Brian Manchester, who recently graduated from Blue Ridge High School, is seen with his parents John and Cheryl in Vestal, NY. John Manchester is the high school's principal and Cheryl Manchester is head of the math department, which gave Brian a lot to live up to during his high school career.

When your father is the high school principal and your mother the head of the math department — and both show up at your senior prom — it can make for some awkward moments.

Just ask Brian Manchester, who just graduated from Blue Ridge High School in rural northeastern Pennsylvania.

"It was a battle; I tried to get them not to go," he said. "Luckily, it was in a big enough room where they didn't have to be over my shoulder the whole time."

Thankfully, such episodes were the exception, not the rule, and the good-natured Manchester took it all in stride — even the ribbing from classmates — on his way to becoming class valedictorian.

Manchester, 18, of Hallstead, maintained a nearly perfect grade-point average while finding time for the marching and concert bands, the basketball and golf teams, and the honor society and student council.

While his studies always came first, Manchester said his parents never placed undue pressure on him. Rather, the motivation came from older brother Patrick — who, as it happens, was valedictorian of the Class of 2003.

"My parents always pushed me to do the best I could, but I never felt that I had to do anything to impress them," said Manchester, who plans to major in finance at St. John's University in New York.

His father, Blue Ridge Principal John Manchester, said he and his wife, Cheryl, were probably harder on their kids than they are on other students. Yet both parents were mindful of the unique pressures faced by their high-achieving children.

Brian, it turns out, not only saw his mother around school — he also had her for pre-calculus and AP calculus. He could not, however, bring himself to call her Mrs. Manchester.