The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Hannah Arn is the Salutatorian for Wahkiakum High School's Class of 2016. She will graduate with a 3.98 GPA.

The competition must have been tough.

Arn will go on an 18 month mission for her church before attending college. The mission will begin sometime between July and September.

Don't ask her where she's going just yet, because she doesn't know. It could be anywhere in the world.

"I'm so excited," Arn exclaimed. "I can't wait to hear where I'm going to go."

When the 18 months is up, Arn will head to Brigham Young University in Idaho to study psychology.

"I've been interested in how the human brain works and how people do the things they do and why, she said, "but I didn't really think about it until this year when a teacher suggested it. I want to learn about autism. I want to branch off into that and be a therapist for autistic kids. I really like children and I really like to help people."

Arn enjoyed the English classes which she took with Audrey Petterson and Don Cox. Still, she refuses to pick a favorite teacher.

"I love them all," she said.

Arn was active in the Drama Club, the Writing Club, Cooking Club and the Debate Club while attending WHS.

The Debate Club and an elective class in Rhetoric and Communications speak to her willingness to confront her fears.

"That was really hard," Arn said. "The reason I went in there is because I'm not good at speaking in front of people. I got better but I wasn't seeing drastic improvements. That's why I took Mr. Cox's English class this year, because it was Rhetoric and Communications. We've done a lot of speaking and I've done a lot of crying."

Crying or no, it shows a strength of character that she continues to face the things that scare her.

Arn started WHS during her freshman year. Before that, her family moved a lot and it became easier to focus on her education than it was to make friends.

"I became a school addict," she said before explaining the things that motivate her as a student. "It's the knowledge that it will affect me in the future, that I need to know as much as I can. It's free and I need to take advantage of it. And I get a lot of encouragement."

Fortunately, the time she spent at WHS has helped her open up a little and make some friends.

She's just amazing," Petterson said. "She's very hard working and one of those people who finds others and makes their lives better."

Hannah is the daughter of Margo and Leslie Arn.