As a new school year begins, it’s easy to get caught up in the challenges of settling in. Are my children prepared for their classes? Do they have a sustainable study routine? Are we all going to survive this semester of math?
In the busyness of everyday life, we can forget what we’re ultimately working toward—the why behind the day-to-day work of education and discipleship.
There’s no better reminder than our Wilson Hill graduates. Their collegiate pursuits, rewarding careers, Christ-honoring families, and faithful Kingdom service are built upon the foundation of beauty, goodness, and truth.
To share a glimpse into the portrait of a Wilson Hill graduate, we are proud to highlight speeches from our 2025 valedictorian and salutatorians. All three were exceptional students—academically and, even more importantly, in their character. We look forward to seeing where God will lead them next.
Meet Wilson Hill’s 2025 valedictorian, Honor Hawkes.
Honor is from Durham, North Carolina, where natural beauty meets lovely people. Her attachment to her hometown stems from a deep love for her parents, church family, high school friends, and the house where she lived for the past 14 years.
She enjoys spending time with the people she loves, from hiking the Alps in Switzerland to discussing theology with her dad in the evenings. A lifelong musician, she has played piano for 12 years and loves singing in choir, on her church’s worship team, and with her older sister and best friend, Hopewell. The two grew up reading together and memorized much of Honor’s first favorite book, Alice in Wonderland.
She has recently begun her studies in statistics and data science at the University of Virginia. Honor is profoundly grateful for the faithful education she received over her seven years at Wilson Hill from outstanding teachers who turned an online classroom into a precious community.
Meet Wilson Hill’s 2025 salutatorians, Carol Hughes and Aubrielle Wengerd.
Carol is from southern Connecticut, where she grew up with her eight younger siblings and filled her free time with swimming, playing the piano and organ, and reading—especially historical fiction and old classics by Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and L.M. Montgomery.
She attended Wilson Hill for four years, where her favorite classes included Greek Readings, AP Biology, and AP Art History. Although she loved nearly every subject, she narrowed her focus to biology and classics, which she is now pursuing at the University of Connecticut.
Aubrielle is from Jackson, Wyoming, where she grew up surrounded by reminders of God’s wondrous love and intricate design. Whether hearing elk bugle in her backyard at night or watching a mother bear and her cubs prance down the driveway at sunrise, she was always fascinated by wildlife.
At Wilson Hill, her passion for STEM deepened as she was continually inspired by her teachers. Although she found it difficult to choose favorites, some notable classes included AP Chemistry, AP Biology, TGC5, AP Calculus, and AP Art History.
She is now pursuing integrative biology at Harvard, with interests in marine science and high school science education, all on the pre-vet track.
Begin with the End in Mind
Whether your children are starting fourth grade or entering their senior year, Wilson Hill’s teachers, classes, and community are shaping not just what they know, but who they become.
Wilson Hill graduates are unique in personality, gifts, and calling, but they share common attributes that distinguish them from their peers. At Wilson Hill, students develop a biblically grounded academic foundation built to last a lifetime, becoming graduates who:
- View the world through a biblical lens
- Think and reason with depth and precision
- Communicate with wisdom, eloquence, and humility
- Practice scholarly habits with genuine delight
- Seek to glorify God in everything they do
- Face the future with confidence and peace
These attributes don’t appear the day students graduate; they are slowly built over years of learning within a faithful community.
Today, as your family starts a new school year, we hope the words of our valedictorian and salutatorians encourage you to begin with the end in mind. The day-to-day work your children do now is shaping their hearts and minds to be faithful men and women who live purposefully for the Kingdom of God.
Learn more about life after Wilson Hill in our two-part series featuring nine students who are currently in college or pursuing their careers: Life After Wilson Hill Part I and Part II.