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(July 3, 2013) - "I would personally like to thank you for all you have done for Loudoun County High School over the past four years,” said Loudoun County High School Principal William E. Oblas as he addressed the Class of 2013 at its graduation ceremony June 10th.
“This year’s senior class has distinguished itself in many ways.I have been fortunate to witness and celebrate many great things at Loudoun County High School which would not have happened without your hard work and leadership.”
Oblas reviewed the honors of the Class of 2013:
- 137 seniors received academic letters in all four years.
- Many of this year’s graduates took one or more Advanced Placement classes, placing Loudoun County in the top 2 percent of the nearly 27,000 high schools in the U.S. for the challenging of students.
- 84 percent will attend a two- or four-year college after graduation.
- ROTC scholarships total $1.3 million.
- Total scholarships and grants reported by the entire Class of 2013 reached a record $3.1 million.
- Mark Donehoo, Wallace Teska and Sinclair Williams attained a perfect score on one or more sections of the SAT.
- Amour Alexandre, Bobby McCurdy, Emma Stockton, Paola Vallejos and Jordan Wilhelm-Wenzel attained a perfect score on one more sections of the ACT.
- Member of the Class of 2013 helped LCHS win the district championship in 12 varsity sports, 16 tournament championships, seven regional championships, five state runners-up and three state championships.
“In our graduating class we have 10 remaining “plank owners’ who were part of our NJROTC Unit when it was first established in the fall of 2009,” said Oblas. “… Their hard work is reflected in the tremendous success of our program and the success of all of the NJROTC graduates from Loudoun County High School, past and present.”
The top five percent of the Class of 2013 and the universities they will attend included:
- Amour Alexandre – Yale University
- Ann Clark – University of Virginia
- Erin Fischer – Virginia Tech
- Sarah Greenspon – Wake Forest University
- Kolby Howerter – University of Virginia
- Kerry Johnson – University of Virginia
- Anna Nordseth – James Madison University
- Amber Reinecke – Mary Washington University
- Stephen Simmons – Brigham Young University
- Catherine Sokol – George Mason University
- Matthew Sun – Virginia Tech
- Erica Talbot – University of Virginia
- Wallace Teska – Columbia University
- Paola Vallejos – Duke University
- Jordan Wilhelm-Wenzel – United States Naval Academy
- Sinclair Williams – Yale University
Oblas also noted the retiring faculty members who would be “graduating” with this class: Martha Blakeney, completing her 40th year in education at Loudoun County High School; George Grantham, who taught U.S. Government for 38 years; Patricia Jones, who taught art for 30 years, the last 12 of which have been at Loudoun County High School; and Gini Temple, who taught biology for 30 years.
The Loudoun County Chamber Choir, featuring senior choir members and senior soloist Erica Talbot performed “We May Never Pass This Way Again.”
The Valedictorian for the Class of 2013 was Marie Bernadette Amour Alexandre who graduated with a 4.67 cumulative GPA. “From here on, if you can’t hear opportunity knocking…go out and build a door,” said Alexandre. “It’s a lot to handle…but that’s OK. Don’t let society set the guidelines for your own success.
“We’ve been trained to seek approval from others all throughout our lives. Success should be measured in the joy you find in your life…and in yourself. Embrace your life and do with it what you may. You must be an unoriginally original. Who cares what other people think of your aspirations…it’s not their life to live.
“We’ll be heading off with the best foundation in our area….an education at Loudoun County High School. I know I am especially proud to graduate from this school…a school so amazing they named an entire county after it. Thank you all for allowing me to be a part of Loudoun County High School’s Class of 2013.
I wish you all the best and can’t wait to see where the future takes us. Now let’s get down to business and graduate.”
David Alayachew was named the Class of 2013 Most Outstanding Senior.
“I look at you through eyes that are slightly different…I see you as an alumnae, as am I,” said Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Dr. Edgar B. Hatrick, III.
“There are three words I want to ask you to think about today:
“Possibility – I see in you the possibility to be whatever you want to be…to do whatever you want to do…the possibilities for you are endless.
“Purpose – many of you have already achieved much…and will achieve much more. Do everything you do with purpose.
“Passion – as you seek your career…you may have a career change four times in your lifetime. Think about what excites you and makes your blood race…follow your passion.”
Matthew Lan Sun, Class of 2013 Salutatorian, earned a 4.60 GPA and introduced the keynote speaker.
Dr. Kathleen “Kitty” Saylor, retired CEO of Rehau, North America and current chief executive of the Montana State University Alumni Foundation, addressed the graduates. “I am going to break the first rule of graduation speeches by speaking about past events that might be interesting to me…but which my audience can’t relate to.
“I will also break the second rule about graduation speeches, which is not to speak about myself, because it is boring to others. But, I will do it quickly with the sincere intent that my story will help you to not worry.
“In 1978, as I graduated, I was a little worried about my future…and it probably rings true for some of you graduating today. But, I am here to tell most of you, don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out. Don’t worry if you don’t have your career path set and your life plan completed.
“Don’t worry that there is more than one path ahead of you…embrace this notion. This is what makes life interesting, challenging and fun. There is a reason why you hear so many people say ‘If you would have told me that I would be doing this in 20 years…I never would have believed you.’ Success and happiness in my experience depends upon finding the right paths. Successful people have encountered multiple paths…paths they weren’t afraid to get off the one they were on…and onto other ones. Paths they didn’t even know existed.”
Having broken two rules about giving graduation addresses, Saylor avoided a third, which is not to give advice “…because the students probably think you are old and don’t understand anything.
“So no advice for me…just a request…a request that regardless of which path you find yourself on…and trust me some will be better than others. Try to remember two things:
“You will never succeed all by yourself…all along your journey you will need help and advice. Please take it…and as Dr. Hatrick suggested, remember to say ‘thank you.’
“Remember that the real measure of success is not what you have done…or what others think about what you have done…the real measure of success is what you think about what you have done…
“You are blessed to have loving family and friends…and to have had a wonderful learning experience here at Loudoun County High School…and to live in the greatest nation in the world. Look around you and take in those blessings…breathe them in deep and hold them inside. Those blessings are the oxygen that will keep you going down all those paths… plural…of life ahead of you.”
In attendance at the Loudoun County High School graduation commencement was Loudoun County School Board member Bill Fox (Leesburg District).
Viva Loudoun Graduation 2013 Series
Today: Loudoun County
Tomorrow: Loudoun Valley
July 2 : Heritage
July 1: Freedom
June 30: Dominion
June 29: Broad Run
June 28: Briar Woods
Article and photo courtesy Loudoun County Public Schools
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