Lindsey Crews won’t settle for anything less than her best, and so far that attitude has served her well.

The senior at King’s Fork High School will graduate next week with her associate’s degree from Paul D. Camp Community College and from high school next month as her high school’s valedictorian.

“I figured I might be in the running for valedictorian, but I didn’t put much thought into it,” Crews said. “I just do the best I can on everything put in front of me.”

Crews is enrolled in the Suffolk Public Schools dual enrollment program, which allows her to take community college courses while in high school and receive credit for them at both schools.

On a report card, the classes count for five points — like any advanced placement class — but they are taken at a college level.

For the past four years, Crews had juggled taking classes at King’s Fork and at Paul D. Camp.

“Last year, I went to high school from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and would come home, eat and go to classes during the evening,” Crews said. “This year, I go to high school from 7 to 9:30 a.m., go to Paul D. Camp, come home and then go back for evening classes. In my evening classes, I’m going to school with a lot of people my mom’s age.”

Needless to say, Crews is taking more classes and doing more homework than most other high school students.

“I’m pretty focused on my studies,” Crews said. “Sometimes if I plan a couple of weekends ahead, I can find time to do something, but usually I work. I kinda wish I had more of a high school experience than spending the time worrying about things like my chemistry paper. But when I have a goal, I don’t stop. I don’t accept anything less than my best effort.”

Crews will attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington next year as a junior, if all her credits from Paul D. Camp transfer.

Stemming from a love for animals, her goal is to study marine biology.

“When I was in third grade, I wanted to become a zoologist,” Crews said. “I always liked animals growing up. The more I’ve seen the way they’re viewed and treated, the more I realized it’s something I wanted to go into. For instance, sharks are naturally resistant to cancer, but people have a negative image of them and want to kill them. There’s no one there to tell them they’re important creatures. I don’t think a species of animals should go extinct because of human negligence or ignorance.”

Crews is the daughter of Kelly and Randy Crews, and has one younger brother, Logan.