Rockbridge County High School valedictorian Spencer Pfaff has always aimed high —whether in the classroom or the pool. He plans to attend Grinnell College this fall, where he’ll continue both his academic and athletic journeys as a member of the swim team.
A self-professed fan of both biology and history, Pfaff said his most meaningful extracurricular activity was swimming, where he served as junior captain and then team captain during his final two years. That dedication paid off: he’s especially proud of setting the state record in the 50-yard freestyle and winning three individual state titles during his high school career.
Spencer credits his parents and sisters, Isabel and Alison, for motivating him to stay focused and accountable — both in academics and athletics. His advice for younger students is simple: “If you really want to achieve something, you have to work hard for it.”
Looking ahead, Pfaff is excited to meet new people and discover new goals to work toward in college. He also hopes to challenge a few expectations along the way.
“People don’t usually expect a valedictorian to be a good athlete,” he said. “And I’m definitely not the perfect student who never procrastinates — I’m very far from that.” -Rockbridge County High School salutatorian Paul Drumbl plans to head to the University of Virginia this fall, where he plans to major in engineering.
While math has long been a favorite subject, he also found himself drawn to history and geography during his high school years.
Drumbl’s academic resume is matched by a strong extracurricular track record. He played on the varsity soccer team, took part in student council, and studied French outside of school. His proudest accomplishment, however, came as a member of the RCHS academic team, which took home the state championship during his senior year.
Paul credits his parents as his biggest influences, especially for encouraging him to pursue opportunities and embrace new experiences. “That mindset has brought me so many friends and memories,” he said.
As he prepares to begin the next phase of his academic journey, Drumbl said he’s eager to learn more — about the world and about himself. If his high school experience were a movie or a playlist, he said, it would be a mix of competitive spirit, collaboration, and curiosity.
AMBER CARTER receives her diploma from Principal Mike Craft.
NAVARA OGDEN was among the many happy graduates Thursday night.
Also Graduating This photo of Roman Stanley, one of the graduating seniors at Rockbridge County High School, was left out of last week’s special graduation section. The News-Gazette sincerely apologizes for this omission.
