Joshua Gramm, 2026 Salutatorian

He is a student of extraordinary insight and ability who seeks to share his excitement about learning with others. Joshua was a National Merit Finalist, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and he was on the Dean’s Scholars list and Faculty Honor Roll every semester.

He distinguished himself as a musician, qualifying for the Tennessee All-State Band three years in a row, playing two different instruments. He was also selected to attend the competitive Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts after sophomore year, where he developed his skills as a saxophone player. Last summer, Joshua auditioned to attend a highly selective summer program at Interlochen Center for the Arts where he played with talented musicians from all over the world. He also played the clarinet this year for the Memphis Youth Symphony. For his musical accomplishments, he received the MUS Instrumental Music Award for Excellence.

Joshua completed a summer program on sports analytics at Syracuse University. This experience introduced him to what he described as a “playground of data” where quantitative analysis is used to track the repeated experiment that is a competitive sports season.

He compiled the highest point total (179) at the 2026 Tennessee Junior Classical League State Convention, helping the Owls capture their 17th consecutive championship. He was among nine seniors to receive the Laurea Bubonis (“Laurel Wreath of the Owl”), an award that required him to complete a capstone project related to the field of classical studies and augment his work in advanced Latin with the study of Greek. He also was one of 22 seniors to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy, recognizing students who meet proficiency standards in more than one language. For his excellence in classical studies, Joshua received the school’s Wayne E. Duff Latin Award.

“Joshua has consistently been one of the best high school Latin students in the state of Tennessee,” one of his teachers said. “He has finished among the top 10 individual students in the state at the last three TJCL conventions, and at the 2023 National Junior Classical League Convention, he served as the captain of the Tennessee Certamen (Latin quiz bowl) team. In fact, he has given up part of his summer to attend three NJCL conventions, a sacrifice that illustrates his love of classical antiquity, his dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, and his passion for academic competition.”

His knowledge of the classics likely will be useful as he and fellow quiz bowl Owls compete in the 2026 High School National Championship Tournament May 22 in Atlanta. He has served as president of the group this year.

A well-rounded student, he competed on the varsity cross country team, contributing his strong work ethic and valuable leadership, especially in his senior year.

The son of Dr. Teresa B. Gramm and Dr. Marshall K. Gramm, Joshua will graduate Summa Cum Laude and will attend Rice University, where he plans to pursue a career in mathematics.