With finals, AP tests and college applications around the corner, it is hard not to just go through the motions of high school; however, there are some students whose efforts stand out from the crowd. Senior Kevin Mills is one of those students whose continuous dedication and diligence through the ups and downs of high school help him shine amongst his classmates. Mills’s academic success did not go unnoticed;he has been awarded with the title of this year’s valedictorian.

Mills’s diligence is inspired by his desire to be the best he can be at everything he does. “I don’t want to be the best out of everyone, but I want to try my best for everything I do. I feel like if I don’t work hard and get an A or try my best on that test, then I am just cheating myself,” Mills said, “I’m here to learn; I am taking all these classes. I mean, what would be the point of showing up everyday if I’m not going to give it my all?”

As valedictorian, Mills has the highest GPA in the school. However, when asked about the achievement, Mills responded, “I have no idea. I don’t check. Like I said, I just try my best, so, as long as they are As, that’s all I want.” Mills takes pride in the achievement itself,rather than the recognition.

“I feel really humbled about it. I know … a lot of really smart people, talented people, and I almost feel like I don’t deserve it because there are a lot of amazing people here that also work hard and keep up their grades,” said Mills.

Although Mills is proud of his accomplishments, there are some activities he wish he would have been more active in throughout his high school career, saying, “I wish I would have been more confident about some things like doing more sports or doing a bit more clubs.”

Currently, Mills is a member of Track and Field and an active member in Boy Scouts, having reached the highest level of Eagle Scout. Balancing extracurricular activities takes time and practice to perfect, but Mills has mastered the skill after years of experience. “At this point, it’s not hard, because I have been doing it for a long time. But it was hard to learn how to get everything done with the amount of time [given], and you really have to learn how to prioritize.”

As for Mills’ college plan, he has his eye on a major in electrical engineering. “I got accepted to every school I’ve applied to. I didn’t aim too high … I am already looking at a school that accepted me and I really want to go to. I think it will work out with everything I want to do.” With an exceptional $10,000 yearly scholarship, Mills wants to join his sister at UC Riverside.

Mills has his fair share of study tips. “Work hard; don’t let your homework slip up. The one thing I have always done is before I go to sleep, [is] make sure all my homework is done,” Mills said. “Work until you can feel like you know the material. Don’t set an amount of time … study until you feel ready.”