Oakton High School seniors process into the Patriot Center at the beginning of the 2014 graduation ceremony Thursday, June 19. Photo by Emma Harris/The Connection
With a handshake from the principal and a snap of a camera, about 500 Oakton High School seniors graduated Thursday morning, June 19 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax.
Around 130 of students were Honor Graduates, meaning they maintained a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 or higher.
“Oakton is its community,” said Eric Lim, the student speaker who highlighted the people of Oakton High School. He told of how the “amazing people” helped him grow from a ninth grader who felt like a failure into a high school graduate who feels comfortable with himself. And though high school was “equal parts monotony and thrill,” the people “made us more us than we could have ever been on our own,” he said. “Remember the people who made you who you are,” Lim said. “I think they’re kind of the point.”
IN MEMORY OF JEANINE MUSGROVE, a freshman biology teacher and AP Environmental Science teacher who passed away due to a sudden heart attack in August 2013, the Class of 2014’s gift is to add to the fund for an outdoor classroom.
“Mrs. Musgrove always talked about building an outdoor classroom,” said Bailey Vitz, executive council member of the Class of 2014. “At least once a week, no matter what the weather was like, she would bring her classes outside to do different activities,” she said.
There is already a “perfect location” for the classroom — a place where no trees have to be cut down and there is already a path — and the Class of 2014 hopes that the classroom will be built this summer, Vitz said. “Mrs. Musgrove touched so many student lives, so as a class we are happy to leave this school with something that will help everyone remember her forever,” she said.
THE ANNUAL FACULTY AWARD was given to Evelyn Wang for her outstanding scholarship, school service, participation, character and integrity, said Dr. John Banbury, principal of Oakton High School. “This speaks volumes on behalf of the faculty and staff,” he said. Wang plans to attend the University of Virginia next year, Banbury said.
Summing up the morning ceremony, guest speaker Denis Greene, president of business operations for the Washington Redskins and parent of a Class of 2014 graduate, offered three pieces of advice to the graduates: apply yourself sooner towards an objective, don’t be afraid to fail and be happy. “Enjoy the ride,” he said. “It gets better.”