Fuller, Gardner top students at Rocky Mountain High School

Bright futures that include nuclear engineering and business are ahead for Rocky Mountain High School’s top students if their current dreams come true.

William Fuller is the RMHS valedictorian for the Class of 2026, and Layla Gardner is the salutatorian.

Fuller, the son of Dr. Ross and Wendy Fuller of Cowley and carries a 3.976 grade point average, receiving one B in a history class.

His immediate plan is to attend a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he has received a call to serve in Seattle, where he will be speaking Marshallese. He reports to the Missionary Training Center on July 15.

During his high school career Fuller has been active in FBLA, National Honor Society, student council as the student body vice president, swimming, track and field and golf (freshman year).

He named former RMHS science teacher Daniel Robertson as a teacher who inspired him, calling him “a really down-to-earth teacher who gives you everything at face value,” adding, “He doesn’t sugar coat anything. He’s very blunt, and you know what you’re getting when you talk to him. I can tell he was passionate about his subjects.”

For his inspiration out of school Fuller praised his father, Ross, calling him “the perfect role model” who is “the exact person I want to model myself after,” adding, “I would be lucky to be half the man he is. He, as well as my mother, taught me everything in life.”

Upon his return from his mission, Fuller plans to attend the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and major in nuclear engineering, working toward a PhD. He hopes to design reactor overload procedures to make sure a reactor is operating safely.

“I really want to further my education and be as intellectually able as I can be,” he added.

Asked where he will be in 10 years, Fuller said he hopes to be married with “probably a kid or two” while working in a fulfilling occupation.

“I want to be in a good place in my life – happy with a family and working a job,” he said.

Layla Gardner

Gardner, the daughter of Scott and Valerie Crosby, plans to serve a mission for the LDS Church in the Chile Concepcion South mission area and will report to the MTC on June 17. She will speak Spanish.

In high school she has been active in FBLA, placing second at State FBLA as a junior and advancing to Nationals for a project in which she entered into a partnership with the North Big Horn Hospital District to make rice bags for the New Horizons Care Center. She has also been active in National Honor Society, student council her sophomore and junior years, serving as class secretary, volleyball, basketball and track and field.

Gardner listed her inspirational teacher as Danielle Malson, noting, “She always helps me understand completely what I’m learning,” adding, “She’s such a good teacher. I had her all four years of high school.”

She listed her mom and dad as her inspirations away from school, especially her mom, stating, “She’s always been there for me, no matter what I’m doing, even if she doesn’t agree with me. She’s always there supporting me. She taught me the importance of being well-rounded and in so many activities.”

Gardner plans to attend Utah State University after her mission and earn a degree in business with a goal of one day supporting her family. In 10 years she hopes to be married with a couple of kids and a stable family and income.