Wendell — Yale-bound Josh Grizzard will carry the mantle of valedictorian to the Ivy-League campus when he begins school in the fall.

Grizzard, with a 4.6 grade-point-average, is the top academic mind in the East Wake School of Engineering Systems this year.

Grizzard has made the most of his high school career, earning honors on the football field and in the classroom.

He says the academic work came into focus at the end of his sophomore year in high school when he realized he was among the top students in his class.

But he says he did not work any harder just because the top spot was his for the taking.

"I was already working hard," Grizzard said.

Grizzard said he wanted to make certain he fulfilled his potential during his high school years.

"Seeing people come through with potential and not fulfilling it really caught my attention," Grizzard said.

At Yale, Grizzard will play football and he credits his playing career with helping him develop skills that helped him in the classroom.

"It takes a lot of discipline to show up over the summer and it makes you be mature," Grizzard said.

Spanish was his favorite class in high school. He says AP calculus was his most challenging course.

The son of Kevin and Evelyn Grizzard of Lizard Lick, Grizzard says his favorite teacher was Ms. Hicks, who taught him in both fourth and fifth grades.

"She challenged our class. She would not let us settle for being average," Grizzard said.

That lesson apparently stuck with her star pupil.