Two highly motivated students took vastly different paths to Chaparral High School where they helped to build a new tradition and ended up at the top of the Class of 2025.
This year’s Chaparral valedictorian is Madison Edwards, a Killeen native who attended KISD schools all the way through. The salutatorian is Amara Wiltzius, who lived all over the United States and overseas as part of a military family.
Edwards attended Cavazos Elementary and Rancier and Smith middle schools and one year at Killeen High before entering Chaparral High when it opened three years ago.
“I wanted to be here to be part of the beginning,” Edwards said. “I feel very proud and accomplished. This is something I’ve been wanting since freshman year, and I haven’t taken my foot off the gas pedal yet.”
The highly active and talented student played softball and volleyball, helping both teams to the playoffs. She was also an FFA officer and completed the veterinary technician program at the KISD Career Center.
She’s also taken dual credit courses all through high school and earned an associate degree from Central Texas College through online courses and a full summer of coursework, while working at a local vet clinic.
“I’ve kept the phrase student athlete (at the forefront). I’m a student first. I’m not afraid to ask questions if I get behind and work hard to get back up.”
“I’ll remember the sports the most,” she said of her high school years. “I’ve been a (dual sport athlete) every year. To be a part of the firsts I’m never going to forget that.”
“You only get one life so I think you should do your best, so you don’t have any regrets,” said Edwards.
Part of her large support crew includes teammates who didn’t even know until recently that she was No. 1 in her class, a ranking she has held through every grade check of high school. “When they found out, they were so proud. They said, ‘what in the world? I had no idea,’” she said.
Edwards is on her way to Texas A&M University and plans to be a veterinarian.
Wiltzius was born in El Paso and lived in Arizona, Florida, Korea and finally Killeen. She was homeschooled and attended charter school and online school until starting at Chaparral High three years ago.
“I wanted to join with a new beginning when everyone else was new, too,” she said of her decision to go to the new school.
She was active in National Honor Society and earned the president office this year. “I’ve helped build it up. I think that is a great thing about being in a new school. You get to have that experience of building something with your own hands.”
The school’s NHS has been active in service projects and earning volunteer hours to make the organization a force at the school. She and Edwards were both part of the Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy as well.
Wiltzius also stayed active in a Texas Youth Ambassadors program and worked at the Boys and Girls Club. She took all Advanced Placement courses.
“It felt amazing. It was a big surprise,” she said of ending at No. 2 in the class. She had moved from second to as low as fifth before surging back to the salutatorian position in the final grade check.
“I have learned that community is important,” she said. “As an Army brat and being homeschooled, I spent a lot of time without a big community. We moved away a lot. When we settled down in Killeen, it’s like I became a real person,” she said.
“I’ve had some gaps. My friends and teachers have stepped up and helped me to get where I need to be.”
She is headed to the University of Texas at Austin to study human development and family sciences with plans to go to medical school.
Chaparral High School graduation is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 24 at the Cadence Bank Center.
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