Half of West Valley students graduate with honors
Published Thursday, May 15, 2008
Enduring 13 years of school, four songs, a medley and five speeches, more than 200 West Valley High School seniors received diplomas Wednesday at the Carlson Center.
“It seems like just yesterday we all walked into school for the first time,” said Kayla Weber, senior class president and one of three graduates to address West Valley’s class of 2008 in front of a two-thirds full auditorium.
Also speaking were Principal Shaun Kraska along with Heather Damario, who teaches history and government at the school.
Valedictorian Carey Robert Fristoe, in a speech peppered with references to soggy hoagie bread and undercooked French fries, counseled his peers to vote in November and to be good stewards of the earth.
Fristoe also congratulated his fellow graduates.
“This is a celebration of how far we’ve made it,” he said.
Salutatorian Katja Elizabeth Binkley spoke about graduation being a rite of passage.
“Our rite of passage is composed of our memories and the lessons we will take with us,” she said.
Damario started her remarks by asking the graduates to introduce themselves to the persons sitting beside them, remembering how at her own graduation 13 years ago she sat beside someone she did not know.
Damario’s message to the out-going seniors was to remember the power of individuals to change a nation.
The teacher named various acts by members of the class that have made a lasting impression, singling out the student who brought her oatmeal raisin cookies after a tough week and the student who ended every class period with a high five.
“Are you going to put yourself on the line for what you consider to be just?” Damario asked.
“My wish for you is to live, not merely to exist,” she added.
More than half of the class graduated with honors, including 21 students who earned a grade point average of 4.0 or higher.
More than 40 of the graduates won scholarships, including Robin Congdon, who won a Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship.
Sarah Elizabeth James won a University of Alaska ice carving scholarship. Amy Steiner won a 2008 University of Alaska Fairbanks Rifle Scholarship. Aunna Colette Wilson won a Golden Valley Electric Association Academic Scholarship.
A handful of graduates received five or more scholarships.
Weber won the principal’s award for exhibiting humility, a good attitude and positive leadership during her time at West Valley High School. A plaque in the school library will bear Weber’s name. Performing at the ceremony were the West Valley Concert Choir, the West Valley Wolfpack Band and graduates Jenya Anderson and Josh Tanner, who sang a duet of “Those You’ve Known.”
Graduate Taylor Lee sang the “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Community Discussion
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WOW....Congratulations Graduates!! Teachers!! Principal!!
Awesome Job :)
Liz
Half the class graduated with honors????? Half!!!!!!
A Little much, no?
Back when I went to school a 'C' was Average - meaning the average grade in the class - - only a small part were A's, and therefore we only had a small number honors students - - and my class was 300+ kids.
I beleive the results are now adjusted so everyone 'feels' good! Why would anyone want an AVERAGE grade when we can just inflate them so everyone gets A's and B's.....
rediculous....bring standards and grades that mean something back!
Akguy your spelling of ridiculous speaks volumes
I would like to know how dropped out is the last four years and did not graduate? If 70% dropped out per the state average then these numbers make sense and the real honor roll is 15% of the class that started four years ago. Congratulations to those that did the work and graduated.
The SAT/ACT scores tell the real story. How does this class stack up with grads across the country?
You people....would it kill you to just to say "Good Job!" to all those kids. 10% of the class graduated with straight A's!!!! 20% received a scholarship of some sort!!! Great job WV grads!!!!
wtg graduates!
what is the percentage of honor grads in our other high schools?
clyde -
I am sorry my spelling doesn't meet your standards - -
sadly I am only a college trained and 'edumacated' engineer...4 year + degree and all....
I deal in Math...not words - so sometimes my words (and spelling) are lacking....
I could probably take you in a differential equations contest, though....
way to miss my point - you must be a teacher at WV
Thats awesome that half of west valley high school students graduated with honors.I hope that (all of them) go on to success in the game of life
Another stellar posting from akguy. Way to take a positive story and rip it apart with your bitterness.
Congrats, class of 2008.
Way to go WV grads... and all of the others that will be graduating in the next few days.
I'm proud of my baby bro, who graduated this year. And to all those who boo-hoo the education system, either do something to change it, or shut up!
OK, guppie9, I'll try to say it..."Good job WV grads!"
Hey, it didn't kill me to say it..wait...my chest...aggghhhhhh!
(Loud thump heard off screen.)
(No, really, this is great news. And all the scholarships too. These kids will go far.)
With honors simply means that the student completed 24 credits
It has absoutely no reflection of grade point average, community service or citizenship
Our society wants every one to feel like they were the best so we create these underachieveing awards so no one feels left out
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