2010 WCPSS Valedictorians Celebrate Success

2010 Valedictorians

• Favorite teachers

• Offer advice

• Accomplishments

• Photos

Anmol Singh

Ryan Douglas Cowles

Eason Michael Abbott    

Thomas Alexander Pendlebury

Ashley Breanne Stacy

Drew Jordon Geib

Bryan Tyler Duttman

Garrett Liles Johnson

Ekaterina Roze

Dominic Evan Boccaccio

Jonathan P.H. Sherron

Michael Jin

Elizabeth Windham

Case Western Reserve University

Anna Powell

Min Jae Chin

Heather Newman

Eric Mackie

Carnegie Mellon University

Salma Azam

James Martin Kuo

Calvin Kao

I was fortunate to have many excellent and nurturing teachers.  Mrs. Abimbola Omolodun, my fourth grade teacher, was my favorite.  I always visit her when I stop by Zebulon Elementary to see my mom.  Maybe I should have said my mom!  Let’s just call it a tie.

I am not able to say who my favorite WCPSS teacher was because it is difficult to choose, especially when I have been blessed with so many wonderful teachers throughout my school years. I will however say two that come to the forefront of my mind that is Mr. di Carlo and Ms. Christensen. I cannot thank them enough. Another administrator that I would like to acknowledge would be Mrs. Lassiter. I'd like to sincerely thank all of them for their continuous help, support, and guidance in and outside of the classroom.

Deborah Karpel was my Spanish teacher for two years and she is a marvelous teacher. She is a life-long student with a constant hunger for learning that is as contagious as her enthusiasm. Mrs. Karpel earns the respect of all her students because the breadth of her knowledge extends well beyond the required subject area. She challenges students to dig deeper as well, delving into the details of Spanish culture and history.

My favorite teacher was Mrs. Barritt, my calculus teacher. She is an exceptional teacher, especially because she teaches us math and the importance of being a good person in the community.  I had never had a teacher that cared so much about the well being of her students until I met Mrs. Barritt. 

Mrs. Allyson Young; she is so kind and passionate about her job. She's always willing to go the extra mile to help any student individually and really puts her heart into her job. Not to mention, she's a wonderful educator.

Though I do not have a favorite teacher, I believe Mr. Geoff Belcher (AP Literature and Composition) exhibits certain characteristics as an educator that makes him the quintessential teacher. Surely, being able to fulfill the title of an "educator" by thoroughly teaching students the content of the specific subject is crucial, but what makes a truly great teacher is looking past the profession and acting on a more sincere and personal level with each student. Teachers, like Mr. Belcher, share passion, care, humor, sacrifice, patience, and wisdom as they discipline and edify their students. Because of his ardor, Mr. Belcher helped me to better enjoy and to improve in an area of study that was not necessarily my best. For this, and for all teachers such as Mr. Geoff Belcher, I would like to give my greatest praise and appreciation.

My favorite teacher was my AP US History teacher, Mr. Paul Dickerson, who is one of the most fair and intelligent teachers I've ever had the pleasure of encountering.  He is humorous, challenging, and critical, an excellent trio for a superb academic experience! I also owe thanks to Mrs. Susan Shearin of Carver Elementary for inspiring and encouraging me through the years.

I'd have to say that my favorite teacher was Mrs. Carla Tuttle, my 9th grade Honors English teacher.  I have learned more from Mrs. Tuttle than I have from any of my other teachers, and what I have learned from her has stayed with me throughout my entire high school career.  I feel as if the person and student I was coming out of her class was completely different from the person I was going into her class.  She trained my mind to think critically and I will forever be indebted to her and how she prepared me for the tough years ahead.  Although she was my English teacher, I have used the knowledge she imparted upon me in all my subjects and in all walks of my school life. Above everything else, Mrs. Tuttle made me a good writer, and this skill has proven to be invaluable in so many ways that I cannot even begin to describe. Apart from being a superb teacher, Mrs. Tuttle is also one of those teachers who is simply an amazing person!  She seems to have many hidden talents that I learn more and more about each day, and she has high expectations for both herself and others, and these expectations serve to squeeze out the very best from all of her students.  Her authoritative presence in the room is always impressive, but at the same time, she is an extremely entertaining teacher whose lectures are always interesting.  Mrs. Tuttle also takes a personal interest in all her students and I can personally say that I have felt that Mrs. Tuttle has always been a guiding light and role model for me throughout my high school career.  I was lucky enough to continue keeping constant contact with her through NHS, even though I only had her as a teacher during my first semester of high school.  Thank you for everything you've done, Mrs. Tuttle!

It’s very difficult for me to choose one favorite teacher, because the best part of being at high school has been the teachers who have inspired me to engage in deep intellectual exploration.  However, Mrs. Pamela Cross, my French III and French IV teacher, stands out, not only because of her contribution to my academic development but also because she opened the door to what I have discovered to be my true intellectual passions.

My favorite teachers in the last four years: Creighton Flowers, Kristen VanDyke, Kamii Harris, Courtney Ammons, June Blackwell, Marshall Butler Jr., Sarah Lazar, Susan Kennedy, David Sampson, Christopher Story, Ginger Cherry, and Catherine Warner. It surely isn’t my fault that Jesse O. Sanderson has so many excellent, life-changing teachers!

Becky Townsend, for whom I have the utmost respect, instilled within me a stronger love for science and a higher determination to pursue my own goals. This is a teacher who teaches because she truly wants to, even to the extent of turning down a PhD degree to do what she loves. Her “geeky” attitude in class makes everyone smile, and her stories about her past encourage students to look forward to college and beyond. She is a teacher whom I will truly miss next year!

I have had so many influential teachers it is impossible to give credit to just one. Both Mrs. Kaulfuss and Ms. Forner helped me improve my creative and analytical writing tremendously. Dr. Boxall, Mr. Geraghty, and Mr. Snook inspired me to go into the field of science and engineering. Without them I would not be the same.

For those who are seeking to excel academically, I advise you to do your best even when things are at their most difficult.  An important trait of those who want to excel academically is the ability to overcome adversity.

Although I am almost positive that many students will have heard this advice before, I believe that it is important for them to manage their time wisely in that they reserve time for their studies as well as pencil in time for themselves whilst knowing their limitations.

Academic success comes with the desire to learn. If school ever becomes solely about making the grade, then the whole purpose behind being a student is lost. Grades will be meaningless as soon as schooling has ended. All that remains to equip you to take on the world is the knowledge and wisdom that you have obtained. I also suggest that students work hardest at the subject in which they are weakest because all subjects are inevitably intertwined and falling behind in one will only lead to falling behind in another.

I believe that students should do what they can handle to the best of their ability.  Excelling academically does not always mean coming out of class with an A.  For me, I believe that as long as a student learns something new everyday, he/she will excel.  Also, I believe that often times, students that wish to excel academically forget about things outside of school.  I have been there, and I cannot stress the importance of having some sort of recreational activity to do enough.  Study hard but never forget that there are so many things to learn outside of school.

Focus on the long term. Hard work now will pay off later, so keep that in mind when you're up at 2am finishing a paper. Also: don't make grades and school-work your life, it won't fulfill you (especially if you don't do as well as you had hoped), so find what else your interested in and pursue that as well. Finally, be humble in your accomplishments.

Involve yourself in meaningful relationships and activities outside of the classroom. Being a part of the Cross Country, and Soccer teams as well as clubs such as the Backpacking Club, NHS; volunteer service; and fun times with friends has significantly contributed to me being a disciplined, balanced student.

First, avoid trivial distractions.  They’re everywhere and can be extremely dangerous.  Second, work.  Work harder than anyone else thinks you should, and work even harder when everyone else is doing nothing.

Work to forge a close relationship with your teachers……they want to help all of us succeed. 

Out of all my accomplishments from school, I am most proud of being declared the valedictorian for my school.  This feat displays my hard work and dedication that I put forth for four consecutive years in high school.

The accomplishment that I am most proud of would be my being able to take college classes while still being in high school and being able to alter my studying and time management skills in order to be successful. This is an accomplishment that I share with many of my other peers and I hope that they see this as something to be proud of as well.

I have felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment in my tutoring. In the beginning, I struggled to find effective ways to explain concepts to my peers, but I have now learned how to adapt to the various learning styles of students. Tutoring has become a challenge and a passion for me. It is a very rewarding experience which allows me to use my skills to help others.

I am most proud of being the president of the Health Occupations Students of America. I never would have been able to do what I did in high school without HOSA. The club taught me so much more than concrete facts; it really showed me the importance of being a strong and hardworking individual on a day to day basis. When I first entered high school, I never would have saw myself as president of any club. Because of the skills I learned from HOSA, I obtained leadership positions in various organizations. 

Dominic Boccaccio

The research I did for the Graduation Project resulted in me organizing and directing a 5k fundraiser, Run for Water in Africa. This event brought together approximately 200 runners, walkers, and volunteers to raise awareness and funds for a non profit group that helps build and maintain wells in the Central African Republic.

Recently, there has been much talk about how prevalent cheating has gotten among the students-- and it is most frequent in the honors- and AP- level classes. Because of the competition or the pressures of being academically successful, I feel that many have lost sight of the honor there is in saying that they have character. However, I am proud to say that I value having integrity more than being able to say that I succeeded while being dishonest.

Of my high school accomplishments, I am most proud of attending the Governor's School of North Carolina (East, 2009).  What an amazing and unforgettable experience!

Our school has something called Student Choice Award.  At the end of each semester, in each class the students vote on one student in the class who they think best exemplifies the standards of behavior and character at our school, as well as someone who other students consider to be an academic role model.  I have won this award about 16 times throughout my high school career and I am the most proud of receiving this award because it was granted to me by my fellow peers as opposed to a teacher or some distant organization.  No one knows you better than your own peers, so I feel very honored to have received this Student Choice Award from them more than once.

I am most proud of succeeding in AP Music Theory during my freshman year.

Winning a soccer state championship my sophomore year at Broughton