When the call came that Britney Hatfield had been named Hahnville High School’s valedictorian for the Class of 2017, the astonished teen asked if they were sure the word began with a “V.”Hatfield, daughter of Dan and Vicki Hatfield of Luling, worried she was being pranked, but the honor became very real when she was shown the graduation program with her name next to valedictorian.
“I knew I was up there, but I never thought I would be first,” she said.
What she expected was her friend, Camryn Mikesell, would get the honor. Even so, Mikesell was named class salutatorian.
“We both worked so hard, and I think it was a close call,” Hatfield said. “Either one of us could have been valedictorian. She was very deserving of it.”
But the teen is still thrilled with the honor.
“It’s amazing. I didn’t expect it,” Hatfield said. “I still can’t believe it.”
Although her parents didn’t pressure her about school grades, Hatfield said she put that goal on herself instead.
Her sister calls her the “super nerd,” a title of which Hatfield is quite proud of considering she loves numbers. Her math classes came naturally to her, and she helped anyone who asked for assistance without uttering a peep about her having gotten the highest grade average in five of her six math classes.
“I’m very outgoing,” she said. “If you ever need help, I’m there for you.”
When fellow students asked her how she was passing math tests, she did more. She explained it in ways they could understand so they could pass the tests, too.
“Everyone was very excited for me because they love my personality,” Hatfield said. “I would never brag about my grades, which were always 100, but they’d say, ‘C’mon Britney.’’”
Hatfield is confident her proclivity for numbers was a key contributor to her receiving the honor of being named her class’ top student. Numbers have long added up for her, but it wasn’t until high school that she realized she could make money doing something she loved.
She’s working on her class speech, but a possible topic, she said, could be “just focus on being the best you can be” and don’t doubt yourself.
Overall, she considers her main achievement the ability to balance school and friends in life.
“Should I hang out or stay and study?” Hatfield said. But she prides herself on balancing the two, which is making the grade and still finding time for friends even when she does consider herself a nerd.
But it was obvious, even in childhood, that Hatfield was a goal setter and the kind of person who pushed herself to meet them.
“I come from a very loving and supporting family,” she said. “They’ve never stressed about my grades.”
Hatfield recalled going home distraught and telling her parents that she had “totally failed a quiz.” Her mother consoled her, saying she didn’t need to stress out about it. The next day, when she returned with a 100 on the same quiz, her mother kindly reaffirmed it wasn’t necessary to worry.
Yet, their ambitious teen more recently mused that stressing over homework is what probably got her named valedictorian.
“My dad and mother are both very smart, but didn’t achieve being first in the class,” she said. “They were willing to help with everything, but my parents encouraged me to do my own work. They’re really high on saying, ‘You did this yourself, Britney.’”
Their child maintained a 4.0 grade average throughout high school. The honor tops a long list of achievements that includes receiving a composite ACT score of 33; receiving the Superintendent’s Award four years consecutively; highest average in Calculus AP (12th grade); AP Scholar with Honor (11th grade); highest average in Statistics AP, Advanced Math Honors and Financial Math (11th grade) and more.
Hatfield was in numerous organizations, including the Student Council, InterAct Club, Spanish Honor Society, Beta Club and National Honor Society.
In August, she will begin work on her latest goal.
Hatfield’s going to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to double major in accounting and finance. Her family has already asked her if she’ll do their taxes.
“Anyone can achieve anything if they put their mind to it,” she said. “Gender doesn’t matter anymore, which is amazing.”
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