vals and Sals” edition landed on your porch Sunday, did you search for Lake Highlands High School’s Valedictorian Amanda Blettner and Salutatorian Brooke Elkjer among Dallas’ elite students?

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Yeah, that was a waste of time.

Somehow, the paper left our girls out. Berkner was there. Plano schools were all there. Tarrant County was there, but our accomplished, intelligent young women of character and achievement were not.

So here’s a little about your Wildcat Val and Sal for 2017.

Amanda Blettner loves animals and will study biomedical sciences at Texas A&M to become a veterinarian. She worked as an intern at Highland Park Animal Hospital, where she helped with vaccinations and assisted with surgery prep and monitoring vital signs. She’s worked as a payroll assistant at City View Antique Mall, and she is very involved in her church. Her artwork has been displayed at the Texas Capitol and earned a variety of awards. She was nominated “Most Likely to Succeed.”

Brooke Elkjer will be taking a gap year before she enrolls in the University of Southern California to major in neuroscience. First, she’ll head to Argentina to work with disadvantaged kindergarteners, then she’s off to Spain for an internship in the field of psychology.

As captain of the LHHS Mock Trial team, Brooke was named Region 10 Outstanding Advocate and Outstanding Witness. She was Spanish Club president and publicity chair, and she did an internship at UTD’s Center for Brain Health.

Both girls were part of LHHS Young Life’s leadership team and both earned National Merit Commended honors. Both had GPAs over 104. Congratulations, Amanda and Brooke, and best wishes for continued success!

Salutatorian Brooke Elkjer