Broad Run High School senior Mark Aldridge has been waiting for June 17 to arrive for quite awhile.
"It's sweet, .... now, it's finally here. I don't have to go to high school anymore. I get to go to college," said Aldridge, who expects his friends to be the only thing he will miss from high school and looks forward to his own schedule and less routine.
Aldridge is one of 1,813 students expected to graduate from Loudoun County Public Schools in mid-June when the first senior class will graduate from Stone Bridge High School, which opened in fall 2000. Last year during the 2000-01 school year, 1,604 students graduated from Loudoun schools, compared to 1,446 students during the 1999-2000 year. The public schools will not have a final graduation count for the 2001-02 year until next month.
"I'm excited but I'm nervous," said Potomac Falls High School senior Tiffany Parker about graduating on June 15. The Sterling resident plans to study business management at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "Everything's been the same way. You have no clue what to expect," she said.
ON AVERAGE, 98 to 99 percent of seniors graduate from Loudoun schools and about 1 percent drop out, said Wayde Byard, school press officer for the Public Schools. Of those graduating, 87 percent go on to higher education, 81 percent choosing to attend college, he said.
"We really push our kids to achieve, and by their senior year, they really made a commitment to finish it up," said Anne Lewis, supervisor of guidance and health services. "We try to give the students a lot of individual attention, especially those who are struggling, to provide any support we can ... to help them graduate."
Lewis said school principals and guidance counselors regularly meet with students who are in danger of not graduating and communicate with parents. "In their senior year, if we see something missing, we're on top of it. It's not like we say sink or swim. We're out working with those students all year."
Potomac Falls senior Kevin Makowski said high school prepared him for "the big step." "Everything we've done up to now has gotten us ready for it. It's our time to take off," said the Sterling resident, who plans to attend college in the fall. "It's the unknown. You have confidence in yourself but not all the confidence in the world."
Makowski said he expects to "have a good time and enjoy a summer of freedom" before he starts college and has to worry about grades again.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS in Loudoun will hold their graduation ceremonies at George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, except Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville, which will hold ceremonies Saturday, June 15 at the "Bootsie" Leonard Field at the high school. The C.S. Monroe Technology Center in Leesburg will hold ceremonies Friday, June 14 at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg. Loudoun County High School's graduation is June 18 at the Patriot Center.
In eastern Loudoun, the following graduation ceremonies will be held:
• Friday, June 14, 7:30 p.m. Stone Bridge High School, with Mark Stavish, vice-president of human resources for America Online, Inc. addressing the first graduating class at the school.
• Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m., Potomac Falls High School, with
Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher as the main speaker.
• Saturday, June 15, 2:30 p.m., Park View High School, with Alan Merten, president of George Mason University, addressing the class.
• Monday, June 17, 10 a.m., Broad Run High School, with New York City firefighter Terry Kelly speaking.