Elizabeth Wuertley was born in Marion, Indiana in 1999, and has lived here all her life. She is a senior at Marion High School, excelling in academics across the board, and most notably scored perfectly on the ACT®, the nation’s most recognized college entrance exam. Each year, only about 2,000 of the approximate 2 million individuals who take the exam across the globe score a perfect 36.
Elizabeth is the valedictorian of the Class of 2018, President of National Honors Society & Mu Alpha Theta (national honors society for mathematics). Her extracurricular involvement includes Student Senate, academic teams including Quiz Bowl, Jazz Band (1st Trumpet), as well as Swimming, Cross-Country, and Tennis.
Elizabeth has an exemplary work ethic. “I try to be efficient with my time, so I tend to do my homework at school as soon as I receive it, if we still have time left in class and/or before swim practice,” she explained.
Elizabeth volunteers on a regular basis in and outside of the Marion Community. She devotes time each month doing service projects as part of her youth group at College Wesleyan Church. She also serves as a counselor at camps, and volunteers/works in the church’s nursery.
When asked about living in Marion, Elizabeth tied her love for Marion with her love for learning. “Since I’ve lived here my whole life, I know multiple ways to get to where I’m going. Since I pick up on patterns, from tests to math problems, I am familiar with the street patterns of Marion. It’s small, community-like, the high school is one of the best in the state with academics, and our teachers are fantastic.”
Elizabeth explained the importance of championing for Marion. It’s important to give back to your community, especially because you use the resources like driving on roads, using the library, and interacting with people. It’s where you grew up and you want to make sure it continues to thrive.”
Elizabeth plans to study bio-chemistry, then attend medical school to become a pediatrician.