Wayne Country Day congratulates 28 seniors
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on May 24, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
Luke Bryan receives his diploma from Dr. Todd Anderson during Wayne Country Day School's commencement exercise Thursday.
The proud parents, family, friends and faculty of 28 Wayne Country Day School students gathered in the gymnasium Thursday evening to celebrate the end of an era in the lives of the graduates -- many of whom have been together there for the last 14 years.
Forty-two percent of them to be exact, said Headmaster Todd Anderson.
This year's graduating class also had the highest grade point average in school history, which in the words of Anderson is, "no small feat."
Anderson followed the welcome address with the presentation of the teacher of the year awards, naming Cheryl Warren as teacher of the year and Edward Clark as teacher of the year as chosen by the students in April.
Clark is retiring this year.
Anderson also announced Elizabeth Schappell as valedictorian and Lisa Peacock as salutatorian.
Ms. Schappell said she was surprised by how much she was going to miss WCDS and all of the students she has shared her classes with and the teachers who taught those classes.
She thanked Anderson for his guidance and willingness to drive the students to New York City for senior skip day.
She left the students with a quote by Ogden Nash, which said has given her comfort as she prepares to leave high school, "You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely."
Upper School Science Chair Leigh Tanner was chosen by the graduating class to give the faculty address, her third time being chosen since 2008.
Mrs. Tanner took the class and all attendants on a trip down memory lane from the students fears of "Seven-foot tall Mr. Anderson," and complaints about the workloads in other classes, remarking, to chuckles, about never having heard a single complaint about her biology classes.
She recalled the journey through the spirit weeks and guiding her students to a strong showing in the advanced placement biology exam.
Mrs. Tanner left the students with some words of advice, in addition to the memories and a final singing her science class DNA song to the tune of "I Want It That Way," by The Backstreet Boys.
She told them do one thing at a time and give that one thing all of their attention, to recognize that failure is only an experience, and, like a turtle, to stick their necks out for something.
Adam Cohen, 2013 graduate, will attend Lenoir-Rhyne University in the fall and will spend his summer working at the Target pharmacy.
"I always thought I was gonna go out of state somewhere far away," said Cohen. "Instead I'm going to a Goldsboro in the mountains."
Graduates Cody Neal and Luke Bryan are going to room together at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington next year.
Bryan is excited to get down to Wilmington in the fall and start adjusting to life in a beach town.
"It'll be a big change from Goldsboro," said Bryan.
Neal will spend his summer playing baseball before heading down to Wilmington.
Ms. Peacock is spending her summer in Raleigh at a summer orientation at North Carolina State before starting in the fall.
"Oh I'm so excited to be going there, I'm just really excited," said Ms. Peacock.
She will major in industrial engineering at N.C. State.