Academics have been a priority for Tyrone Class of 2025 valedictorian Emma Witkamp since first grade, but she didn’t think her grades were good enough to put her at the top of her class…that is, until she saw her transcript last summer.
“I was shocked when I saw [that I was ranked first]. I was completely shocked,” Witkamp said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s been an honor. I’m really, really proud to have this opportunity and push myself to that standard.”
Salutatorian Alivia Anderson was just as surprised to learn that she was second in the class, and said that keeping her rank in the top two has motivated her throughout her senior year.
“I just worked hard this year to do what I’ve done the last three years to keep that up, because that was kind of important once I realized I had the opportunity [to be the salutatorian],” Anderson said.
Witkamp and Anderson have dedicated themselves to their studies, but they are more than just exceptional students.
Both students balance their academic work with an impressive list of extracurricular activities, while supporting their friends and making time for themselves.
Witkamp exemplifies dedication and excellence.
Witkamp plans to major in chemistry in college, so it’s no surprise that Tyrone High School chemistry teacher Mike Funicelli sees her as an outstanding student and role model.
“Emma leads by example in both her academic performance and personal conduct. Emma’s quiet confidence and positive attitude make her a natural role model for her peers, and she often inspires others simply by the way she carries herself—focused, humble, and driven to succeed,” Funcelli said.
Witkamp will attend Juniata College in the fall, and in the long term, she hopes to earn a Master’s or PhD and pursue a career in research.
Funcelli has enjoyed having Witkamp in class and is certain she will do well at Juniata.
“Emma is the kind of student every teacher hopes to have. She balances academic excellence with humility, and her work ethic and character set her apart. I am confident she will continue to excel and make a positive impact in everything she pursues,” Funcielli said.
Witkamp and Anderson both identified calculus as one of their most challenging high school classes. Calculus teacher Michele Marasco was impressed by Witkamp’s academic accomplishments.
“I genuinely enjoyed having Emma’s positive presence in the classroom,” Marasco said. “Emma always strived to produce her best effort, showing a genuine commitment to understanding the material deeply.”
Outside of school, Witkamp has been involved in all the instrumental music programs at Tyrone. She is a member of the Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band, and the Indoor Percussion Team.
Tyrone Band Director David Hock is very proud of Witkamp’s accomplishments.
“Emma has been a confident and talented musician throughout her years in band. She has helped lead whatever section of the band she has played in and provide a strong musical example for other students to follow. Her hard work has taken her to the PMEA District 6 Band and the PMEA Region 3 Band festivals all three years that she was eligible to participate. This hard work helps inspire other students to do these same activities,” Hock said.
She also plays for the Lady Eagles Girls Tennis Team in the fall.
And if band and tennis weren’t enough, Witkamp works part-time at Gardner’s Candy Store about 15 hours a week.
With so much going on in her life, Witkamp said that improving her time management skills has been the key to her success.
“My time management was terrible in my freshman year. I needed every waking moment to be about school, or I wouldn’t get my work done. I did not know how to manage my time and extracurriculars. It was really unbalanced, and I just didn’t make time for anything I enjoyed, like arts or anything like that,” Witkamp said.
Since then, she has learned some strategies to manage time better.
“Make sure you have a period or two that are free. I’m usually in jazz band and concert band, and we usually only play in one period per day, so having a [free] class period to do your work is helpful,” Witkamp said.
She also uses her mornings to find extra time for schoolwork.
“I’ve never been one to stay up super late, so getting up a little early, getting ready, and then making time for some school work before has been really, really helpful,” Witkamp said.
Witkamp said that she has matured and gained confidence since her freshman year.
“I feel like I’ve become a lot more aware of who I am, and sort of my place, where freshman year, I felt very, very lost, like I didn’t have many friends, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, really who I was. And I think I’ve learned a lot about myself and things that I enjoy, what I want to do, and what I want to be,” Witkamp said.
Academically, Witkamp credits her parents for pushing her to do her best.
“Even in elementary school, [my parents] were really on top of my grades, and for a lot of my life I was so upset at them about it, because I was like, you know, I’m just a kid. Let me be a kid,” Witkamp said.
While she didn’t always appreciate the pressure at the time, Witkamp now sees the long-term benefits.
“It’s definitely taught me a work ethic that I would not have learned otherwise, because I’ve now been conditioned for pretty much my whole life that you always do your best in everything, and that’s really become a big part of who I am,” Witkamp said.
Witkamp said that she has enjoyed her high school experience, but is looking forward to the next chapter of her life.
“High School has been a wonderful experience, but I feel ready to move on to something different. I’m excited to go somewhere else and have a bit more freedom in picking classes, to just have a fresh start with new people and new activities and new classes. And as much as I’ve loved the people here, it will be nice to meet so many new people,” Witkamp said.
Witkamp has some advice for underclassmen who hope to follow in her footsteps.
”Don’t be scared to ask questions. My first couple of years of high school, I was terrified to ask my teachers anything because I was afraid of looking stupid, or I don’t even know why I was scared, but starting junior year in calculus, I found out you really need to ask questions. It will give you so much more understanding of different concepts if you just ask your teachers and classmates whenever you’re confused about something,” Witkamp said.
Anderson excels in the classroom and on the stage.
Anderson is a talented student who has excelled academically while dedicating herself to dance and other extracurricular activities.
Maracso said that Anderson has stood out as a student who cares about her academics.
“Alivia was a truly dedicated student who consistently put in significant effort, and it was clear that she genuinely cared about the quality of her work. Her positive attitude and commitment made her a pleasure to have in class. I thoroughly enjoyed having Alivia as a student,” Marasco said.
One of Anderson’s favorite teachers in high school was her tenth-grade biology teacher, Beth Cannistraci.
“It has truly been a blessing to have Alivia in class,” Cannistraci said. “Her work ethic, critical thinking abilities and cooperative nature make her an ideal student. However, her warm personality, altruism, and kind nature set her apart.
Anderson’s hard work and supportive nature have inspired her classmates, making her a respected leader within the school community.
She is involved in many extracurricular activities, including being the co-editor-in-chief of the Eagle Eye, and is also involved in YAN, Student Council, Golden Revolution, and the National Honor Society.
Since her freshman year, she has transformed from a shy student to a confident leader, balancing academics with dance and other activities.
“I think I’ve definitely gained confidence and just branched out a lot,” Anderson said. “I started joining clubs, actually talking to new friends, and I made new friends, which I think makes the whole high school experience way more enjoyable and way more fun.”
Other than academics, the activity that Anderson has dedicated more of her time and effort to is dance.
“Outside of school, I just do dance, and that takes up a lot of my time, so it’s definitely been difficult, managing going from school to dance and then having work,” Anderson said.
Lindsay Pullara, her longtime dance teacher and the owner of Dance Fusion, is impressed by Anderson’s accomplishments on and off the dance floor.
“Alivia is an outstanding dancer and she has spent years honing her craft,” Pullara said. “She’s a dedicated hard worker, combined with a natural dance ability and grace.”
Anderson is more than just a dancer at the studio. She began as an assistant many years ago and has progressed to become a teacher. This season she teaches four classes.
“She is an excellent role model for all the dancers on the team, not only as a dancer, but as a well-rounded young lady,” Pullara said. “Alivia is incredibly humble about all of her accomplishments—not just in dance, but in academics and life as a whole. I feel truly proud to have been a part of her journey growing up, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things she’ll do in the future.”
Anderson said that her mom has always been her biggest supporter, pushing her to do her best.
“[My mom] is the kind of parent to check your grades constantly,” said Anderson. “She’s always the first one to see stuff, and she’s always texting me about it. So I definitely tried to avoid her texts sometimes, but she also has really supported me and pushed me to do the best that I can.”
After high school, Anderson will attend Clarion University and major in nursing.
Some advice Alivia has for underclassmen is to pay attention to the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.
“Always do your work on assignments. Because even if you don’t do great on tests or things like that, as long as you do your work and you have that foundation, your grades should be pretty good, and you need to just try your best. You need to always do your work. You just need to do it on time, even if it’s annoying, and you just need to get it done, because that will help you with everything.”
