Brentsville Graduating Class of 2014 Encouraged to Persevere to Achieve their Dreams

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Brentsville District High School graduated the class of 2014 Saturday with a message of follow your dreams, stay true to yourself, and "never quit." A smaller class than in previous years allowed the ceremony to take place on the football field.

Salutatorian Abigail Mrochinski mentioned how appropriate it is to celebrate the commencement on the field where classmates gathered to “cheer on the Tiger football team,” ran the mile in gym class and made new friendships.

Mrochinski also told her classmates that each of them possesses the ability to “change the world.”

Senior Class President Jeff Walker told his classmates that while they are happy today, “there will always be a better day” and they should look forward to being “even happier tomorrow.”

He said the lesson he has learned throughout high school, especially through wrestling, is to “never quit.”

Walker also sought advice from BDHS Principal Katherine Meints, who told him to be appreciative of those people who didn’t let him fall, and helped him get back up when he did.

Thus, Walker asked that everyone take time to thank five people who helped them succeed. Walker thanked his parents, teachers, wrestling coach and siblings for helping him along his journey.

Principal Meints also addressed the graduates. She told them that today was a celebration of their hard work from kindergarten through 12th grade, however they might “not yet know the most critical lessons for life.”

She asked teachers she respected for advice to give the graduates, and said that their answers all had a similar thread.

“Believe,” one advisor told her. If you do “all is possible; if you don’t believe nothing is.” Another teacher advised, “don’t wait for your dreams- go get them.”

A third teacher said his father told him that some people might be “bigger, stronger, smarter, but as long as you're never out-worked, you will come out on top.”

She explained that her grandfather once told her to “learn to take your lumps and get on down the road.”

All of the messages were ones of perseverance, she explained. No one can tell the graduates they will not face difficult times in their lives, but they have the ability to weather those times.

Lastly, she told them to make time for “faith, family and friends,” whether it is a religious faith or faith in themselves.

Valedictorian Samantha Nussbaum said she asked for advice on writing her speech. She was told to make it funny, make it person, and - the best advice was to keep it short.

“Do something that makes you proud. Your opinion is the only opinion that matters,” she told her classmates.

The graduation was attended by guests of honor District Supervisor Wally Covington, School Board Chairman Milt Johns, Brentsville School Board representative Milt Johns, Gainesville School Board representative Alyson Satterwhite, Associate Superintendent for Middle Schools Bill Bixby, PWCS Associate Superintendent for Communication and Technology Services Keith Imon, Assistant Principal John Kitchen, and PWCS Principal emeritus/acting-administrator Alan Ross, among other administrators.

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