I’ll be 44 years old when I become a parent, and I’m wrestling with what that means. When he graduates high school, I’ll be 62. When he’s 30, I’ll be 74. These numbers feel like a lot.

For Rohan Rao, the road to becoming the valedictorian of the Lawrence High School (LHS) Class of 2025 began at home. It started with his parents, Jay and Nita Rao, who encouraged him to stretch ...