South High pair worked hard to achieve

The night before his weekly Friday quizzes in his Advanced Placement United States History course during junior year, Stephen Marcott would grab a glass of orange juice, a bag of chips and his books. That was his study routine, and one that paid off.

Marcott is the valedictorian of Valley Stream South High School’s class of 2011. He finishes high school with an average of 106.3. Following him at the head of the class is Rachel Olson, this year’s salutatorian with a 102 average.

“I work as hard as I possibly can,” Marcott said, adding that he tries not to make a big deal out of grades. When he gets a test back, he said he looks at his mark and then puts it under his desk.

Marcott said he officially got word in February that he would be the class valedictorian. Olson said that at the end of her junior year, she was actually ranked third. She made it a goal to move up one more spot. “If I’m this close, I should work hard and do it,” she said of her thoughts last year.

In the fall, Marcott will attend Cornell University. He will study human ecology and plans to enter the pre-medicine program. He said he wants to become a doctor after seeing the care his grandmother received while battling lymphoma.

Marcott said he would like to work in a hospital and has already gotten some experience volunteering at Mercy Medical Center in the emergency room. He has volunteered in five-hour shifts and has spent much time talking to patients, just simply getting to know them. If he achieves his goal of becoming a doctor, Marcott said he wants to really focus on bedside manner.

Olson will attend Brigham Young University in Utah, a Mormon school. The second youngest of nine children, Olson said six of her older siblings attended Brigham Young and three of them are still there. “I thought it would be a good experience to be around a lot of Mormons,” she said. “I’m really excited to live in Utah. It’s really beautiful.”

She plans to dorm with her childhood best friend and have dinner on a regular basis with her siblings. Olson said she plans to major in English, and wants to become a high school teacher. But she hasn’t ruled out other options an English degree would offer her, such as becoming a writer.

Olson is not the first in her family to finish at or near the head of her class, either. Her sister Sarah once ranked third, and her brother Peter was valedictorian of the class of 2007.

While at South High, Marcott has taken 11 Advanced Placement courses. He is a member of the Athletic, Math, Science, Language, National and Tri-M honor societies, has been on the cross country and track teams, has played trumpet in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and district band, served on the quiz bowl team and as the captain of the Mathletes team. He has also been the head script writer and editor for the Falcon Report, the weekly student television show.

Additionally, Marcott, who describes himself as a “closet singer,” has been in the school talent show, created podcasts for You Tube and volunteered at the village’s summer camp at Barrett Park. He also is a first degree black belt in tae-kwon-do.

Olson has taken 10 Advanced Placement course at South. She has been on the track and badminton teams, and has been a member of the Math, Science, Language, National and Tri-M honor societies as well as the Cultural Society, Key Club, quiz bowl team and Southern Bell newspaper, serving as co-editor-in-chief for the past two years.

She plays the violin and piano, and has performed with her church group at various nursing homes. Olson belongs to her church choir and has been a youth camp event planner. She has also done tutoring and worked as a babysitter.

The Forest Road School graduate said she gets her desire to help others from her parents, whom she follows as an example. “They’re very good at serving other people,” she said, “and working really hard.”

Marcott, who attended William L. Buck School for his elementary years, said he will miss the teachers and his friends at South, but is looking forward to college where he can make new friends and set his own schedule. Marcott says he has come a long way since the “little innocent guy” he was in seventh grade, running around the hallways at South High.