What Happened to the Valedictorians?

I read:

"One researcher, after spending more than 15 years following the careers of high school valedictorians, concluded that most of them simply, "know how to do school. They are not the group to look for, for creative breakthroughs ... or for becoming notable leaders in a particular area."

Looking back, what happened to the students who had the highest marks? Where are they today? Are they more successful as adults than those who were average or weak students? By successful I mean: Are their lives objectively better than others? Do they have better marriages? better children? happier lives? more productive lives? I can't see that those with the top marks accomplished anything special in life, more than those with average grades.

Then again, what does happiness in life have to do with high marks in school? Perhaps it makes more sense to see whether those who got top marks did something with their academic abilities.

****
A woman wrote:

I was the class valedictorian. While I may not be considered hugely successful by my classmates standards, I gave up a rewarding job to stay at home and raise my kinderlach. That being said, the same tools of perserverance, attention to detail, knowledge and the love of learning that helped me be the valedictorian are what help me be the mother and community member that I am. I believe that one has to strive to be the biggest success they can be at each point in their lives. When in school, one has to excel to the best of their capabilities, when at a job the same, in raising yiddishe children the same idea follows. Just an insight from a valedictorn whom many view as not going on to be a success but who feels like one anyway.