Valedictorian

The Hagerstown Torch Club recognized two recent Washington County Public Schools graduates for their valedictorian and salutatorian speeches during 2006 graduation ceremonies. Laura Michael, a Boonsboro High School graduate, and Laura Forsyth, a Williamsport High School graduate, were selected for giving the most inspirational speeches, said Ron Bowers, president of the Hagerstown Torch Club. Bowers said the Torch Club is an international association of local clubs in which people practicing recognized professions enjoy the cultural interchange of knowledge.

Grace Academy recently named Laura Jacques as valedictorian of its 2007 graduating class. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jacques of Smithsburg earned a 3.9 grade-point average. In addition to earning valedictorian honors, Jacques was selected by the faculty to receive the Joseph E. Michael Christian Character Award, the school's highest recognition. The award is based on the student's all-around Christian character, especially in the areas of humility and service. Jacques was a member of the school's praise band and was captain of the soccer team.

HAGERSTOWN -- Many South Hagerstown High School students high-fived their teachers Friday morning as they filed into the school's gym for their graduation ceremony. So began a joyful two-hour ceremony full of hugs, tears and loud bursts of applause. A proud mother started crying and said "that's my baby, there she goes," as the class of 2008 made its way into the gymnasium. Jermaine Cain, a 2006 South High graduate, played the traditional "Pomp and Circumstance" on an organ as his fellow Rebels processed in two-by-two.

HAGERSTOWN -- Boonsboro High School Principal Martin R. Green gave about 7 million reasons why the class of 2008 was special during its commencement ceremony Friday at Hagerstown Community College. It was over the course of four years of academic achievement that the nearly 230 or so students in the class were able to compile nearly $7 million in college scholarships, Green said. In his four years as principal, Green said the class of 2008 earned almost twice as much as the class with the second highest amount.

MERCERSBURG, PA. -- MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews might have missed Mercersburg Academy's graduation Saturday to cover Hillary Clinton's announcement that she was suspending her presidential campaign, but jokes of his absence made multiple appearances at the academy's 115th commencement. "I don't know what Chris Matthews was going to speak about, but odds are that right now, he is drinking beer in an airport bar with a nagging feeling that he forgot to do something important," said Tom Thorne, second-string commencement speaker and instructor of Latin at the academy.

On May 23, at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Alexandria Volkening of Boonsboro experienced her first graduation ceremony. Volkening, who was homeschooled from first through 12th grades, was honored as the Class of 2011 valedictorian of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Standing in front of more than 5,000 students, faculty members and family, she delivered a commencement address that highlighted the great diversity at UMBC. She challenged her peers to continue to reach out of their comfort zones and combine their voices together to tackle today's increasingly multidisciplinary problems.

Twelve seniors graduated June 3 from Heritage Academy, according to an academy press release. Student speakers included valedictorian Dylan Black and salutatorian Brittany Eberly. Alumni speaker was Jeannett Dan of the class of 2001, and commencement speaker was Pastor John Miller. Senior awards were presented to the following students: · Dylan Black - ACSI Distinguished Christian High School Student. · DruAnna Clark - Pensacola Christian College Student Leadership Award and Red Cross Scholarship.

Bethany Garnand garnered a couple of prestigious awards at Smithsburg High School this spring. First, she graduated as the valedictorian as the top student in her class. Then she received the Charles Summers Award at the Smithsburg High School sports banquet. The award is given to one male and one female student-athlete who have played the same sport for two consecutive years with the highest grade-point average in the senior class. She is the daughter of Ralph and Tammi Garnand.

The following area students were awarded scholarships to attend Shippensburg University: • Katie Reese, daughter of Dennis Reese and Sharon Reese of Boonsboro, is the recipient of the Harold and Helen Crouse Business Scholarship. She is a junior majoring in marketing and management, and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma honors business fraternity and Phi Kappa Phi honors fraternity. She is a 2008 graduate of Boonsboro High School. • Valerie Nicole Green, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Green of McConnellsburg, Pa., is the recipient of a Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors Valedictorian Scholarship.

WILLOW HILL, PA. - Forty-seven students graduated Friday night from Fannett-Metal High School in what was the school's first outdoor ceremony. Family and friends set up lawn chairs to celebrate the graduates, who described themselves as close-knit. "Instead of getting out of high school, it's more missing friends and not seeing them everyday," Melanie Crider said. "Most of us hang out on the weekend," said Nick McCalmont, who joked around before the ceremony with friends Neil Hill, Corey Henry, Dakota Bair, Douglas Johnson and Justin Hockenberry.