Cody Carmen is No. 1 in Clovis North High School’s class of 2011, the school’s first graduating class.

He is a top debater in his age group, has a 4.29 grade-point average and is a school leader.

Cody, a sophomore, also is part of Clovis North’s leadership program, a position he might not have attained at a school that has upperclassmen.

“If I was at another high school I couldn’t be in leadership until my junior year,” he said. “Being at Clovis North has helped me as a student, because I have to take on more responsibilities.”

In a national debate competition, Cody finished second in his age group this year. He had 30 minutes to prepare for a debate about current events and make a seven-minute speech citing five or more sources.

Nicole Torres, a Clovis North leadership teacher, nominated Cody and said he “acts like a leader every day.” She said Cody balances difficult classes with sports and co-curricular activities.

“He sets a very high standard with all the things he’s done,” she said. “He is not one of those kids where everything comes easy to him, but everything he does he puts a lot of effort into.”

Cody says his favorite subjects are history and English.

He said Thomas Jefferson and Ronald Reagan are two of his heroes because they put their country first in making difficult decisions.

He wants to attend the U.S. Naval Academy or a major university and will put his debating prowess to work as a lawyer.