Michigan Family Sees Two Class Valedictorians Back-to-Back

Every high school will have a class valedictorian, but how many will have two from the same family?

In back-to-back years, two brothers from a high school in Burton, Michigan, did just that, MLive reported. Nathan Mobley is set to walk across the stage on June 8, graduating with a 4.07 GPA. His brother Samuel — now a football player at Alma College — graduated last year with a 4.094 GPA.

Both brothers were Eagle Scouts, captains in two sports, powerlifters, and active in community service. The only competitive edge that Nathan has over Samuel may be in community service. Nathan tallied more than 1,000 hours, and Samuel completed 500 hours of community service. 

 According to Samuel — a class of 2022 graduate of Bentley High School — he strived to be a positive role model for his little brother.

“He needed someone to show him like, ‘Hey, you can do big things here,’” Samuel told MLive. “I just wanted to be the one that did big so he could try to do bigger,” he said.

Samuel’s efforts worked, according to Nathan.  

“I always looked up to him and wanted to be like him in sports, accomplishments and grades in general,” Nathan told MLive. “I always just wanted to compete with him and that’s what really pushed me to become valedictorian.”

The brothers are truly one and the same. 

“We definitely got on each other’s nerves, but at the end of the day, I definitely knew that he had my back, and I had his,” Samuel said.

The boys’ mother, Amanda Mobley, said both of her sons give her an “overwhelming sense of pride.” 

In the fall, Nathan will be attending Indiana Tech where he will be playing baseball.

This is likely the first time in the school’s history to have back-to-back valedictorians from the same household. However, twin sisters from a California high school were recently named valedictorian and salutatorian, KSBW reported.