In a photo-finish race that involved nearly a half-dozen students at the top of the Troy High School Class of 2025, THS senior Jeffrey Smith came from behind with a strong kick in the first semester of the school year to earn valedictorian honors. 

Smith, who was fourth in the class rankings to start the 2024-25 school year, had a fantastic first semester of his senior year to finish with a 4.723 grade point average. Deanna Rohlfs, who finished with a 4.717 grade point average to earn salutatorian honors. Smith earned valedictorian honors by six one-thousandths of a point, one of the narrowest margins in school history. 

“It’s kind of an interesting way that I found out,” Smith said. “I was fourth going into the year, and calculus and my English class were testing me this year, so I was fighting for those As. But I got a 5.0 this semester, so there was a thought in the back of my mind that maybe I could jump a spot, maybe I could jump two. So I emailed my counselor and I was like, ‘I’m going to be applying for scholarships, has my position in the class changed?’ He just typed five words, ‘You are now number one.’ It was crazy. It was just a wild ride this semester.”

The class rankings for seniors are determined by the entirety of their freshmen, sophomore and junior years, as well as the first semester of their senior year.

For Rohlfs, being named salutatorian is a tremendous honor, and she feels gratified knowing her hard work paid off. 

“It felt good, because this is something I worked hard for,” she said. “It’s nice, not even to be recognized, but just knowing within myself that I gave everything I had, and I tried my best. I’m very proud. I know it was bouncing around a little bit, but I knew nothing was set in stone. It’s nice now to have some certainty with where things are standing.”

Both Smith and Rohlfs were quick to credit Troy High School and its teachers for their academic success. 

“There’s no place better than Troy,” Smith said. “The teachers all bring something unique to the table, whether it’s what they are teaching or how they are teaching it. I feel like I am getting a very well-rounded education, and it’s just great to learn here at Troy.”

Rohlfs agreed.

“I’m really grateful that I’ve gone to high school at Troy,” she said. “I could have gone to high school at a bunch of different places, but I’m glad I stayed here, because the teachers are just different here. They really care about their students and they’re invested in their education and their development as people as well as students. I know that the teachers that I had helped me become the student that I am today.”

In addition to excelling in the classroom, both Smith and Rohlfs are heavily involved in a wide variety of activities outside of school, as well. 

Smith is a National Merit Commended Scholar and a three-year member of the National Honor Society. He won the Rensselaer Medal, given yearly to Troy High School’s top junior in math/science classes. He was on the Troy High School golf team for four years and the basketball team for one year. He’s a member of Key Club. He also helped at the Kids Summer Art Camp each summer at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center.

Rohlfs has been involved in student government all four years of high school. She also has been a member of the Troy High School track and field team for four years. She also is a member of the Troy Tones acapella singing group. She has taken dance classes since a very young age, and has continued to be heavily involved in dance through high school. Rohlfs has been a CCD religion teacher, a middle school youth minister, a summer camp missionary and has been a member of the Youth Leadership Institute, which is focused on youth ministry.

Both have bright futures ahead of them, and they plan on taking very different paths once they graduate Troy High School this spring.

“I am going to The Ohio State University,” said Smith, who plans on going to law school once he earns his undergraduate degree. “Obviously it’s in Ohio, and it’s a little bit cheaper to stay in-state. But also my aunt went there for medical school and she loved it; everything I’ve heard about it has been positive. It was the first choice, and I’m glad to be going there, too.”

Rohlfs knows exactly what she wants to do when she graduates, even if she isn’t certain how she’s going to go about doing that just yet.

“I know I want to be a missionary for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’m still trying to figure out what that will look like in this next phase, but I want to let the world know how good Jesus is and how much love He has for them. I want my life to be a living witness of His love.”