The wait to find out her class ranking was a long one for Center Grove High School’s salutatorian.
With her finals done, Kaitlyn Petrow spent the long holiday weekend not knowing if the hard work she’d put in this semester would be enough for the No. 2 spot after being the third-ranked student for most of the past year.
“It was a really nerve-wracking weekend,” Petrow said.
Petrow had kept an eye on her class rank throughout high school, and while she had maintained a high GPA, she hadn’t been one of the top two students. But after taking some weighted courses in her final semester, including Advanced Placement classes where she earned college credits early, she improved her GPA, pushing her to the salutatorian spot.
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“It was a way to see that my hard work paid off,” she said.
Petrow plans to attend Indiana University in the fall and double major in nutritional science and English with the goal of either being a naturopathic doctor or an author.
Her interest in nutritional science stemmed from a decision three years ago to begin a vegan diet, when she began researching the treatment of animals raised and bred for food. But she also needed to research what to eat to still get all the nutrients her body needs, which is why she wants to study nutritional science in college.
Advocating for animal rights has been an important part of her life. Petrow has spent time volunteering with Uplands Peak Sanctuary in Bloomington, which rescues neglected farm animals, and the Indiana Animal Rights Alliance, which advocates against animal abuse and for plant-based diets.
At the animal sanctuary, Petrow helps take care of a variety of animals, including cows, goats, chickens and pigs.
“As a vegan, I am very passionate about animals and their welfare,” Petrow said.
And as an avid reader and aspiring author, she wants to study English in the hope of someday writing her own books.
Petrow always carries a book around with her, and her favorite authors include Fredrik Backman, George Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien. She enjoys reading both fiction and poetry, and selected a quote from one of her favorite poets, Mary Oliver, as the theme of her commencement speech: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life.”
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Name: Kaitlyn Petrow
GPA: 4.68
Age: 18
Parents: Angie and Ryan Petrow
Residence: Greenwood
School: Indiana University
Major: Nutritional science and English
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