What exactly makes someone a good student? Is it a report card lined with straight As?  A record of perfect attendance? A history of good behavior?

Earlier this year, we asked local administrators from across the county to round up a group of graduating seniors whom they considered to be good students. What we got was an assortment of bright, ambitious, and inspiring young people — each as distinct as they are deserving, and each with their own unique story to tell.

After a week of meeting and greeting the soon-to-be grads, it became clear that their uniting trait wasn’t an outstanding SAT score or elevated social standing. Instead, it was an innate and unrelenting drive to succeed.

That’s what has pushed them to become all-state athletes and award-winning artists; class officers and valedictorians; overachievers and even cancer survivors. It’s the propelling force that will follow them, and all good students, as they set out to make their mark on the world.

While this is but a small sampling of all the praiseworthy students in this year’s senior class, we hope it serves as a beacon of light, a shining reflection of the triumphs our area schools produce each and every year. So without further ado and in no particular order, we present the Class of 2009.

The Jack of All Trades

Luis Ramos (in photo: middle row, left column), Parkland High School

Coach Maurice Atwood just smiles and shakes his head when asked about star pupil Luis Ramos. As head wrestling instructor at Parkland, Atwood knows just how rare an athlete like Luis is.

“You always hear coaches say, ‘You get a kid like this once every five or ten years,’ ” he says. “But I think you only get a kid like Luis once in a career … and that’s if you’re lucky.”

On the mat, Luis battled his way to a state title at 140 lbs., finishing the year with a perfect 63-0 record. He was also the driving force behind Parkland’s remarkable third-straight 3-A state championship.

But Luis’ talents aren’t restricted to the wrestling mat. In the classroom, he excels in Parkland’s strenuous International Baccalaureate Program, and is currently ranked No. 1 in his graduating class.

His talents also extend to the stage, where he’s become a standout performer, recently earning a “best actor” award at a regional competition.

To Luis, wrestling, theater, and academics have one thing in common: “They all take a lot of hard work.

“You have to have a degree of natural talent to excel in them all,” he says. “But if you don’t push yourself to be the best, you’ll never get to where you want to be. You’ll never get to the top.”

This fall, Luis will take his talents northward when he enrolls at Princeton University. While he admits college wrestling workouts and an Ivy League education will be a lot to juggle, one thing seems almost certain — he’ll find his way to the top.

The Artist

Leah Davis (in photo: top row, left column), Reynolds High School

Watch Leah Davis perform, and a few things immediately become clear. For starters, she’s a dynamic dancer, singer, and actor — a true triple threat if there ever was one. But there’s another trait she prefers to keep concealed: “Ironically, I’m scared to death to be on stage,” she says, laughing. “I’m working on it, but it’s hard to shake the perfectionist in me.”

Despite her perfectionism, or perhaps because of it, Leah has landed several leading roles throughout her career. Most recently, she secured the role of Carmen in her school’s production of Fame.

But Leah’s true artistry was revealed earlier this year when she choreographed a dance routine for a school project. The routine, which Leah describes as “a mix of modern dance and ballet,” won the schoolwide Reflections contest. From there, it went on to the county and district competitions, winning at both levels. Before she knew it, Leah’s routine had taken home top honors in the state. It’s now entered in the national level of competition. While Leah admits to being “shocked” at her success, those close to her say it’s no surprise at all.

“The thing that sets Leah apart is that she always wants to be the best she can be,” says Evette Clemons, dance instructor at Reynolds. “She worked so hard on that routine, and you can see her passion come out when she performs it.”

This fall, Leah will ride her wave of momentum to East Carolina University, where she’ll study acting. After that? Look out, Broadway!

The Overachiever

Tiffany Golphin (in photo: middle row, center column), Atkins High School

Tiffany Golphin isn’t a big fan of free time. “I don’t like to be idle,” she says. “I always feel like I could be doing something to make a difference.”

So to avoid idleness, Tiffany jam-packs her schedule with extracurricular activities. She’s a captain on Atkins’ track team, competing as a sprinter and long-jumper. She’s also a captain of the dance team, a founding member of Atkins’ leadership club, a National Honors Society member, a statistician for the school’s basketball team, and a weekly volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

When she’s not at school, Tiffany can usually be found working part time at Kmart. Her duties even extend into her home life, where she serves as a role model for her four younger siblings.

“She’s responsible and trustworthy, and she really has a great heart,” says Angela Hubbard, director of student services at Atkins. “To me, what makes her standout is the amount of drive she has.”

Tiffany, who moved from Philadelphia four years ago, is hoping to land in another big city soon. Right now, she’s working to secure enough financial aid to attend Spelman College in Atlanta. In the meantime, though, you can be sure she’s keeping busy. After all, she’d have it no other way.

“I try to take something positive away from everything I do,” she says. “I just hate feeling useless, and staying active helps me feel like I’m bettering myself as a person.”

The Winner

C.J. Harris (in photo: top row, center column), Mount Tabor High School

C.J. Harris could have gone just about anywhere to play college basketball. With his soaring athleticism and smooth shooting stroke, programs like Michigan, Clemson, and Virginia Tech were lining up to secure a verbal commitment.      But when it came decision time, C.J. says he went with his heart, and his heart kept pointing him to Wake Forest University.

“I love this area, and I’m so used to it,” he says. “I really didn’t see any reason to leave.”

In C.J, Wake is getting a 6-foot-3-inch combo guard with loads of physical abilities. More than that, though, Wake is getting a proven winner. This past season, C.J. averaged 23 points per game, leading the Spartans to a 4-A state championship and earning a spot on the prestigious all-state team.

“He’s long, athletic, and he’s got a tremendous basketball IQ,” says Mount Tabor Head Coach Andy Muse. “He’s a team player and a leader by example on the court. More important though, he’s always pushing himself to get better.”

With his high-school career behind him, C.J. is already gearing up for life in the ACC. He’s currently working out several hours a day, trying to add strength and perfect his jump shot. As for what he’s looking forward to the most next year: “Just knowing I’m going to be playing in the ACC,” he says. “It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s going to be an honor to put on that Wake uniform and compete against the best players in the nation.”

The Survivor

Abbie Barbour (in photo: bottom row, center column), West Forsyth High School

Like most seniors, Abbie Barbour has had to overcome a lot en route to college acceptance: book reports, senior projects, standardized tests — the typical burdens of high-school existence. But far removed from the classroom, Abbie was forced to overcome a condition most could never imagine: cancer.

Abbie was 14 when she first complained to her mother about feeling dizzy. After an MRI, doctors found the dizziness was being caused by a brain tumor. Understandably, the news sent Abbie into a frenzy of fear. “I remember running out of the house, crying and screaming. My mom actually had to tackle me in the front yard to calm me down. I remember just laying there for the longest time, wondering, ‘How did this happen?’ ”

The next day, Abbie went into surgery and had the tumor successfully removed. Afterward, she began the long road to recovery. This included countless weeks of radiation therapy, and with that, the loss of her hair.

“The hair loss was the hardest part of it all,” Lisa Barbour, Abbie’s mother, recalls. “But she didn’t let it slow her down. I think after going through that, she feels like she can conquer anything.”

With her cancer now in remission, Abbie can focus on her future at N.C. State. As for what she gained throughout the process, “I got a goal in life,” she says.

“While I was at Brenner Children’s Hospital, I had to interact with a lot of nurses. They were all so nice to me. Because of them, I now want to be a nurse. I want to help bring relief to kids who need it.”

The Mover (and shaker)

Isabel Echeverri (in photo: center row, right column), Reagan High School

If you think switching schools is hard on kids, try switching continents. That’s exactly what Isabel Echeverri did several years ago when, along with her family, she made the move from Medellín, Colombia to Winston-Salem. Aside from making new friends, Isabel found herself learning to adapt to an entirely different culture.

“At first, I had trouble with

some of the words,” she recalls.

“I’d either pronounce them all wrong or couldn’t think of the right one to use. It was a little frustrating.”

Since then, however, Isabel has mastered the English language while becoming one of Reagan’s most active students.

Her individual roles include National Honors Society president, Crosby Scholars president, and senior class vice president.

She’s also competed on several athletic teams. “I can’t say enough good things about her,” explains Randy Norris, a counselor at Reagan. “She’s a student with tons of character and no expectations of entitlement. She will definitely be missed around here.”

One of Isabel’s most selfless acts occurs each summer when she returns to Colombia and performs volunteer work for underprivileged kids. To her, it’s a way to give back to a country she still adores. “Hollywood tends to give Colombia a bad reputation, but [the country] has changed so much,” she says. “It’s not the place you probably think it is.”

Isabel will be on the move again this fall, although it’ll be a much shorter trip this time. She’s planning to enroll at UNC Chapel Hill and pursue a career in International Relations. Buena suerte!

The Inspiration

J.R. Coleman (in photo: bottom row, right column), Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy

At first glance, J.R. Coleman’s high-school transcript reads like many dedicated students. He’s enrolled in honors-level courses, carries a GPA above 3.0, and was recently accepted to Winston-Salem State University, where he’ll study computer graphics in the fall.

But J.R.’s most remarkable feat doesn’t have anything to do with his grades or extracurricular activities. Instead, it’s his refusal to surrender to cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder he’s had to endure his entire life. While the condition has impeded his speech and mobility, it certainly hasn’t harmed his spirits.

“J.R. is a remarkable young man for many reasons,” says Principal Richard Watts. “[He] has never allowed his physical handicap to hinder him in any way.”

This unrestricted approach to life was on full display last year at the school prom.

Insisting he could dance on his own, J.R. rose up from his wheelchair and proceeded to the dance floor. The other students quickly took notice and formed a circle around him, cheering wildly as he stole the show.

“He’s actually very social,” says J.R.’s English teacher, Andrew Serang. “He certainly doesn’t try to hide or shrink inside himself because of his disability.”

Because of this, other students tend to have a tremendous amount of admiration for him. This became increasingly evident when, at the request of his fellow classmates, J.R. was placed at the center of the 2009 class photo.

“He has some trouble expressing himself sometimes, sure … but he always overcomes it,” Serang says. “He always finds his way.”

The Head(s) of the Class

Cory and Tyler Adkins (in photo: Cory: top row, right column; Tyler: bottom row, left column), Forsyth Country Day School

Cory and Tyler Adkins get a lot of questions about being twins:

“Are you two identical?”

“Do you two really get along?”

“Can you two ever read each other’s minds?”

But ask them what they hear the most, and you’ll probably get identical answers: “I can’t believe you two are really twins!”

While this reaction is largely due to their differentiating looks, it’s also because of their differentiating interests. Tyler’s skill set, for example, subsists in the humanities. An accomplished actor and writer, he’s been published in national literary outlets and has appeared in several theater productions.

Cory, on the other hand, tends to lean more toward the sciences. Claiming to have a passion for eco-capitalism, he received a Presidential Environmental Youth Award for his contributions to Forsyth Country Day’s Green Campus Honors Seminar. The award is given to students who generate innovative ways to care for the planet.

So just how exactly do two brothers develop such different pursuits? “When we were younger, people tended to group us together, and would almost refer to us as a unit instead of individuals,” Cory says. “So maybe that was just us trying to separate ourselves a little bit.” 

If the two share some common ground, though, it’s that they’re both gifted students. For proof, just scan the list of colleges they’ve been accepted to (Princeton, Yale, Brown, and Duke, to name a few). While the guys were still undecided at the time we went to press, they are positive about one thing: “We’re definitely planning on going to the same college,” Tyler says.

After all, they’ve made it this far together. Why stop now?

“There’s always been a friendly competition between us academically,” he continues. “But I think more than anything, we motivate each other.”

Adds Cory:  “I’ve always likened us to a team. The teammates compete against each other in practice every day and make each other better. But when they go to the big game, they’re working together.”