After four years of navigating the hallways of Grady and 17 years of dealing with four siblings, senior Troy Kleber has risen through the ranks to become the salutatorian of the Class of 2013.
“I think it’s awesome that we got this honor back-to-back,” brother and salutatorian of the Class of 2012 Shaun Kleber said. “He clearly deserves it, and I think it’s great that I have a brother right behind me to give me a run for my money.”
The two eldest Klebers also share the accomplishments of serving as co-managing editors of The Southerner, captains of the four-time state winning mock trial team and members of the swim and water polo teams.
Despite their similar accomplishments in school and their extra-curricular activities, however, Shaun said he and his brother are very different. One difference he said was that Troy has never had to stay up late to finish work while he had many late nights while in high school.
“Maybe we’re just a demonstration of evolution–he has figured out how to do what I did, but better,” Shaun said.
In addition to being second in his class, Kleber is a four-sport athlete, with varsity cross-country runner and tennis player as his third and fourth sports. He created a first place winning science fair project, captured multiple Georgia Mock Trial Outstanding Attorney awards, earned runner-up honors in the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Junior Champion Journalist of the Year award and was the recipient of the APS Superintendent’s Sport award, meaning he had the highest GPA of any APS student who plays two or more varsity sports.
One might wonder how he does it.
“I just don’t waste time,” Kleber said. “One of the things that my mom always tells me is the more you have to do, the more you get done. I’m efficient.”
His friends and family attribute his successes to his work ethic and determination to do the best he can do in everything, rather than any parental pressure to do so.
“His record is not really something that he aspires to and something that we care much about,” Dr. Scott Kleber, Troy’s father, said. “We don’t really pay attention to the end result of what our kids’ work is; it’s the process.”
Kleber, despite his busy schedule, manages to balance his schoolwork and extracurricular activities with his social life.
“I don’t think there is anyone who he is friends with who doesn’t think he is a very good friend to them, and that’s not something that everyone who is one of the top students can say,” senior Jeffrey Cox said.
Kleber is also known amongst his peers for his enthusiasm, easy-going personality and widespread catch phrases like “go in” and “that’s how they getcha!”
“When you’re not at school with Troy, you would think he’s the most immature person in the world,” senior Samuel Holder said.
Senior Justin Williams said he is very approachable and despite their friend group’s academic motivation, there is very little competition amongst them.
“We’re good friends, but a lot of the time we’re competing for the same things and he is always very graceful about it,” Williams said.
According to his mother Nancy Habif, at home Kleber serves as a “calming influence” in his household of seven.
“He’s willing to defer his gratification for the immediate because he’s got a little bit longer of a view of things,” Dr. Kleber said. “He doesn’t always have to be the first or have the first in the house.”
Kleber cites the support of his coaches as the main reason he has been able to accomplish all that he has. In mock trial, for example, his time has been a “growing experience as both a team member and as a person” due to his coaches Carl Gebo, Trinh Huynh and teacher sponsor Brian Leahy.
“Mock trial has made me more self-comfortable,” Kleber said. “I was not one of the people that had the natural public speaking talent.”
He has also taken inspiration from his teachers and Southerner advisers, who, he said, have presented him with opportunities to do things that he wouldn’t otherwise get to do, such as reporting about the Occupy Atlanta movement or designing a website.
Kleber has not only been inspired by others to accomplish great things, but has also inspired others to do the same.
“He inspired me by showing me that success can come through putting a lot of work into something,” sophomore Griffin Kish said. “He is a great example of what I want to be in mock trial.”
His mother said because he’s so inclusive, people rally around him and he is able to entitle and empower them.
“It’s not always easy to live up to everything else he does, but he’s a good inspiration and motivation,” sophomore and brother Brandon Kleber said.
He received the Ramsey Scholarship to the University of Georgia, for which scholars receive a $5,250 annual stipend along with the HOPE Scholarship, but has recently committed to Georgia Tech with the Zell Miller scholarship to pursue engineering.
To use his own catch phrase, “He goes in,” Cox said.
