Lol, first in middle school doesn't mean anything except work ethic, ESPECIALLY in America. I got academic senioritis in fifth grade (only put extra effort into my extracurriculars) because classes were
too easy, even with testing out of some, and I didn't start caring about grades again until junior year, when I was in a school that didn't rank.
I think I was only in the top 30 or something sophomore year because of that.
But yeah, it DOES show that she has drive. I'm not saying that she isn't smart, just that being first in middle school of all grades tells us more about her ambition than her brains.