Some 572 students graduated from Chantilly High School during ceremonies held at the GMU Patriot Center on Tuesday. Principal Tammy Turner welcomed the class of 2003 by reminding them what they went through to get to where they are. "You survived the S's," Turner said. "The sniper attacks, snow, the explosion of the shuttle, more snow, and a crazy spring filled with rain." So it was only appropriate that rain would fall on their parade.
The Class of 2003 earned more than $3 million in scholarships and helped put Chantilly High School into the top 100 schools in the nation, according to Newsweek.
Some 26 students graduated with a 4.0 grade point average while 118 seniors earned 3.8 grade point averages.
Turner presented the faculty award — selected by the school's faculty — to Andrew Howlett. She described Howlett as "most impressive" and always "seeking to know more". Howlett received three academic medals — in English, math and social studies. He also scored a perfect 800 in verbal on his SAT's.
The Charger award went to the person who best represents the class. Selected by the senior class, the award was presented by class administrator Lee Holt to Alena Koshansky who played varsity basketball all four years and will continue to play for the University of Delaware. She was also the prom queen.
Valedictorians for the class of 2003 were Maureen Lau and Alison Mathey. Maureen was described by teachers as "delightful to teach". During her valedictory address, Lau told fellow classmates that "the impressions that things make on you will last a lifetime" and to always remember that "the people you remember make up who you are." Alison, a member of the varsity track team since she was a freshman, told her classmates that "life is a kind of race and here we are, all first-place winners because we are here tonight graduating".
The class of 2003 selected Ed Monk, the theater arts teacher, as the keynote speaker. "It doesn't matter what I say to you because you're not listening to a single word I'm saying," he said.
Monk told how, one day, when kids are in the seventh grade, they wake up and decide that they "certainly couldn't learn anything from old people" and therefore no longer listen.
He went on to tell them that "one day, you too will become an old person. And when you have kids and they decide that they know everything, you will hear a knock on your door. You will open it and see Grandma and Grandpa, no, not your Grandma and Grandpa, your kids' Grandparents, and they will sit there and smile. And you will realize that everything they told you was absolutely true and right."
His speech earned him a standing ovation, not from the students, but from the parents.
Graduation came to a close with the faculty choir, lead by Glenn Cockrell, singing "Lean On Me." Then came the presenting of the senior class members by class sponsors Karen Evans, Angie Rollet and Cherie Russell. Rollet was brought to tears when she thanked the class and reminded them to "go forth, do good and make me proud."
After graduation, the new Chantilly Alumni enjoyed a night of fun, games and food at the All-Night Grad Party held in the transformed halls of the high school. Students took part in human bowling, bull riding, jousting, sumo wrestling and casinos.