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Happy Valley High School junior Gracyn Carder recently scored a perfect 36 on the ACT college entrance exams.

“It was honestly really crazy to me. I’m just happy I was able to do that well, it’s a big accomplishment,” said Carder, the daughter of Marcella and Daniel Carder.

She made a 36 on her third time taking the test. “I took it once as an eighth-grader, just to see where I was academically and then as a freshman and junior,” she said. “I already knew what to expect, so for me, the test was really easy,” she said.

Carder is a member of both the cross country and tennis teams, winning a district championship in tennis. She is vice president of the Key Club and a member of the Book Club and Robotics Club, which recently qualified for the state tournament and world championship. Through the Key Club, she has been involved in clothing closets, community cleanups and other projects.
“Being vice president has taught me valuable leadership skills. I want to be able to set an example for others,” she said.

And, she hopes she can inspire other students to excel academically.

“I want others to be excited about learning. I’ve benefited greatly from my academic achievements and I want others to as well,” said Carder.

She hopes to attend either Vanderbilt or Georgia Tech and pursue a career in either surgery or engineering.

“I want others to see what I’ve done and realize they can do it too. I try to help as much as possible, whether it’s tutoring or just giving people tips,” she said.