Traffic, a rainstorm and power outages in parts of the Fairfax area failed to prevent family and friends from attending the James W. Robinson Secondary School graduation on Wednesday, June 22. This seemed appropriate, however most of the evening’s speeches were about adversity, and the ability of the class of 2005 to overcome it.
"They are a great group of kids. Very energetic," said Kathy Naughton, a history teacher at Robinson. "It’s hard to go this long into June, but they have really risen to the occasion."
Graduate Mallery Monroe agreed. "For a long year, it’s been pretty worthwhile," she said.
The sheer size of Robinson’s graduating class — nearly 700 students — led to the ceremony moving to George Mason’s Patriot Center this year.
"Robinson’s a good school," said Dr. Jack D. Dale, Fairfax County School superintendent. "I always look forward to the student speakers. They’re great thinkers and writers, very creative in their thinking."
Daniel Meier, principal of Robinson Secondary School, spoke about how the class of 2005 experienced the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon in their freshman year and the sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C. area in their sophomore year. This was also one of the first classes to undergo state-mandated Standards of Learning tests. "And if that weren’t enough, in their senior year, I had to go and change their lunch schedule," he said. "I don’t think they’ve forgiven me."
"Teachers don’t stop being your teachers when you receive your diploma," said Meier. "We’ll always be here for you."
"Robinson became not just a school, but a home away from home," said class president William Brubaker in his speech. "It protected us from blizzards, from hurricanes, from cicadas, and sometimes from our parents."
Brubaker also congratulated the handful of students who were going into military service or ROTC after graduation.
Eileen Noonan, a social studies teacher who graduated from Robinson nine years ago, was the guest speaker.
"The uncertainty of the future should not make you falter, but should prepare you to move forward," said Noonan. "Choose to be powerful … choose to have fun. Life is too short not to have fun."