NILES — With high school graduation on the horizon for area schools, the top students of their graduating class were announced earlier. To showcase these students and their hard work and talent, they completed a questionnaire and offered some advice to incoming freshman. In the upcoming days, students from Brandywine High School will be featured in no particular order.

Elizabeth Hartz

Age: 18

GPA: 3.97

City of residency: Niles

How does it feel to be listed as one of Niles Top 10?

It’s incredible. This makes me feel that all of my hard work has paid off.

How do you feel you earned the title?

I earned this title by challenging myself and doing my best.

What college, trade school or future endeavor do you plan on pursuing after you graduate? If you will attend a college or trade school what do you plan on studying and why?

Next year, I will be attending Michigan State University, pursuing a degree in biology as part of the residential science college, Lyman Briggs.

What’s your advice to next year’s freshmen?

Advice I would give to freshmen would be to work hard. How you do in high school can affect a lot and you should always strive to do your best.

What was your favorite part of your high school career?

My favorite part of high school was the time I spent at the Berrien County Math and Science Center. This allowed me to meet people from other schools and take advanced math and science classes.

Outside of school what are some other accomplishments you are proud of achieving?

I am proud to be a part of the girls tennis team, who has won conference for the sixth year in a row, and regionals for the fourth year in a row. I made Brandywine history by being one of the first girls to be on a regional championship team all four years of high school.

I am also proud of achieving a division one rating at solo and ensemble for a trumpet solo I performed, along with division one ratings at concert and marching band festival.