Written by Amanda Coers – Hope Heard holds a copy of Dr. Suess’ “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” with the quote, “Kid, You’ll Move Mountains!” in one of her senior photos. And she certainly will, because she already has. Hope is graduating this year from Blanket High School as Valedictorian, with a 4.95 GPA. That accomplishment alone is impressive, but Hope simultaneously earned an Associates of Arts Degree from Ranger College, thanks to dual credit classes. She also maintained a 4.0 GPA for her college classes.

And that’s not all.

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Hope is also the President of her school’s National Honor Society, and President of the Blanket FFA. She was named this year’s Homecoming Queen, and has been the Leading Actress throughout all four years of high school. Active in sports, Hope plays basketball and tennis, and is the school mascot with the cheerleading team. She participated in UIL, and went to Regionals with the school’s Literary Criticism Team. She even managed to hold onto an after school job at the movie theater in Early for a good portion of her Junior and Senior year.

As she comes to the end of her remarkable high school career, Hope is looking forward to getting her Bachelors in Psychology, with a minor in Business. She’s considering the University of North Texas for her next steps. Ultimately, she wants to become a family and marriage therapist.

“I’m really excited because this summer will be the first time in four years I haven’t taken a college class, so I’m taking a little break,” Hope said. By break, she means she’ll be looking into an internship for pharmacy technician training.

“So I can get a summer job in that industry,” she explained, planning to work while attending a university.

But considering the blistering pace she kept throughout high school, it could be considered taking it easy. She gave a glimpse of what a normal day would look like for her.

“I wake up at 6:30, get ready for school, if I’m lucky I’ll eat quick breakfast,” and then she’s off to complete duel credit classes, as well as Spanish and Advance Biology. The girl is a go-getter who doesn’t believe in slacking.

“I don’t like to procrastinate, so I get my stuff done early,” Hope said. “I had a research paper due in April, but I finished it in January,” she laughed.

Her parents are justifiably proud of their hardworking daughter.

“It’s not everyday that a student graduates with an associate degree before they graduate high school,” her mother, Cynthia Heard, shared on social media. “It takes a lot of perseverance, determination, and dedication from the student. It has not been easy. She has given up her summers and evenings but it has paid off. She had so much support from her siblings, her classmates, and teachers.”

Hope’s advice to next year’s freshmen beginning their high school years is to learn the value of time management so they can complete their work, but also find time for a little fun.

“Time management is key in that it’s important to experience stuff, don’t be so focused on one thing that you don’t go have fun,” she said. “It’s important to have fun here and there.”

When asked if she took super vitamins to keep up with her hectic schedule, she laughed and shared, “lots of Dr. Pepper, and lots of Chick-Fil-A,” kept her fueled.

There’s hope for us all.