When it comes to the high school experience, two valedictorians from the Class of 2016 prove it’s what you make of it that matters most.

Charis Ahn, 16, is valedictorian of Kaimuki Christian School in Honolulu, whose six seniors will be honored at its first commencement May 25 at the church worship center. Justyn Golobic, 18, is the top valedictorian at James Campbell High School in Ewa Beach with a senior class of about 670 set to graduate May 14 at Aloha Stadium.

Though they had vastly different high school experiences on different sides of the isle, both achieved a 4.2 grade-point average through advanced placement coursework, diligence and ambition.

Ahn will enroll as a civil engineering major at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Golobic as a neuroscience major at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., in the fall.

“For sure, it’s what you make of it,” said Ahn, who was initially home-schooled and skipped the fourth grade.

Kaimuki Christian School has 30 students enrolled in grades nine to 12, and the six seniors will be the first to graduate. Campbell, with the largest enrollment in the state at more than 3,000 students, will honor 18 valedictorians who achieved a GPA of 4.0 or higher.

Going to a small school has both pros and cons, according to Ahn.

Since her school did not offer calculus, she was given the flexibility to take courses at the University of Hawaii at Manoa during her freshman year. There was no prom — a major teen milestone for most — but the all-female senior class tightly bonded from taking classes and going on mission trips together to the point that they’re practically sisters, Ahn said.

She played on her school’s soccer, basketball and cross-country teams through the Christian Schools Athletics League and participated in the hula ministry. Because of the small enrollment, Ahn said she got to know students in all the grades, even the preschoolers.

“This is like my second family,” she said. “You get so much one-to-one interaction. They really get to know you as a person. They also help you grow spiritually and academically and really get to know who you are.”

On the sprawling Campbell campus, it would be easy to feel lost in the crowd. However, Golobic, who moved to Ewa Beach from Hickam Air Force Base in the fifth grade, did not see it that way.

“The biggest pro of going to such a big school is getting the eclectic feel, integrating a lot of different mindsets and perspectives when you’re learning,” he said. “Meeting all these new people helped me grow as a person.”

He got involved by serving on the student council for four years. Joining the International Baccalaureate program, an interdisciplinary, global approach to learning, was one of the best decisions he made, according to Golobic.

It’s where he learned how to work with others as a team, despite individual differences, and sparked a new interest in liberal arts to balance his math and science classes.

Both valedictorians said they would not be where they are without the support of their parents.

Neither Ahn nor Golobic felt there was a label for their generation, but considered social media to be a dominating influence.

“One of the biggest (issues) would be trying to balance the social media aspect of our lives and trying to stay focused and connected to people that we actually know,” said Golobic. “Everyone knows everyone by what they do on Twitter and Instagram, but we need to put more effort into meeting people.”

With the technology available at one’s fingertips, Ahn said kids today tend to want instant results and gratification, but “not everything in life is like that, and that’s something that this generation will struggle with.”

Ahn’s advice to others in high school is to take risks.

“Whenever I found that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, I grew as a person,” she said.

Golobic’s parting words of wisdom were much the same.

“Challenge yourself,” he said. “A lot of students at Campbell, I guess, they feel like they don’t make a difference since they’re a small fraction of something that’s so huge. But 18 valedictorians came out of our class, so that’s a strong testament to what Campbell can do.”