In late February, Bethel-Tate High School Principal George Sturgeon announced that Levi Sayles is the Valedictorian for the Class of 2023 and Ella Kanis is the Salutatorian.
Levi Sayles is the son of Deanna Sayles and Brad Sayles. After high school, Levi plans to attend college to pursue a degree in data science. He hopes to take up another internship in his field of interest in order to gain a better understanding of the field and how it works. Additionally, he plans to continue running once recovered from a knee injury.
Throughout high school, extracurriculars and sports were a big part of Levi’s world. Levi is a member of the National Honor Society and his athletic teams include cross country, soccer, wrestling, and track and field teams. He participated in most all four years of high school with the exception of wrestling and Cross Country/Track. Levi was a member of the wrestling team during his sophomore and junior years. And he was part of the cross country and track teams for six years.
“It is always a funny story with those two sports because I hated them when I first started,” he responded in a questionnaire. “However, as I started to spend more time with the people in the sport, I began to fall in love with running.”
Understandably, Levi is proud to say “I am the Valedictorian.”
“However, I feel that this is just the beginning as there is so much more I want to achieve,” he wrote. “In my mind, this is just one of the first steps of many that I am going to take along my journey.”
Ella Kanis is the daughter of Erin Kanis and granddaughter of Patty and Rick Kanis. This fall she will attend Xavier University and major in biomedical sciences.
Throughout her high school experience, Ella managed to excel academically while also participating in an impressive list of sports and clubs including National Honor Society (president), Principal Advisory Committee, varsity soccer, varsity cross country, and varsity track and field.
“The highlight of high school for me was being able to play sports while also maintaining my grades. Especially soccer, which is the sport I love the most,” Ella wrote in a questionnaire.
Of being Salutatorian, Ella wrote, “I feel very accomplished. Of course, I wanted to be valedictorian, but I am still very proud of myself for coming in second.”
You can read more about Levi and Ella below.
Levi Sayles
What or who motivated you the most during high school and why?
I have found many sources of inspiration throughout my life, but one that has remained constant is my dad. My dad has shown me that life is a continual battle, but he has always come out on top despite these battles. My dad does whatever he has to provide for us, whether that means traveling out of the country and missing out on time with his kids, working multiple jobs just so we have food, constantly being restationed all around the globe, doing house projects all on his own, and never letting the chaos around him affect his relationship with his family. No matter how hard things have been in our lives, he has always been there for whatever we needed and never let his immense workload get in the way of helping his family. He will always remain standing no matter what the world throws at him.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Where I see myself in 10 years is crazy for me to even think about. In 10 years I will be 27, graduated from college with my master's or possibly an even higher degree, and started off in a company with the dream of making it to the top. I see myself at this point part way up the corporate ladder, making a decent living. At this point, I probably either have a home or I am renting as I still might be moving around in order to find the job best suited for me. I also see myself as debt free from college loans, as I want to be able to pay off all of my college fees before I graduate. However, 10 years is a long time and a lot can happen during this time period, so I will not know what happens till I get to that point in my life.
What has been the highlight of high school?
My highlight of high school was actually my senior year. This year is the year I feel like I have really started to take shape as an individual and I have never been happier in my life. I finally have started to take control of my life, which has allowed me to see the opportunities that surround me and how I can take advantage of them to pursue my goals.
Complete the sentence: “I will always remember…”
I will always remember the friends I have made throughout my time in high school. From my freshman to senior year, I have met some truly amazing people I am lucky to call friends. While some may have already graduated and others still may have a few years left, these people have left an indelible mark that has helped me become who I am. I will forever remember these people as my friends and some even as family, but in the end, they are all phenomenal individuals that have changed me for the better. I cherish the memories I have made with them more than any possession I may ever own, and I can only hope that I have had as great of an impact on their lives as they have had on mine.
What was your favorite class?
My favorite class was any of the English classes I took with Professor Wallace during my time at Southern State Community College. Professor Wallace taught me to see the world in an entirely different manner as there is both beauty and anguish in all aspects of life. He also taught me to analyze the world around me as there is always a deeper and greater meaning to actions, words, ideas, and concepts presented by the human mind even though it may not always be obvious. I never liked English before I took his classes, but he opened my eyes to the beauty of literature and the complex idea that there is no specific answer to any situation. Additionally, his classes taught me that much of what you learn in school can be used in our lives as well. He taught his students that there is beauty in all areas of life and that our greatest mistake is often getting sucked into what is directly in front of us rather than taking the time to analyze the great things all around us.
What will you miss most after you graduate?
After I graduate from high school I will probably miss the people the most. Everyone from my friends to the staff has made it so easy for me to pursue something greater for myself, and take crucial steps to become who I want to be.
What is your greatest achievement during high school?
My greatest achievement throughout all of high school was remaining true to myself despite all of the chaos and hardship that has struck along my journey. What I mean by that is that I never conformed to what was seen to be acceptable and instead set my own level of standards that I would stop at nothing to achieve.
Would you like to thank anyone? Final words?
I would like to thank my family and the high school staff. The staff opened new doors to opportunities I may not have had at any other school. This group of outstanding people pushed me to achieve more and never settle for the basics. I feel that they truly want each and every one of their students to achieve and accomplish great things. My family on the other hand allowed me to keep my head above water no matter how impossible or difficult it may have seemed at the time. They taught me that I should not accept what is deemed to be my fate and instead pave a path of my own. Additionally, they reminded me to stay true to myself and never give up on my dreams. Without either of them, I would not be in the same position you see me in today, and I appreciate what they have done for me more than I can put into words.
Ella Kanis
What or who motivated you the most during high school and why?
My biggest motivation was the thought of my college career. I want to go to medical school after completing my undergrad, and I needed to give myself the best chance at getting into a good college. I spent four years pushing myself to get the best grades and build my GPA, and it paid off as I got accepted into Xavier University, which has one of the best medical school acceptance rates in the country.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself in my final years of school, on my way to opening up my own dermatology practice.
What has been the highlight of high school?
The highlight of high school for me was being able to play sports while also maintaining my grades. Especially soccer, which is the sport I love the most.
Complete the sentence: "I will always remember…"
I will always remember the friendly competition within my class. The group of us that were competing for first and second always pushed each other to work harder, and without their help, I do not think I would have achieved this position.
What was your favorite class?
My favorite class was my honors history class sophomore year. Some of my best in-school memories come from that class.
What will you miss most after you graduate?
I will miss the family aspect of my graduating class. Even though I do not see these people every day, I know all of them very well and I am grateful to have gotten to grow up with them.
What is your greatest achievement during high school?
My greatest achievement is probably being salutatorian. This is a very high honor that I have been working towards since my freshman year.
Would you like to thank anyone? Final words?
I would like to thank my grandparents for giving me the best support system I could ask for, and my mom for being there as much as she could and encouraging me to strive for excellence. Thank you to any teacher I have had, as I would not be here without the knowledge they have given me. Also, any other school administrators who have been with me along my journey.