Rome Reporter

Rome High School senior Sam Hard has been named the Salutatorian for the Class of 2025, recognizing his dedication and academic achievements throughout his high school years. Hard expressed that this accolade is a testament to his consistent effort in pursuing his educational goals.

"I think to me being a salutatorian is really more of a reward for the amount of work I've put in towards my other academic goals throughout my life and throughout my educational career," Hard stated.

Sam Hard, son of Dr. Brian and Heather Hard, boasts a 4.627 GPA and has actively participated in various extracurricular activities during his time at Rome High School. His accomplishments include being an AP Scholar with Distinction, earning the AP Capstone Diploma, and receiving Duke TIP State honors. He was also awarded the University of Georgia Certificate of Merit and twice recognized with the Rome High School Wolf Award.

Hard's involvement extends beyond academics; he was part of the 2024 SkillsUSA Robotics Team that won an Urban Search and Rescue State competition and placed in FBLA Journalism at the state level. His participation spans numerous clubs and sports, including engineering, mountain biking, business leadership, civic engagement, honor societies, and community service clubs.

Looking ahead, Hard aspires to become a civil engineer specializing in either structural or transportation engineering but remains open to exploring different fields within engineering during college. "I currently hope to be a civil engineer in the future. Either doing structural engineering or transportation engineering probably, but obviously that could change depending on what happens in college," he said.

He appreciates the diverse skill set required in engineering: "I like that it takes a lot of different types of skills. You have math skills, you have to have science skills." He also highlighted the positive impact engineers can make: "I really think engineering makes the world a better place."

Hard is considering several colleges but has yet to decide where he will pursue his studies in engineering.