Manteca High has been home to Dallas Mould and Joseph Brandi for the past four years.

They were both active in school, made friends, and, most notably, excelled in the classroom.

For that, Mould and Brandi achieved the highest academic honor as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

They’ll lead the Class of 2011 at Thursday’s annual commencement exercises at Guss Schmiedt Field. The pomp and circumstance will begin at 7 p.m.

Mould, who will attend UCLA in the fall, tallied a 4.35 grade point average to earn the top academic recognition.

She’s the daughter of Roger and Donna Mould.

Dallas Mould, who played volleyball, basketball and softball, was also announced as the Dr. Ed Brasmer Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition, she was one of handful of students to earn the Silver Buffalo Award as a four-sport participant in the past two years.

Mould was elected ASB treasurer, took part in journalism – that was before the program became a budget-cut casualty – and was in the California Scholastic Federation and the National Honor Society.

What will she miss most about high school?

“I’ll probably miss having the comforts of my (high school) environment,” Mould said on Friday.

Ditto that for Joseph Brandi, who is the son of Christine and Robert Brandi.

“I’ll also miss my friends,” he said.

Brandi will bid adieu to Manteca and will be en route to UC Santa Barbara in a couple of months. He plans to major in accounting.

As salutatorian, Brandi, who took part in swimming, tennis, CSF and Earth Club, had a 4.28 GPA.

He and Mould will have a chance to address their classmates – an estimated 370 seniors – at graduation.

“I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to say (in my speech),” Brandi said late last week. “Since it’s not due until next week, I’ll probably wait until last minute.”