After four years of hard work, determination, and dedication, Tegan Dingwall has earned the title of Somerville High School’s Class of 2026 Valedictorian. This fall, Tegan’s academic journey will continue at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she plans to major in Civil Engineering. While she isn’t entirely sure which specific career path she wants to pursue yet, she knows she wants to do something that helps protect the environment.
Tegan’s interest in engineering began during her freshman year when she took Intro to Engineering with Mr. Kydonieus. At first, she wasn’t too sure about the subject. However, Mr. Kydonieus’s engaging teaching style sparked her curiosity, and she quickly found herself enjoying the class. That introductory course ultimately inspired her to pursue engineering as a future career. Another class that had a major impact on her was AP Environmental Science with Mr. Weiland. She loved learning about environmental issues, and the course helped solidify her desire to integrate environmental work into her future career.
Many people believe that to be valedictorian, one has to study 24/7 and sacrifice all free time for academics, but Tegan proves otherwise. She maintains many active hobbies, plays sports outside of school, and consistently makes time for the activities she enjoys. That being said, Tegan emphasizes that studying is a must and putting your full effort into every assignment is necessary. Another common misconception is that a valedictorian never struggles in class. Tegan admits that she definitely faces challenges from time to time; when she does, she reaches out to her friends and teachers for help and never gives up. When working on projects and assignments, Tegan listens to pop music by Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, or shifts to 80s rock when she’s feeling frustrated. One of her biggest inspirations is the TV show Star Trek: Voyager. Ever since she was young, she has admired the characters for their intelligence and curiosity. Even now, she still looks up to them (and thinks working on a starship would be pretty cool).
One of Tegan’s favorite high school memories is painting ceiling tiles for Mrs. Stafford with her friend, Juliet Cassidy. During their junior year, they spent many study halls and art classes in the back of the art room working on the tiles. Their favorite project was recreating a famous painting of a ballerina, which can still be seen on the art room ceiling today. Although Tegan has worked on several ceiling tiles over the years, that one remains her favorite. Another highlight of her high school experience was senior prom—in fact, she was even filling out this very spotlight survey while at the dance! She especially enjoyed spending time with friends and taking pictures together in the photo booth.
As she prepares for the next chapter of her life, Tegan encourages younger students not to be afraid to connect with their teachers. Whether it’s asking for help with a class, seeking advice, or simply having a casual conversation, she believes those relationships can make school much more enjoyable and rewarding.