'This time matters': Friends take top spots at Compass

May 10—Taylor Tensley and Anisa Payen have been friends since middle school and now find themselves as the top two seniors at Compass Academy Charter School.

Both 18, Tensley and Payen were in friendly competition for the achievement. Tensley is the valedictorian and Payen is the salutatorian.

Graduation is at 7 p.m. May 17 in the big gym on campus. Superintendent Jason Inman said there are 78 seniors this year.

Tensley has been at Compass since kindergarten and Payen since fifth grade.

"I'm pretty proud of us. I know we both worked really, really hard to get here," Tensley said.

Tensley said Payen was ahead of her for a good three years and she didn't think she was going to be in the top 2 at all. Being in the top two was something they had wanted since they were young girls.

Payen plans to study biology at Texas Tech University and go into the pre-physicians assistant program and go into pediatrics.

Tensley plans to study nursing at Angelo State University.

Payen said the education at Compass is very personal.

"If you need the help, you're going to receive it," Payen said.

She added that they are nonjudgmental about offering help as well.

"It's easier to create relationships with your teachers than it would be at Permian (for example) because your class sizes are smaller," Tensley said.

Payen said classes are 17 with the largest at about 20 students.

Both said it will be an adjustment to go to college with the larger class sizes.

Payen said that was one of her small fears just because the class has known each other for so long.

"We basically grew up with these people and then having to step into a new place and having to make friends and putting yourself out there," Payen said.

"Especially for those of us that have been here since kinder. This is the only education we've ever known," Tensley said.

She added that the class size at Angelo State is about 30 people, but it will still be larger than she's used to.

Tensley plays the violin in orchestra and both are in the National Honor Society.

Tensley and Payen would advise other kids who want to make the top 10 or top 2 to work hard.

Payen said students should realize that "this time matters."

Tensley said students should start strong because she felt in her freshman year they sort of got lost thinking it didn't matter.

They were both in high school during COVID. There were new rules in place where they couldn't hug each other on the first day of school. They note that they are close within their groups, but as a class they aren't as close as some of the other ones. They are all different and want different things.

But the top 10 are close. Tensley said she was sitting at number 3 for a long time.

She and Karys Ulate, who is in the top 10, were really close.

"Me and Karys were really close. Karys was one of my best friends and we were just really, really close for a long time," Tensley said.

The only way to keep track of their rank was getting transcripts at the start of each semester. Taking dual credit made a difference. Both took it through Odessa College, but are a little short of an associate degree.

"I definitely would not be here without all the support that my family gave for me and definitely everybody in the top 10 and Taylor herself. We've all been here for each other and we've all pushed each other, motivating each other to be better. I think just leaving is very bittersweet, especially us in the top 10," Payen said.

She added that they are so close, she's not sure what they will do without that motivation.

Payen said the top 10 students are like brothers and sisters.

Tensley said it's going to be sad but exciting to move to the next chapter.

"I feel like this group might keep in contact with each other every once in a while. Just not seeing each other every day is going to be" a big change, Payen said.

Along with Tensley and Payen, the top 10 include Tanner Gahr, Karys Ulate, Mandy Dobbs, Braidyn Beyer, Hadley Hough, Emma Coleman, London Jones and Jordyn Cruz.