Eastern Hancock High School senior Luke McCartney was named an Indiana Academic All-Star top 40. Luke will be the senior class valedictorian. Wednesday, May 5, 2022.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
EASTERN HANCOCK — He’s earned nearly all A’s with the exception of a lone B in a college prep class this year. Regardless, it’s still an impressive record for Eastern Hancock High School senior Luke McCartney who was recently honored as one of the top students in Indiana.
McCartney was the only county student named as a member of the prestigious 2022 Indiana Academic All-Stars, a program of the Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) that identifies the top 40 Indiana students in the state. McCartney and the other top 39 students were selected from a field of 277 outstanding senior nominees from the state’s private and public accredited schools.
In addition to McCartney making the top 40 list, Greenfield-Central High School senior Elizabeth Coleman was named as one of 50 other Indiana students recognized as a Regional Academic All-Star Honoree.
Academic All-Star distinction recognizes seniors who excel in the classroom first and foremost, but who also are actively involved in their schools and communities, and take on leadership roles in those activities. The program is produced by the IASP with support provided by DePauw University and Purdue University, along with corporate partner Inter-State Studios.
“It’s very flattering to be recognized, but I wouldn’t want anyone to think the recognition is what people should work for,” McCartney said. “I try to work hard and better myself, and the awards are nice but they are not everything.”
McCartney is planning to attend Purdue University after graduation where he’s thinking about studying computer engineering with a focus on cyber security.
“That is something that has always been interesting to me,” McCartney said.
While McCartney is a bright young man, he said he has to work hard to keep his grades up. Some have told him that he sees classroom work in different ways than most so, when it comes to school work, he’s able to process and get things done more easily, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t work hard.
“Just because I may understand things a little better doesn’t mean I can just rely on that,” McCartney said. “I still have to work on myself and hope to improve myself by staying dedicated to the goals that I’ve set.”
The teenager credited many teachers who have helped him achieve high marks in the classroom along the way, but none more than former EH business teacher and current Mt. Vernon High School teacher Aaron Amos, who he named as his most influential educator.
“He had such an amazing affect on me and how I see myself and how I hope to see myself in the future,” McCartney said.
With a 4.36 grade point average, McCartney was nominated for the honor by EH principal Adam Barton who said McCartney is a very impressive student.
“Being recognized as one of the Top 40 students by the IASP is acknowledgement of a great career at Eastern Hancock,” Barton said.
In addition to being a great student, Barton noted McCarty was a regional qualifier on the Royal’s Cross Country team this year. He’s also quite talented in the arts. McCartney played Charlie Brown in the school musical this year and also finds time to participate in the band and hold a part-time job.
“Luke has taken advantage of many opportunities at EH and has excelled at all of them,” Barton said.
McCartney is also a member of the school’s Academic Super Bowl Science team, a group who will compete in state action in early May at Purdue University.
All top 40 Academic All-Stars were honored at a special banquet in Indianapolis last week where McCartney was recognized and able to have lunch with Amos, Barton and his parents.
“It was neat to be able to talk with other students like me who actually freak out when they get that one B,” McCartney said with a laugh.
As for Coleman, she too is a rock star at her school, G-CHS. Coleman has earned all A’s during her high school career with the exception of an A- in one of her harder college prep classes. She’s a top student with a 4.48 GPA who plans to go to Butler University to study secondary education and become a math teacher.
“Math is my thing,” she said with a laugh. “I love my math.”
Coleman has worked hard to keep her grades at the highest level, and said she was thrilled to be named as one of 50 Indiana students who were recognized as an Academic All-Star Regional Honoree.
“I’ve taken six or seven AP (advanced placement) classes, and several dual credit classes, so I’m always selecting the type of classes that push me to learn more,” Coleman said.
She has more than a good chance to be one of the top two students at G-CHS when graduation rolls around in a few weeks.
“Hopefully, I’ll be speaking at graduation, but we’ve got to wait to see,” she said.
Coleman also attended the Academic All-Star luncheon where she and the other Regional Honorees were also recognized for their academic efforts and received a certificate.
“It was really neat to see that out of the 277 kids — one from each high school — who worked just as hard as I have, that I was one of the top 90,” she said. “I wasn’t in the top 40, but to be in the top 90 is still pretty sweet, and I consider it a great honor.”
In addition to keeping her grades top notch, Coleman was a year-round swimmer, competing in club and G-C school swim events. She earned state swim team honors for her athletic ability.
Coleman is also the G-CHS class president and a member of the National and Spanish Honor societies as well as a member of the student council. She’s a part of the Cadet Teaching program, Jump Start, and was a 10-year 4-H member.
