Top Paris graduate credits community, balance and curiosity for her success

Kailyn Muche is pictured at the PDHS graduation with her mother Laurie Muche, her sister Jayden Muche, and her grandma Brenda Baker. 

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Kailyn Muche, Paris District High School’s First Place Graduate of 2025, says the awards she earned at commencement represent far more than academic achievement. They reflect the teachers, classmates and community that helped shape her high school journey.

Muche received several prestigious honours, including the Beth Doherty Memorial Award and H.A. Garner Awards in both Music and Science, J. St. Clair Memorial Scholarship, and the Grade 12 Instrumental Music Award, all recognitions she describes as both meaningful and motivating.

She said the awards remind her how powerful community support can be in helping young people pursue their goals.

“Honours like these give high school students a goal to aim towards beside their diploma and help further their studies financially,” she told the Paris Independent. “Receiving this aid allows people to explore what really interests them and find the career path they truly belong in.”

Muche credits much of her success to the faculty at PDHS, describing her teachers as knowledgeable, dedicated and genuinely invested in student learning. She also spoke highly of the peer support she found in her senior years, especially among classmates with similar academic plans.

“I had many incredible teachers who made coming to class fun and engaging,” she said, adding that peers often studied together and exchanged ideas. “Some of my best friends are people I met during those years… It is important to remember it is never too late to make new friends.”

While Muche excelled academically, she is the first to say the journey required balance and boundaries.

She believes success comes from knowing when to push forward and when to pause.

“It is surprising how quickly burnout can catch up to you when you’ve overpacked your time,” she said. “Life isn’t all about studying, but it is important to recognize when you need to say no… That being said, make memories along the way.”

This fall, Muche began studying toward a Bachelor of Medical Sciences at Western University, a field she says grew from her early interest in science at PDHS. She recalls teachers who encouraged her to pursue subjects she excelled in, but she also explored widely, taking courses in automotive and manufacturing before focusing on the sciences.

She encourages students to use electives to explore their interests, not just to follow a single path.

“You never know what may catch your attention until you try it,” she said. “High school is the first chance students have to really start diving into what makes them passionate.”

Looking ahead, Muche is considering a future in medicine, with hopes of making a difference in the healthcare system.

“I aspire to enroll in medical school to become a doctor and bring relief to our overwhelmed hospital system,” she said.

But she also stresses that it’s okay for plans to evolve.

“Nothing is set in stone, and that is okay,” she said. “It is so much more important to find enjoyment in what you do every day than aim only for an end goal that might not make you happy.”

Muche’s commitment to learning, paired with her desire to make a difference in the healthcare system, sets the stage for a promising future. Whether her path leads to medicine or another field, she hopes to use her skills to support others, a goal rooted in both compassion and purpose.