Mountain View staff members form a 20 to symbolize the school’s 20th anniversary. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
Mountain View is a small high school, but the impact it’s had upon its students’ lives has been huge. And last Friday, June 17, it marked two decades of existence and achievement.
Faculty, staff and administrators gathered outside the school for some speeches and a drone photo of them standing in the shape of a 20. They also did a ceremonial tree-planting. Some 20 trees — 10 crepe myrtles and 10 dogwoods — were planted around the school by RulyScapes, which donated half of them.
“Today we celebrate 20 years of reshaping student success at Mountain View,” said Principal Gary Morris. “From the school’s inception, we have been accepting students from all over the county and providing them with a second-chance opportunity at achieving their academic goals.”
“We’ve come a long way and we could not have done it without each and every one of you,” he told his 64 staff members. He then introduced three people who’ve been “instrumental in the history of Mountain View” so they, too, could share their thoughts on the school’s anniversary.
Sue Ann Hilten came to Mountain View in August 1997 as its Math Department chair and retired in July 2013. Among the things she recalled were: “Mothers and their children coming to school together; students driving and taking cabs to school; a Math Department of just two teachers; graduations held on the front lawn, in the auditorium and at Fairfax and Oakton high schools; four different principals; just a few desktop computers in each classroom; and educational events such as Reality Store, Career Day, Learning for Transition Day and Timber Wolf Time.”
Now, as a substitute teacher there, she said, “I’m pleased to see Mountain View continues to be a safe place of second chances for all students. Mountain View teachers continue to creatively think outside the box to academically, socially and emotionally educate their students. Happy anniversary, Mountain View. I wish you many, many more.”
Also speaking was Tom Troy who, each year, presents two scholarships — one on behalf of his family and the other on behalf of the VFW. “My son Ritchie was in Mountain View’s Class of 2001,” said Troy. “He’s now a successful businessman in Philadelphia. This is a great place and the teachers have the patience of Job.”
He also praised Career Development Coordinator Sharon DeBragga for “her hard work toward obtaining student scholarships and helping the students reach graduation. Over the past 17 years, she’s given hope to some 440 students and found scholarships for them totaling over $600,000.”
Next to the podium was current Math Department Chair Anne Hoffman, who’s been at the school since 2005. She said she’s “watched our amazing staff — teachers, counselors and administrators — work with our very challenging, at-risk, student population, helping them to become better students and better citizens.”
As a school, said Hoffman, they’ve mentored, counseled and taught lifelong skills to these students, over the years. At the same time, she said, “We also gave them ‘Family, love and respect’ — [the school motto] — something that, for many, is new to them when they come to Mountain View. But it’s something that many of them eventually embrace and treasure, years after they graduate from our school.”
“It’s a privilege to teach at a school that doesn’t quit on kids that have experienced a lot of adversity in their young lives — where education has become the least of their priorities,” she continued. “I’m so proud to say that Mountain View has served our county well by helping these kids onto a better path in life for themselves and for those they love. Our entire community will continue to benefit because of the great things we will continue to accomplish at the View.”
DeBragga, who’s now retiring, spoke about some particular words that describe this school and its students. “We recognize how hard it is for the students — many from other countries — to come to a new place,” she said. “The schoolwork is hard for them, and the teachers work so hard, too, so the students can have hope for their futures.”
Eventually, said DeBragga, the students realize they have options and opportunities for success after graduating from high school. “So they have to change their mindset to achieve their mission,” she said. “They tell themselves, ‘I can listen and learn and accomplish things.’ And when they put forth that effort, they can succeed and achieve excellence.”
She then explained that the first letters of the words, “Hard, hope, options, opportunities, mindset, mission, effort and excellence” spell “Home.” That’s what the students have found at this school, she said, and so did she. “Mountain View’s been my second home for 17 years,” said DeBragga. “It’s a place where I found family, love and respect, and it will always be my home.”