The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) — Alleghany High School has named Joowon Chung as valedictorian for the Class of 2026 and Ezekiel Saville as salutatorian.
Chung earned the top academic honor by posting the highest grade-point average in the graduating class. She will attend Duke University on a full four-year scholarship and plans to major in psychology on a pre-medical track.
“It’s a great honor to be the valedictorian,” Chung said. “People don’t really realize how close the top four or five graduates were. I’m really proud of myself. It feels good to have my hard work pay off.”
Chung moved to Clifton Forge at the start of high school when her father became a pastor in the community. The family relocated from Clarksville and previously lived in Greensboro, N.C., which is much larger than both Clarksville and Clifton Forge.
“It was a good experience moving here and experiencing Alleghany as a new place,” she said. “It was interesting meeting different types of people. The mountains were a big change.”
Chung participates in the Jackson River Governor’s School and will complete dual- enrollment coursework through Mountain Gateway Community College. She will graduate this spring with an associate degree along with her high school diploma.
In addition, she attended the Governor’s School for Health Sciences in Roanoke last summer and took advantage of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools’ AHA: Healthcare Program to further strengthen her interest in the medical field. She also started a club at the high school to support local children with medical needs, demonstrating her commitment to service alongside academics.
She credited her parents and teachers for supporting her overall success.
“They encouraged me to aim higher and always supported me,” Chung said. “Teachers played a big part in helping me stay focused academically. I’m thankful for the teachers who wrote my college recommendation letters.”
Saville ranked second in the graduating class. He will attend Virginia Tech and major in electrical engineering. He is receiving scholarship support from the university.
He will also graduate this spring with an associate degree in electrical instrumentation from Mountain Gateway Community College after completing dual-enrollment coursework.
Saville serves as a student representative on the Alleghany Highlands School Board, where he provides input from a student perspective.
In addition to academics, Saville competed in regional electrical competitions through SkillsUSA and placed first. He will advance to the state competition in Virginia Beach in March.
“It’s surreal,” said Saville, who plays first base for the AHS baseball team. “Baseball has flown by. It feels like I just started eighth grade.”
Saville said he values the relationships he built with teachers throughout his public schooling.
“I love the relationships I’ve made with my teachers,” he said. “They’ve had a big impact on me. I would really like to go back and see them all.”
Both students balanced rigorous coursework, dual-enrollment classes and extracurricular involvement during their high school careers.
Alleghany High School Principal Derek Cantrell said both students demonstrate strong academic achievement and leadership.
“Joowon and Ezekiel represent the best of our school community,” Cantrell said. “They have excelled academically and shown commitment to their programs, activities and service. Both students have set strong examples for their peers, and we are proud of what they have accomplished and the paths they are pursuing.”
Saville is the son of Sidney and Natalie Saville of Clifton Forge. Chung is the daughter of the Rev. Samuel and Karyn Chung of Clifton Forge.
Graduation for the Class of 2026 will be held on Friday, May 29, at 6:30 p.m. at AHS.
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