HEADING THE CLASS OF 2009 at Fairfield high school are valedictorian Candice DeFriend and salutatorian Daniel Wilson. Five members of the Class of 2009 at Fairfield high school topped the 5.0 grade point scale as they complete the final six weeks of school in preparation for graduation exercises on June 5.

A total of 35 FHS senior students made the grade as honor graduates.

Heading the class are valedictorian Candice DeFriend, posting a 5.46 GPA, and Daniel Wilson, posting a 5.19.

Rounding out the list of honor graduates are: Virginia Johnson, 5.17; Kaci DeFrance, 5.15; Jaelan Gilbreath, 5.01; Kayla Krenek, 4.96; Caitlin Neal, 4.90; Chelsea Cherry, 4.87;

Jackie Nichols, 4.76; Sarina Shaver, 4.71; Courtney Eidson, 4.71; Torian Schauwecker, 4.68; Jack Wright, 4.63; Jesse Peine, 4.59; Khusbu Thakor, 4.50; Kendall Villarreal, 4.49; T.J. Davis, 4.47;

Alex Fernandez, 4.45; Adam Lewis, 4.44; Brittany Shamblin, 4.41; Julie Wilkie, 4.39; Ashley Cannon, 4.35; Denise Brown, 4.30; Brehanna Gross, 4.25; Tiadra Weaver, 4.19; Dalyn Bridges, 4.19;

Kelsea Ferguson, 4.18; Sunny Patel, 4.15; Cameron Gunnels, 4.13; Angela Beel, 4.08; Ryan Jameson, 4.06; Chris Wilcoxen, 4.07; Rikki Wooley, 4.05; Cheyenne Robinson, 4.04; and Alex Noland, 4.01.

Miss DeFriend, 18, is the daughter of Morris and Jackie DeFriend and led her class all four years of high school.

The valedictorian started school in Kaufmann and moved to Fairfield with her family when in the third grade.

"I worked my tail off my freshman and sophomore years, and kind of kicked back after that," she says.

Miss DeFriend is the Beta Club president and is a member of Speech Club and Science Club.

She ran on the varsity cross country team four years, ran track her freshman and junior years, and played basketball her freshman and junior years.

As a member of the Grand Band from Eagle Land for most of high school, she was named to the All-State band on French horn as a junior student.

The valedictorian plans on attending Texas A&M University to study civil engineering.

"It was between archi tecture and engineering. I like architecture and designing but (older brother) Matthew talked me out of it," Miss DeFriend says.

Matthew was salutatorian of the FHS Class of 2006 and is a student at A&M studying petroleum engineering.

Her least favorite class at FHS was calculus which she describes as a "tough challenge."

Miss DeFriend is a member of First United Methodist Church of Fairfield.

Wilson, 18, is the son of John and Shelly Wilson and follows in the footsteps of older brother Caleb, who was FHS salutatorian last year.

Born in Fairfield, Wilson attended kindergarten through 12th grade here.

The salutatorian climbed the academic ranks during his FHS career—-he was ranked seventh in the class as a freshman student, fourth after his junior year and reached the second spot this semester.

Wilson has applied for appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and has been notified that he is on the waiting list of U.S. Rep. Joe Barton with a possibility of gaining admission.

If an appointment to West Point does not come through, the salutatorian plans on attending Stephen F. Austin State University and join the Reserve Officers Training Corps with plans on a military career.

"I think it's best suited for me. It's just something I want to do," Wilson says.

The salutatorian is president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, senior class treasurer and a member of Spanish Club.

He earned two varsity letters in football as a wide receiver and defensive back, lettered three years in tennis and played bas ketball through his junior year.

Wilson is a member of First Baptist Church of Fairfield and was a referee in the Upwards basketball ministry.