It’s not every day that a student who has reached the pinnacle of high school academic achievement holds himself up as a cautionary tale. But that’s precisely what Mathews High School valedictorian Caleb Selph did on Saturday afternoon in his speech to his fellow soon-to-be graduates.

“MHS Class of 2015, my advice to you is—DON’T BE ME,” he said, as he regretted the opportunities he missed in his single-minded pursuit of scholastic excellence. Selph and 98 of his fellow class members received their diplomas during the program, which was held in the school’s Harry M. Ward Auditorium.

“I did everything I was supposed to academically and ended up more successful than I envisioned, but socially and mentally, I crashed and burned and couldn’t get back up,” he said. “As a result, I felt like I had squandered what many view to be the most exciting four years of my life.”

In a speech filled with self-deprecating humor, ...