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When Prem Kamat found out he was named valedictorian of LaGrange Academy’s Class of 2025, the first thing that popped into his head wasn’t GPA or graduation, it was a rap album.

“I was standing next to one of my really good friends, Knox Jones. I play a lot of word association in my head, so the first thing that came to mind was Valedictorian, an album by Ian,” Kamat said with a big smile. “But I am super grateful and super happy. It felt like a lot of hard work had paid off in that moment. 

Kamat’s journey to the top of his class was full of growth, challenges, and unexpected discoveries. One of the biggest was learning to really like English and reading.

“From sixth to tenth grade, you could not get me to read for fun,” Kamat said. “But then I had Mr. [Earl] Marsh for AP English, and I read all the time now for fun. Books became more meaningful because I have actually been able to understand them. That literature class was really inspiring.”

Another standout influence was Mr. Richard Wright, his AP European History teacher.

“I didn’t take any history until my junior year. He reminded me why history was one of my favorite subjects. He also helped me through college essays and admissions,” Kamat said.

Kamat also gives a lot of credit to his dad, an Associate professor at Emory Medical School.

“He’s the most studious person I know. He used to sit with me and go through atlases when I was a kid, talking about stuff like Argentina’s exports,” Kamat said. “My favorite subject in the entire world is geography. He inspired me in that aspect. He loves to learn and teach. I know that has been really impactful on me and has shown me the value of learning.

Despite the academic grind, Kamat’s high school life wasn’t all studying. One fun fact? He’s a serious gamer.

“I’ve probably averaged 20 hours a week since freshman year,” he said. “It’s how my friends and I kept up on each other. We’ve been doing it since we were kids,” Kamat says with a grin.

Outside of academics, Kamat played tennis (except for junior year — “I broke my leg, oops”), served as Student Government President, volunteered at the local hospital, and joined the LaGrange Youth Council, which he says helped him connect with students from other schools and get involved in the community.

This fall, Prem is headed to Emory University, planning to major in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. He’s got his eyes on law school, maybe even a joint law and business program.

When asked what advice he’d give younger students, Kamat replied: 

“Read. Seriously, it can be anything. Read straight-up literature, history and non-fiction. Do your best to understand it, and even if you don’t get the exact meaning, it opens your mind and helps you understand perspectives.”

And what is Kamat’s final message to his classmates and community? 

“You gotta stay connected and remember that the people here made you. Every person here has had some slight impact on you, even if it was just a one-time interaction. So you gotta remember that you are made of all these different people you’ve met, and those experiences will impact you. You should stay connected with the people you’re with now.”