Alleghany High School announces that Giovanni Brown, Erik Honaker and Mason Honaker have been named the academic leaders of the Class of 2021. Brown is the valedictorian while the Honaker brothers are the co-salutatorians.
Brown is the son of Brooke and Ivy Brown of Clifton Forge and is an active member of the AHS community. Currently, he is a dual enrollment student through Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, where he has earned a career studies certificate in Math and Science. He also has attended the Jackson River Governor’s School. At AHS, he is active in the National Honor Society, Beta Club, Robotics Club and the STEM Club, of which Brown is the founder and president. Brown, who is graduating high school a year early, attended Louisa County High School his freshman year, where he also attended the Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School.
In his spare time, Brown enjoys playing musical instruments and educating himself in the fields of mathematics and physics. Those interests will carry through in his future plans as he will attend Stony Brook University this fall where he will double major in physics and astronomy and minor in mathematics. He aspires to one day become a theoretical physicist doing major research in academia.
Erik and Mason Honaker are the sons of Darren and Patty Honaker of Clifton Forge.
While at AHS, Erik has been an all-state cross country runner and was the captain of this year’s state championship team. He also was a member of the indoor track team and a three-year member of the varsity soccer team. He is involved in the Beta Club and the National Honor Society at AHS. Academically, he has completed the Jackson River Governor’s School at DSLCC, as well as other dual enrollment and honors courses during his years at AHS.
This fall, Erik will attend either Duke University or Virginia Tech to pursue a degree in computer engineering and to possibly pursue running competitively. Erik credits the support of his parents and older brother for much of his success.
Mason has been a member of the AHS varsity soccer, indoor track and cross country teams, including this year’s cross country state championship team, during his high school career. He is a member of the Beta Club and National Honor Society. He attended Jackson River Governor’s School during his junior and senior years and completed other dual enrollment and honors-level courses. His hobbies include watching and playing sports and being outside.
Mason will attend Virginia Tech in the fall to pursue a degree in engineering. He acknowledges his parents, all the coaches he has had throughout high school, as well as all the amazing teachers he has had in high school for helping him throughout his AHS career.
Other honor students for the AHS Class of 2021 are Savannah Angle, Kassydee Bowen, Trevor Broce, Gracie Brookman, Zachary Brown, Sydney Burks, Allaura Caldwell, Samuel Caldwell, Kylie Church, Alyssa Coleman, Gracie Conner, Hattie Davis, Austin Deem, Emily Deisher, Wynter Hannah-Howard, Alexander Harris, Jeffrey Harris, Anna Hayes, Makailynn Hoke, Amber Howard, Ethyn Kimberlin, Madeline Lane, Abby Martin, Aysia Massie, Erin May, Hayden Moser, Alex Newman, Freulein Panlaqui, Andrew Peck, Emma Reed, Cooper Rice, Heidi Rogers, Darcy Ross, Maryemma Shifflett, Holly Silva, Bailey Spencer, Alexandre Taylor, Jenna Tolley, Russell Whitt, Brandon Willard and Keegan Williams.