Clarke Central High School seniors Noah Kilpatrick and Waylon Vaughn were named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, by the Clarke County School District in a May 19 press release. Throughout his four years on campus, Kilpatrick has demonstrated academic excellence while being involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities, which he credits to his strong time management skills. “I think one of the most important things for me is keeping a balanced life. I don’t want to do academics only. I enjoy doing multiple things,” Kilpatrick said. “(As) for valedictorian, by the end of freshman year, I (ranked) third, and I went, ‘If I’m actually in the running for this, I’ll have to study a lot.’ I didn’t ace everything; (instead) I studied for all my classes, even the ones that come easy to me. I put in the work to make sure that I got the (highest) grades.” Graphic by Lea D’Angelo
The CCSD announced CCHS’ Class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian on May 19.
In a May 19 press release, the Clarke County School District officially named the Clarke Central High School’s Class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian.
CCHS senior Noah Kilpatrick was named the Class of 2026 valedictorian. In addition to being a dual enrollment student at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia, Kilpatrick was a National Merit Scholar finalist. In addition, Kilpatrick served as a varsity cross country and track and field co-captain during his senior year, earning multiple athletic accomplishments throughout his four-years on the teams, including a Region 8-AAAAA championship in the 3200-meter race.
“(Kilpatrick’s) work ethic was consistent. He showed up every single day and put the work in, which translated into fast times and made him a top (athlete) in the state. (His work ethic) turned out to make him a state champion and school record holder,” CCHS boys track and field assistant coach Lee Patterson said.
“(Kilpatrick) has been an exceptional ambassador for the CCHS community, representing the very best of what it means to be a scholar-athlete.”
— Dr. Swade Huff,
CCHS principal
Kilpatrick is also an Eagle Scout with Troop 1111 who received the Tom and Margaret Strickland Scholarship, a prestigious scholarship awarded in the Northeast Georgia region to students whose projects had the greatest impact on their communities. He received this award for the Shoebox Project he created, which is a donation drive that collects “gently used running shoes” for those in need.
“I met (Kilpatrick) in September and worked with him a lot this year. He’s a very bright student. (Not only is he at the) top of his class, but he’s also very eloquent and knows how to put himself out there and show his skills,” CCHS College and Career Adviser Alejo Zayas said. “With the scholarship essays he wrote, he talked about his passion and how he wanted to incorporate it, such as running, with (helping) his community. It’s easy to see that he’s really dedicated and wants to succeed.”
A gallery shows photos of Clarke Central High School senior Noah Kilpatrick. A four-year member and 2025-26 co-captain of the boys varsity cross country and track and field teams, Kilpatrick was named the Class of 2026 valedictorian by the Clarke County School District in a May 19 press release. “I always knew he was smart because his parents are both professors, but I didn’t realize he was that great of an athlete. After his sophomore year, he made a big jump. He really grew into his body,” CCHS boys track and field assistant coach Lee Patterson said. Photos from the ODYSSEY archives and courtesy of Rhia Moreno
Kilpatrick is multilingual, fluent in English and Italian due to his family roots, as well as French, which he took several classes in during his time at CCHS. During the summers between 2022 and 2025, he participated in the Polisportiva Corito camp in Cortina, Italy, where he served as a volunteer camp counselor and English tutor.
“(After I attended pre-school in Italy), my family and I kept going back to Italy because my parents were teaching abroad there,” Kilpatrick said. “I grew up going to the same Italian summer camp every year, and eventually, when I got to high school, I started working there. It’s like my second home because I’ve made really close friends there. My Italian heritage is part of who I am as I’ve spent a substantial portion of my life in (that) community.”
After graduation, Kilpatrick will attend UGA, majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science on a full-ride scholarship as a Foundation Fellow.
“(Kilpatrick) has been an exceptional ambassador for the CCHS community, representing the very best of what it means to be a scholar-athlete,” CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff said in the press release. “He is more than deserving of recognition as valedictorian and a Foundation Fellow at (UGA), honors that reflect his outstanding academic accomplishments, leadership potential and bright future.”
A gallery shows photos of Clarke Central High School senior Waylon Vaughn. Named as the Class of 2026 salutatorian by the Clarke County School District, Vaughn reflected on his high school experience as someone who excelled not only in academics but also in other areas that contributed to his personal growth. “I’ve worked hard. I’ve made more than a few mistakes, I’ve tried my best to grow from those mistakes, and I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned from (CCHS) into the next chapter of my life,” Vaughn said. Photos from the ODYSSEY archives and courtesy of Rhia Moreno
CCHS senior Waylon Vaughn was named the Class of 2026 salutatorian. Vaughn is a UGA Merit Scholar and an AP Scholar with Distinction who not only exhausted all AP science classes at CCHS, but also exemplified his artistic abilities by completing the visual arts pathway at CCHS and attending the Governor’s Honors Program as a Visual Arts Major in 2025, all while serving as co-captain of the boys varsity cross country and track and field team during his senior year.
“Vaughn was smart, and he could do a lot of cool stuff (that required) hand-eye coordination. He was not only athletic but also into theater where he created videos and movies. He’s always been talented. He showed me that no matter how smart you are or how many athletic accolades you get, you still have to have fun,” Patterson said.
A timeline shows the Clarke Central High School valedictorians from the past eight years. Timeline by Lea D’Angelo
Outside of school, Vaughn has worked with the Lyndon House Teen Media Arts Club throughout high school, making films. His artistic abilities have also been reflected in his published work in the iliad Literary-Art Magazine, which was recognized by the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. He achieved all this while earning multiple awards in distance running, including becoming the school record holder in the 1600-meter race with a time of 4:16.8 minutes.
“Vaughn is a wonderful student. He’s great at multitasking. He’s an athlete, a scholar, and (someone who) serves his community,” CCHS counselor Darline Coleman said. “(Additionally,) he’s very pleasant and respectful. He makes sure to take advantage of all the opportunities offered to him and knows that there has to be a balance. As his counselor, I enjoyed working with him. I’m proud of him. He’s worked hard to earn this spot, and I see great things in his future.”
Vaughn will be heading to Brown University in the fall as an undecided major, leaning toward pursuing filmmaking and directing through Brown’s Modern Culture and Media major.
“The school community is incredibly proud of Vaughn for being recognized as salutatorian, a well-deserved honor that reflects his dedication and outstanding academic achievement,” Huff said. “He has consistently demonstrated the character and work ethic that set him apart as a student-leader. We are confident that Vaughn will continue to thrive and achieve great success at Brown University.”
