The valedictorian and salutatorian of Aubrey's Class of 2026 have been cheering each other on since kindergarten.
Cade Smith is Aubrey's top graduate with a GPA of around 4.72, and he has been in Aubrey ISD since pre-K.
He's excited to take the skills Aubrey gave him and apply them at Texas A&M University in College Station to pursue a bachelor's in civil engineering.
'I'm looking on getting a master's in business administration, an MBA, and then probably wanting to work for a firm for three or four years, and then one of my goals is to start my own firm, start my own business, just like my parents, and just have a stable life and a couple of kids,' Cade said.
He is grateful for the example his parents, Patricia and Joseph Smith, have provided for him and his younger sibling.
Cade took part in UIL academics, Beta Club, National Honors Society and Student Council.
Being part of the band throughout high school was a formative experience for Cade.
'Band is one of those extracurriculars where it just takes so much of your time that you eventually become enveloped in it until the very last concert that you do,' Cade said.
He traveled to Austin the Friday preceding graduation to compete at state solo and ensemble in advance of graduation as part of an ensemble.
He recognized the influence of some of his favorite teachers—Samantha Bidelman, Gregory Lortz and Randall Skoog.
'You're only going to be here for [four] years, and you're going to move on,' Cade said. '... Just be in the moment and cherish your time here at Aubrey.'
Cade's friend since kindergarten, William Gunner Simon, claimed second in the class with a GPA of 4.56.
He, like Cade, will study civil engineering as an undergrad, but he's headed to the University of Texas at Austin instead.
He's intrigued by the idea of working with the train industry with his engineering degree, but he's not set on that direction.
'It's kind of the best in the state for what it does with engineering,' William said. 'And I got a good scholarship there.'
He has been in Aubrey since attending kindergarten at Brockett Elementary.
William, the son of Teddi Weems and Jay Simon, has also been heavily involved in band, including serving as drum major in the marching band, and he ran cross country and track.
He has also been an active member in National Honor Society and Beta Club.
'The supportive staff that we have, they're always just super passionate about what they do, and that means a lot for the students,' he said.
He named AISD Director of Bands Jason Noyes as one of the most influential teachers he had in his academic career.
'He's always been super [there] for me and supportive, not only in my band stuff, but also for my personal life,' William said. “... All the teachers are honestly so great.'
He is excited to take his experiences at Aubrey High School with him as he moves onto college.
'You get what you put out,' William said. 'If you put in effort and you put in time and dedication and passion, then you'll get that back.'
The two might be headed to competing schools, but they will still be cheering for each other.
'We've been friends ever since kindergarten, ever since we were so little and knew so little, and just being able to grow together has just been wonderful,' William said. 'Even though we're going to rival colleges, I do wish him the best.'
