Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in the Suffolk News-Herald’s annual series of stories on the valedictorians at Suffolk’s five high schools.

There are only four students in this year’s graduating class at Suffolk Christian Academy. But don’t let that fool you into thinking the valedictorian didn’t work as hard.

Jacquelyn Grace Fowler will graduate with a 4.1 grade point average. She has played basketball, volleyball and softball during her high school years. She has been involved in numerous extracurricular activities.

She views the intimate environment at Suffolk Christian as a good thing.

“The small classes and small everything is a disadvantage to some people, but it provides a lot of advantages,” she said. “You can start as many clubs as you want. You can be president of a lot of things. I feel like I’m really close to my teachers here. They’re my closest mentors.”

Fowler said teachers Ms. Malven and Ms. Hayes were especially meaningful to her.

“It’s beneficial just because when everybody is close to teach other, it’s a lot more personal experience,” she said. “So many opportunities can come out of it.”

Fowler said she believes the educational quality at Suffolk Christian is good and getting better.

“We’ve really moved in a direction to prepare everyone for college more than we have in the past,” she said. “I’m excited to see what happens next. I think I’m only at the beginning of it.”

The school is adding more Advanced Placement and honors courses, she noted.
“We definitely have opportunities for people here,” she said.

And, of course, the spiritual aspect that isn’t available at other schools is important.

“You don’t have to separate your school from your spiritual life,” she said. “That was a big part of my high school years.”

She plans to attend the Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech to study some aspect of business, such as marketing or finance.

“I have always been good at all things business,” she said.

She chose Virginia Tech because she thinks the business school there is well regarded, she said.

“That’s really important, I feel like, if you’re going to go into business,” she said.