Some 580 Chantilly High seniors and their teachers, friends and families piled into GMU's Patriot Center last Thursday, June 23, to celebrate four years of fun, hard work and accomplishment — and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
Cheers rang out as everyone took their seats. On stage were SGA members, award recipients and other guests. Twenty students all with GPAs of 4.0 or higher sat in front of the stage facing the graduating class of 2005.
THE SEATED graduates wore their school colors — girls in white and boys in purple. And behind them, the student Symphonic Orchestra began the processional, "Pomp and Circumstance." After the presentation of the school colors, the orchestra and a selected choir led in the singing of the National Anthem.
Class President Carol Johnson welcomed all the guests to the 2005 commencement. Emily Pecot, the class secretary, introduced the distinguished guests. K.C. O'Malley, who will be attending the U.S. Navel Academy next year, received the Faculty Award.
Principal Tammy Turner, who presented the Faculty Award, highlighted O'Malley's participation in varsity soccer and cross country; his academic accomplishments — National Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society and AP classes; and his extracurricular activities — Harvard Model Congress and the Jazz Ensemble.
Turner then named the 20 students who received GPAs of 4.0 or higher; Carl Sparacino was named Salutatorian, and Audrey Nhu-Quyen Le was proclaimed Valedictorian. "We can all be proud of where we came from," said Le to her graduating class.
Following the Valedictorian speech came the Senior Choral Spotlight. A group of seniors from the choir performed "For Good" from the Broadway play, "Wicked."
Jenna Loomer, the class vice president, introduced this year's keynote speaker, Charles Miller, the Physical Education chairman at Chantilly High. Miller urged the students do to what he always told them to do: Dress up, try something new, use the right tools and make your own stories. He demonstrated by wearing a cowboy hat, walking to the microphone, holding a guitar and singing "Gym Teacher Logic" to the packed house.
He emphasized that the students succeeded in high school because someone believed in them, great learning came from the methods of teaching rather than the lesson, and that nothing positive happens after 11 o'clock at night.
Kathleen Lynch, the class administrator, presented the Charger Award to Carol Johnson who will be attending Shaw University in the fall. Said Class Historian Cara Warren: "Together we achieve the extraordinary."
NEXT, SHIRI AHRONOVICH, the class treasurer, presented two black benches as the class gift.
The 2005 commencement theme: "For People and Things That Went Before, I Know I Often Stop and Think About Them," was highlighted as Nicole Slagle and Peter Warren sang "In My Life" by the Beatles.
Class sponsor Julie Henniger presented the members of the senior class, who were then awarded their diplomas. During this time, each student gave Principal Turner one penny as her retirement gift.
As each student received his or her diploma, the audience cheered and clapped, while some tossed beach balls and blew bubbles.
After all the diplomas were awarded, Carol Johnson led the class in the turning of the tassels from the left to right side of their caps, signifying the end of commencement.
The graduates threw their caps in the air as the crowd gave them a standing ovation to cheer them on their way. As the Class of 2005 left the Patriot Center, the faculty and guests remained standing while the orchestra played the recessional.
The class motto, by Anatole France — "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe" — describes how the Chantilly graduates accomplished all that they did. And along the way, the graduating seniors earned $3.5 million worth of scholarships.