For most, being recognized as a valedictorian is an achievement and the culmination of hard work and dedication over a four-year period in high school.

In the case of Chilton County High School graduate Julianne Lyn, the honor is one that is shared by generations of family members.

“Ever since I knew what a valedictorian was, I wanted to be one,” Lyn said. “I was really excited.”

Lyn is the sixth member of her family to earn valedictorian honors, and joins her brother Nicholas Lyn (2014), mother Dr. Bethany Baker Lyn (1985), uncle David Cox (1976), grandmother Shirley Cox Baker (1955) and great grandmother Rebecca Cox.

“She was one of those kids that wanted to get a 100 on everything,” Dr. Bethany Baker Lyn said. “She has always had a drive to make the highest grade she could.”

According to Baker Lyn, much of the work that her daughter did was on her own, and she rarely had to rely on someone’s help.

“It was an internal drive that she had that continued to push her,” Baker Lyn said. “That makes me extremely proud as a parent.”

During her senior year, Lyn began to focus her attention on becoming a lawyer.

Lyn’s plan is to get a degree in public relations while on scholarship at Auburn University, after which she plans to apply for the University of Alabama’s School of Law.

From an early age, Baker Lyn presented her children with future goals that included earning a college degree.

According to Baker Lyn, the question was not whether college is right for them but instead focused on which college they would be interested in attending.

“Let’s go ahead and get them thinking about it,” Baker Lyn said. “It’s good that they understand from an early age.”

According to Baker Lyn, the students that make up the Chilton County High School class of 2016 are a group of sharp and dedicated young men and women.

A student’s senior year can create added distractions that can exceed the previous three years of high school.

Added to the list of Lyn’s responsibilities was the addition of dual enrollment classes at Jefferson State Community College for her senior year.

“I was very involved but always knew that my school work came first,” Lyn said. “While everything is fun, you have to remember the things that are most important.”