Opp’s Jared Allen and Heath Barton soared to the top of their class academically as they were named the 2012 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Allen, who will graduate with “a 100 average,” said he wasn’t at Opp High School all four years.

“I was here for three quarters and I left, and then I came back this year,” he said.

Barton, on the other hand, attended OHS for four years, and is graduating with a 99.357 average, he said.

While at OHS, Allen has been a member of the Beta Club and Mu Alpha Theta.

Barton has been a member of FFA, Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, science club and served as FBLA president, Mu Alpha Theta vice president and overall SGA secretary.

After high school, Allen plans to move to Ohio, where he’ll attend Columbus State Community College and then transfer to a four-year university for engineering.

Barton plans to attend Troy University for one year, then participate in a summer program at Auburn for its architectural school and then continue his architectural studies at AU.

Allen said graduating is not a terrible thing.

“I am happy to have spent time here,” he said. “The teachers here, have helped mold me, even though I wasn’t here for all four years.”

Barton said he is “very happy to have gone to OHS.”

“I’m sad to leave my friends,” he said. “I’ll miss the clubs and teachers, too, but I look forward to the future and what God has in store.

“Thank you to may parents and family for supporting me.”

Allen is the son of Kenton F. Allen and Janet Lee Allen, and Barton is the son of Freda and Tim Barton.