Class of 2011 sees a future bright with possibilities
By B.C. Manion
One wants to be a medical missions worker.
Another, a diplomat.
One pictures herself playing professional golf.
Others see themselves doing research, crunching numbers, performing surgeries or being social activists.
Such are the aspirations of just a few of the thousands of Hillsborough and Pasco high seniors in the Class of 2011. They’ll be donning their caps and gowns and crossing the threshold into adult life this week during commencement ceremonies.
The settings will be different: The Tampa Convention Center, the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, W.F. Edwards Stadium at Pasco High and the Lakeland Civic Center.
But the atmosphere will likely be much the same: Graduates will march to pomp and circumstance, while proud friends and family member vie to get their attention.
People will capture video or take photographs. Songs will be sung. A speaker or two will talk too long.
As similar as the ceremonies may be, however, each graduate is unique.
Take Ana Reyes, for example, the valedictorian at Gaither High who achieved an eye-popping weighted grade point average of 8.36 on a scale of 4.0.
Meanwhile, Laura Hogan, Gaither’s salutatorian carried on a family tradition of academic excellence. Her dad was the top in his class. So were a brother and sister. Another sister ranked third in her class. She may not have achieved No. 1 at Gaither, but her weighted GPA of 6.96 is No. 1 in her family, giving her bragging rights for decades to come.
At Land O’ Lakes High, three students tied in the race for the top in the school’s International Baccalaureate Program. Erin Chow, Wenyi “Wendy” Gu and Victoria Padgett, are co-valedictorians, each with a weighted GPA of 4.738.
Chow is interested in medical missions work, Gu has ambitions to be a diplomat or practice international law and Padgett is still pondering her future but thinks it likely involves science.
Some outgoing seniors have already left a mark.
Rebecca Hamilton, the salutatorian in Land O’ Lakes’ IB program, was inspired by a movie called “Invisible Children,” to help raise money for schools in northern Uganda.
Ella Berson, Freedom High’s valedictorian and Amy Kim, the school’s salutatorian also have used their time and talents to help bring about change.
Berson is involved in a club called Café Freedom that promotes literacy and spreads awareness about water safety and drowning prevention. Kim launched her own club, Less Than One, to provide basic necessities to children needing them.
A common feeling among this crop of graduates is one of gratitude. They appreciate the encouragement they got from their parents and the guidance that came from their siblings.
They are grateful for the teachers, who passed on a love for learning, who took the time to get to know them, who made them laugh.
