Valedictorian

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

In the United States, the title of valedictorian is given to the top graduate of the entire graduating class of an educational institution. This honor is traditionally based on grades and overall GPA, but consideration is also given to other factors such as extracurricular activities. The title comes from the valedictorian's traditional role as the last speaker at the graduation ceremony.

The second highest graduate is referred to as the salutatorian.