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Valedictorian is an academic title typically conferred upon the highest ranked student within the graduating class of an educational institution. The term is an anglicized derivation of the Latin vale dicere ("to say farewell"), historically rooted in the valedictorian's traditional role as the final speaker at the graduation ceremony. The valedictory address is generally considered a final farewell to classmates, before they disperse as a collective group in order to pursue their individual paths after graduating. The title of class valedictorian is common in educational institutions in the United States and Canada, while its equivalent in Australia and New Zealand is dux.

How an individual school confers the title and determines its criteria varies from institution to institution. Generally, the graduate deemed to be the highest academically ranked student in the class, as determined by the academic criteria of the school, is conferred the title of class valedictorian. Some institutions confer the title to the class member chosen to deliver the final graduation address, regardless of the speaker's academic credentials. Historically and traditionally, however, schools confer the title upon the top ranking graduate of the class, who thereby earns the honor of delivering the valedictory address.

Some institutions award the title based upon various criteria such as overall academic record of grades and credits, a student's grade-point-average, the level of rigor within a student's academic program of studies, a vote by school administrators and/or members of the graduating class, the level of participation in and dedication to extracurricular activities, and one's public-speaking skills and abilities. In other schools, the position may be elected by the school body or appointed directly by the school administration based on various systems of merit. Some schools may feature "co-valedictorians" in lieu of conferring the title to a single individual from among the graduating class. This may be done in the case of a numerical tie in grade-point-averages, as part of a Latin honors system, or to promote a form of affirmative action such as gender or racial balance.

The valedictory address is the closing or farewell statement delivered at a graduation ceremony. It is an oration at commencement exercises in American high schools, colleges, and universities delivered by one of the graduates. The mode of discourse is generally inspirational and persuasive. The various aims of this address are to inspire the graduates and to thank individuals responsible for their successes. Above all, however, the primary aim of the valedictory address is to allow a representative of the graduating class to bid a final farewell to the students and to the school, as the graduates prepare to disperse and to move forward.

• Blair Hornstine: a high school student who successfully sued her school district to be named as sole valedictorian of the class, rather than having to share the title with a student whose GPA was slightly lower
• Grade inflation
• Salutatorian: the second highest ranking graduate

• Margaret Talbot (June 6, 2005). Best in Class: Students are suing their way to the top. The New Yorker. Archived from New Yorker the original on 2007-03-01.

• Patricia Breakey (June 25, 2005). From Valedictorian... to the real world. The Daily Star.