Eighteen-year-old Alyssa Cook is a senior at Poplar Bluff High School and currently holds the No. 1 position in class rank. Cook said she attributes her success to three things: dedication, extracurricular activities, and the support of her parents.
"A lot of it is just a lot of dedication to your school work," Cook said. "If you're not dedicated, you will just either give up or fall behind. It's really hard to get back up there once you're not putting yourself there in the first place."
Cook said involvement in extracurricular activities during her high school career has been one of the key factors driving her motivation. Cook is currently an active member of Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, the high school's academic team, and Chess Club.
"I think being a part of those extracurriculars just kind of gave me the drive to be number one, or whatever number I'm going to end up being," she said.
Cook, who plans to major in English at either Saint Louis University (SLU) or the University of Missouri -- Columbia, said despite her own desire to succeed, her parents, Cherie and Michael Cook, deserve much of the credit.
"They've always pushed me to be really driven and dedicated to my studies and they want to make sure that I have the best things possible," she said.
Cook said though her college plans haven't officially been decided, she is leaning toward SLU. She said thanks to one particularly engaging teacher, a recent change in her future plans has occurred.
"This year, I was part of Mr. (Mitch) Davis's class for AP (Advanced Placement) Government and, last year, I was in his government class," Cook said. "He really festered my yearning to know about how our country is working."
Cook said prior to experiencing Davis's classes, she wanted to become an editor. But now, Cook said she is planning to pursue a career in an entirely different field.
"I wanted to edit fiction books before they are published," she said. "But now, I want to go to law school after I finish college and become a constitutional lawyer."