How do two young women – who have been best friends since kindergarten — and who finished first and second in their high school graduating class feel about competing against each other for the honor of being named valedictorian?

If you ask Kate Rich and Sabrina Parker, the valedictorian and salutatorian respectively of the Farmersville High School class of 2022, they weren’t competing at all against one another.

“We were allies against everyone else,” Sabrina said. Kate echoed the sentiment. “We’ve been (best friends) since kindergarten,” she said.

Sabrina said it was essentially pre-ordained that Kate would finish as valedictorian, as she scored at the top of her class starting with her eighth-grade year. “I finished fourth in my freshman year,” Sabrina said, “so I knew I couldn’t make up that much ground.”

“I managed to help her along a little bit when I could,” Kate said of her friend.

Kate Rich finished with a grade point average of 4.56 on a scale of 5. She is the daughter of Jeri and Dan Rich and the younger sister to brother Gavy and sister Aubrie.

Kate will attend Texas A&M University this fall and will major in accounting. After that, law school awaits, Kate said. She said is considering applying for A&M’s law school but is leaving her options open to other schools that could accept her.

She had a busy life outside of the classroom at FHS. Kate is the current president of the National Honor Society; she has served on the student council and has participated in several sports during her years in Farmersville High. She ran cross country, and played soccer, golf and basketball — in addition to running 1,600- and the 3,200-meter races in track and field.

Kate said she plans to participate in intramural soccer when she enrolls at A&M.

Sabrina Parker finishes as Farmersville High School salutatorian with a GPA of 4.4394. Her parents are Lillian and Mark Parker, and she has an older brother, Shawn.

She plans to join her lifelong friend at Texas A&M and will major in architecture. Sabrina said she also plans to pursue a master’s degree once she completes her undergraduate work.

Sabrina also had a busy extracurricular life in high school, serving as secretary of the National Honor Society and as secretary of the student council. In addition, Sabrina played volleyball, soccer, tennis, golf and was a sprinter for the FHS track team, competing in the 100 meters and the 4X200 and 4X100-meter relays. Sabrina plans to participate in intramural tennis at Texas A&M.

Both young women say they will miss the friendships they made at Farmersville High School. “I’ll miss all the relationships I have made here,” Sabrina said, “even with the teachers.”