Grafton High’s top students rise to the challenge

Grafton High School valedictorian Luca Nicoli, who graduated with a 4.431 weighted GPA, didn’t set out to accomplish this feat when he walked through the doors of the school in September 2021.

His approach of engaging in class and always having a study hall in his schedule paid off second semester of junior year, when he realized he had a shot at graduating at the top of his class.

“It was fun because (my family) knew I was kind of gunning for it so they were just trying to motivate me and trying to help me reach my goal,” Nicoli said.

Salutatorian Alan Xie, on the other hand, said he had his eye on the prize from the get-go.

“This was always part of the plan,” Xie, who graduated with a 4.3 GPA and attributes his success to ambition, discipline and time management, said. “I’ve always aimed to be my best and give my all. I try to excel in everything I do, and I’m glad that effort paid off academically.”

Both students said AP chemistry, taught by Melissa Staude, was their favorite class. Xie said the soft skills he learned in the course will stay with him for life. Nicoli shared the same sentiment, saying he felt a bond with other students due to small size and difficult nature of the class.

Xie said AP Chemistry was also the most challenging class he took in his four years.

“I spent countless hours after school working with Mrs. Staude,” Xie said. “She was the reason I made it through.”

Nicoli  said AP Language Arts, taught by Wendy Sprenger, was a struggle for him at first. He praised Sprenger’s methodical approach to breaking down arguments, where students grade themselves repeatedly. 

“It was a pressure-free way to figure out what went right and what went wrong,” Nicoli said.

He noted his parents, Gina and Andrew Nicoli, were always around to encourage and help him when he struggled with coursework.

In the fall Nicoli will attend Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana to study electrical engineering, inspired by an uncle who is an electrical engineer in the aerospace industry.

Xie will head to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he will play alto saxophone in the marching band. In high school, he took advantage of musical opportunities ranging from jazz band to pit orchestra.

Though unsure about his future career goals, he expressed interest in the tech industry.

“I hope to use technology to improve the world, whether through environmental protection or something else,” Xie said. “College will help me figure out what’s possible.”

While in high school, he served as president of the Asian Culture Club, vice president of Leo Club and was Chinese Cricket Academy Youth Group president.

The support of his parents, Sherry Li and Richard Xie, allowed him to focus wholeheartedly on his studies, Xie said.

“I owe them everything,” Xie said.

Nicoli was also involved outside of the classroom, taking part in National Honor Society senior year and Black Hawk Crew — which helps orient incoming freshmen — as a junior and senior. He is a lifeguard at River Club of Mequon and previously coached at Swim America.

He swam on the boys’ swim team all four years, focusing on freestyle and butterfly races, and played doubles on the tennis team. 

Despite their varied interests, Xie and Nicoli grew closer through their AP courses. Nicoli said they knew they were both slated to be top of their class but didn’t let it get in the way of their friendship. Instead, they used competition as motivation.

“As much as I’d love to say we were rivals, Luca is a close friend and someone I deeply respect,” Xie said. “He’s an incredible role model. It’s an honor to graduate at the top alongside him.”

Both students agreed that charging hard out of the gate is crucial for incoming freshmen seeking academic success.

“If you’re worried about class rank, then you’ve got to get on top of the ball right away,” Nicoli said. “Otherwise people will be beating you while you’re not doing as amazing as you can.”

Xie agreed.

“Take your academics seriously from the start,” Xie said. “It’s much easier to stay ahead than to catch up later.”