By Cristina Kumka
Staff Writer | June 17 2008

Englewood — The 2008 graduating class from Dwight Morrow High School is filled with overachievers – take it from Brittany Shepard, the student mentor turned valedictorian, who hopes to one day integrate music into special education teaching.

Here is her story:

Her dress matched her skin color that matched her hair that matched her high-heeled shoes.

Sitting at the cafeteria table she was every bit of a lady and every bit of a dancer.

Brittany Shepard, the 17-year-old valedictorian of Dwight Morrow High School, nibbled on a plate of food at an annual honor student dinner last week, smiling at a little girl sitting next to her. The girl, through big brown eyes, stared back at Brittany, looking up to her.

It was another night where Shepard would connect with a younger student and another night she would be honored for her achievements. When asked if presenters would speak about her academic accomplishments, Shepard, however humbly, responded, "I guess so."

For Brittany, a trained dancer with a nearly perfect grade point average of 3.8, the dinner event was another rung on the ladder of good deeds she climbed all four years of high school. She’s mentored younger students after school for four years, participating in numerous reading clubs and community organizations on her own time, to help others.

But after high school, she says she has a bigger goal, one that will be more challenging, innovative and one she hopes will affect many more lives.

"When I get to college I want to double major in dance and special education teaching," Shepard wrote in an essay.

"I chose to teach autistic children because I am always the person who wants to help in whatever way I can and at the same time, I can incorporate my dancing with my teaching."

Shepard received a $10,000 scholarship for being the "most promising young artist" from the University of Arts in Philadelphia, where she will be attending in the fall.

E-mail: kumka@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6705