When Aliza Wilson walked out of the Russellville High School commencement last Saturday, she had added two more tangible proofs of her success. She had her diploma and the valedictorian’s trophy.
With all of the awards and honors she has earned, finding a place to display them may be difficult. Her parents, Richard and Amanda Seidler Wilson, will make it happen.
This was her second graduation of May. Earlier, Aliza and her RHS classmate—salutatorian Ella Kate Parrish, graduated with an Associate degree from SKYCTC before they finished high school. Parrish will be a junior at the University of Kentucky in the fall and Wilson a junior at the University of Louisville, seeking a double major in music and business.
(In the photo of the dual credit students who graduated from community college at SKYCTC, Aliza Wilson is at center. Ella Kate Parrish of RHS is third from left.)
Aliza is 17, one of the youngest members of her RHS class because she was a whole-grade accelerated in elementary school, in effect “skipping a grade.”
Here’s a look at Aliza Wilson’s history of success.
Academics:
Russellville High School 2026 Valedictorian with a 4.52 GPA weighted; 4.0 unweighted
Southern Kentucky Community and Technical College Dual Enrollment Associate in Arts degree with High Distinction with a 4.0 GPA on 23 dual-enrollment courses; already earned 67 college credit hours
Certifications:
Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel 365 Associate
Microsoft Office Specialist: Word 365 Associate
General Academic Honors/Achievements:
2025 Kentucky Governor’s Scholar (Murray campus)
2026 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Scholar
https://awards.louisville.edu/grawemeyer-awards/scholar-program
Approximately 40 in-state and out-of-state candidates were invited to UofL in February for a full day of interviews; 10 scholars were ultimately named. This mentored scholarship includes a research component and allows students outside of STEM majors, such as music majors, to participate in undergraduate research opportunities and more. It is believed Aliza may be the only Grawemeyer cholar ever from our region, from what we could unofficially tell from published past data.
University of Louisville School of Music Scholarship
2026 P.E.O. International STAR Scholar
2026 Mary Hope Henry Music Scholarship
2025 Third District Band Directors Association Joe Allen Memorial Scholarship
Through SKYCTC:
2025 Certiport Microsoft Excel 365 Kentucky Champion
2025 Certiport Microsoft Excel 365 National Championship 8th Place
2026 Certiport Microsoft Word 365 Apps Kentucky 2nd Place
Fall 2025 Russellville Rotary Club Student of the Semester
RHS Ambassador – 3 years
Distinguished on every Kentucky State Assessment each testing year spanning all school years
National Beta Club Awards:
2026 Kentucky State Champion 12th Grade Language Arts
2025 Kentucky State Runner-Up 11th Grade Language Arts
2025 National Champion 11th Grade Language Arts
2024 Kentucky State Runner-Up 10th Grade Language Arts
2024 National Runner-Up 10th Grade Language Arts
2023 Kentucky State Champion 9th Grade Language Arts
2023 National Runner-Up 9th Grade Language Arts
2025 4th place Kentucky, Musicology
2024 Kentucky State Champion, Musicology
2022 Kentucky State Runner-Up 8th Grade Language Arts
2022 10th place Nationals, 8th Grade Language Arts
2021 Kentucky State Champion 7th Grade Language Arts
Academic Team Awards:
2025 Governor’s Cup District, Composition – 4th place
2024 Governor’s Cup District, Composition – 2nd place
2024 Governor’s Cup District, Language Arts – 3rd place
2024 Governor’s Cup District, Arts & Humanities – 4th place
2023 Governor’s Cup District, Arts & Humanities – 2nd place
2022-2023 Pennyrile Academic Association, JV Arts & Humanities – 4th place
2024 & 2025 WKU Math Competition – 1st place in multiple categories
Band Recognitions, Awards, Invitationals:
Piano – since age 5
French Horn – 5th grade to current
Additional instruments – mellophone and melodica
6-year member of RHS Marching Band (only a 6-year senior this year), Piano and Mellophone Soloist
5-year member of RHS Jazz Band, piano
4-year member of RHS concert and pep bands, Horn and Mellophone
2-year inaugural member of Louisville Youth Wind Symphony, French Horn
This is a premier honor band ensemble recruiting high school musicians from KY, OH, and IN in a highly competitive audition process and focusing on collegiate- and professional-grade music performed in an end-of-season concert with guest conductors, composers, and a composer-in-residence. Aliza traveled to Louisville at least 16 Sundays each season for rehearsals between January and May, 2025 and 2026.
Inaugural- and multi-season member of Bowling Green Rock Band Academy Honors Paisley Band, piano (middle school)
2026 Panther Band Most Outstanding Senior
2025 Panther Band Most Outstanding Junior
2024 Panther Band Most Outstanding Jazz Band Member
2023 Panther Band Most Outstanding Freshman
2022 Panther Band 100% Percussion Award
Lewisburg Bank Band Student of the Month x2
2025 KMEA All-State Band, French Horn
2024 KMEA All-State Band Honorable Mention, French Horn
KMEA 3rd District All-District Band, French Horn x5
WKU Honors Band Clinic, French Horn x4
Murray State Quad-State Band Festival, French Horn x2
2026 Austin-Peay Honor Band Principal Horn
2026 Austin-Peay Honors Full Orchestra Principal Horn
WKU Hilltopper Summer Music Camp x2 (inaugural member)
WKU Honors Jazz Festival, Piano x3
University of Louisville Invitational Honor Band
University of Louisville Wind Band Institute
Eastern Kentucky University Foster Music Camp
Guest Musician & Accompanist at community events and meetings, Horn and Piano
Notable…. Accepted but unable to participate due to schedule:
Interlochen Arts Camp, French Horn
This is a highly competitive residential arts/music camp in Michigan with a very low acceptance rate; the 6-week term conflicted with other plans and she was unable to commit to attend this summer after being offered a seat playing horn.
Jackson Purchase Youth Wind Orchestra Inaugural Season, French Horn
Similar to LYWS, this is a highly competitive band based in Murray and pulled students from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois. Aliza was awarded 2nd chair horn but declined in order to do a second season of LYWS, as rehearsals were on the same day 3.5 hours apart.