Mission Bay High School has announced Trevor Branch as valedictorian and Spencer Morton as salutatorian of its Class of 2025.
“We follow tradition in awarding these individuals,” said Mission Bay High Principal Eric Brown. “Valedictorian is the academic title conferred upon the highest ranking student among those graduating and is based on the highest grade point average. Salutatorian is the academic title conferred upon the second-highest GPA in the class.
“Trevor and Spencer are IB diploma students, athletes and campus-wide role models representing Mission Bay High School’s class of 2025.”
The friends since middle school who both earned GPAs above 4.94 will address their nearly 250 fellow graduates and all in attendance at their graduation ceremony set for 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29 in their campus stadium.
Branch has spent his entire life in Pacific Beach. He started at Pacific Beach Elementary School and then attended PB Middle.
“I chose Mission Bay High School because I wanted to stay with the friends I have had since elementary school. I also wanted to earn an (International Baccalaureate) diploma,” Branch said.
As a senior, Branch’s course load is substantial as an IB diploma candidate. His spring semester classes include Advanced Placement physics and computer science; IB English, history and math; and the Theory of Knowledge.
“College plans include a degree in either electrical or mechanical engineering and then using the degree to work in the business side of engineering,” Branch said. “UCLA is my top choice for electrical engineering. I’m still waiting on decisions from Berkley, USC, Michigan, UPenn and Duke.”
Morton attended Explorer Elementary (part of the High Tech High charter school system) and then from 2016 to 2019 lived with his family in Spain.
“My family and I ended up in Barcelona because my parents have always wanted to live abroad and a career opportunity arose that allowed us to do so,” Morton said. “It was an incredible experience that allowed me to become fluent in Spanish and Catalan, and make many lifelong friends from another culture.”
Returning to the United States to finish middle school, Morton said he chose Mission Bay High School for its rigorous IB diploma program.
His spring semester classes include IB English, engineering, Spanish and history — all four at the higher level — along with IB psychology; AP physics and AVID/Theory of Knowledge.
Morton said his college plans include majoring in economics so he can have a career in finance and investment banking or consulting. He has been accepted to Pomona College and UCLA and is awaiting responses from other colleges.
Branch and Morton both said they had clear recollections about their academic motivations.
“I first understood motivation in middle school when grades became more structured,” Branch said. “I was determined to earn all As, and that drive soon extended beyond academics to sports and personal growth. By ninth grade, I remained committed to my studies while also striving to improve in water polo.
“Over time, external motivation like grades shifted to internal motivation, pushing me to challenge myself for personal growth,” Branch said. “I realized valedictorian was possible at the end of eighth grade when my brother earned the title. It wasn’t a specific goal at first, just a natural result of taking the most challenging courses to push myself. The title became a by-product of my dedication rather than my main focus.”
Morton said his motivation also began in his early teen years.
“I think motivation began to make sense for me around middle school,” Morton said. “At first, external factors like grades and approval from teachers and my parents played a big role. As I got older, I started realizing how good it felt to achieve things for myself, whether it was mastering a subject or improving my skills. That shift, from doing things for recognition to doing them for personal growth, felt natural over time. It became less about others’ expectations and more about challenging myself and finding fulfillment in my own progress.
“I, of course, have always aimed for valedictorian and to be first, but I’m equally happy to be our school’s salutatorian,” Morton said.
As for what remains for both during their last weeks of high school, they have their final IB exams and requirements such as polishing and submitting their 4000 IB extended essay, along with submitting evidence and documentation of their successful IB service project.
