LT CLASS OF 2015
ALLAN
BRIAR WOODS HIGH SCHOOL
Ask most anyone at Briar Woods what they know about Ryan Allen and you’ll likely get into a conversation about the region’s homeless population. Two years ago, Ryan asked his friends to join him in feeding the
YANCEY
BROAD RUN HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: Shenandoah University, criminal justice Dream job: Police officer
doorsman, who loves hunting, fishing and camping, Yancey also has been involved with scouting since first grade. He recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and says it hasn’t bothered him that his football teammates don’t exactly consider scouting cool. “It’s not always been the popular choice for me because so few of my friends are scouts,” he said, “but it’s something I love.” Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Will: Success to me isn’t about what you have or the tangible objects that you own or the job that you have. It’s more about who you’re with and that you’re able to do the things that you’re passionate about. I consider myself successful because of the fact that I can play football four more years at a higher level (at Shenandoah University). … People look at me and say, “That’s just a sport,” but I’ve been working my whole life to have this opportunity. It’s been a dream of mine
since I first started playing. That’s my success— the fact that I can do what I love. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Will: When I think of the Broad Run community, I think family. We’re one of the oldest schools in Loudoun County. We don’t have much. We go to class in trailers. I think everybody just kind of bonds. It’s that sense of family and togetherness that we all have. — Jan Mercker
BROAD RUN CLASS STATS Graduates: 483 Commencement: 7 p.m. June 14, Patriot Center Speaker: DC Chamber of Commerce CEO Harry Wingo
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Will Yancey has a reputation in the Broad Run community for his kindness to fellow students—particularly underclassmen. An offensive lineman for the varsity football team who was selected for the VHSL All-State second team, Yancey is known not only for his size and skill on the field, but also for mentoring younger players. An avid out-
Ryan: My aspiration was to get kids to see the
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Leesburg Today: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community?
BRIAR WOODS CLASS STATS Graduates: 480 Commencement: 4 p.m., June 15, Patriot Center Speaker: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Deputy Director Susan Gordon
L if e s t yle s
Dream job: Entrepreneur of a sportsassociated business
Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Ryan: I measure some of it based on educational success. I have a 4.43 GPA, and I try to get the best grades I can get. But I also measure it in experiences and memories I create, and those kind of display how I’m doing mentally and emotionally in a given year or given moment.
community around us, just to know that there is poverty in our community and to know that everybody needs help no matter what their views are politically. It’s cool to see kids in Ashburn who aren’t usually exposed to that kind of stuff be a part of that and show their hearts for other people. — Danielle Nadler
Sports
Post-grad plans: Liberty University, business administration
hungry in Washington, DC. Eventually, the mini missions trips turned into an almost monthly event and more than 100 students have since joined the effort. “I’ve always had this heart for service,” he said. “My hope is that I changed the way people think of serving.”
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RYAN
you started kindergarten, it was the tunes of rap artist Nelly that enjoyed the top of the Billboard. During your fifth-grade year, a software developer founded Twitter in his San Francisco apartment, and, a year later, the first iPhone was sold. Remember that? You were there.
Educa t io n
CLASS OF 2015, you have a lot to celebrate. You’ve lived through major international milestones. Shortly after you entered preschool, it was headlines about the Sept. 11 attacks that were splashed in newsprint and aired on television. As
LOUDOUN NEWS L o udo un Ne ws
SPOTLIGHT ON GRADS
And now, as you prepare to toss your graduation caps—and high school cares— there are a lifetime of milestones just waiting to be made; more inventions to be discovered, more businesses to be launched and more songs to be written. Today, we celebrate your personal milestones that have already changed the cultural landscape in our corner of the world. Through our annual Spotlight on Grads, series, we met and interviewed students who have experienced homelessness, the death of parents or severe illnesses and come out on the other side. Others have launched mentoring programs, aced the SATs and led efforts to feed those living below the poverty line. Each of these graduates has left their communities better than they found them, and they’re just getting started.
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YASMIN
ABUSAIF
DOMINION HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: College of William and Mary, international relations Dream job: U.S. diplomat Yasmin Abusaif already has life experiences to which few adults can relate. She, along with her mother, twin sister and two older brothers, has lived through periods of homelessness and financial instability. Yasmin said it was
through the support of her close-knit family that she was able to excel despite those challenges. She’s been involved in Dominion’s Freethinkers discussion club and debate program, as well as the school’s track and soccer teams, all while working part time at Jersey Mike’s Subs. She wants to work in international relations with a focus on helping undeveloped countries. Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Yasmin: In my opinion, success is when you acknowledge that someone has gone through adversity and hardship in order to get where they are but they’ve also throughout the entire process maintained the same type of morals and good character. Success to me is being comfortable with where you are, and you’ve put in a great amount of effort to get there.
outed as transgender, prompting unbearable bullying. He came to Douglass after his anxiety got WIGGINS so bad that he consistently missed school. Kelsey transferred after she was diagnosed with a rare DOUGLASS pediatric form of multiple sclerosis. SCHOOL The twins credit their new school, its teachers Post-grad and tight-knight student body, for helping them p l a n s : feel at home in their own skins and igniting a love N V C C for learning. and later VCU, liberal arts (Kelsey); NVCC and Leesburg Today: What has been the high point later UVA, anthropology (Steven) of your school career? Dream jobs: Animator (Kelsey), paleontologist/ Steven: I’ve never felt so successful as I have this anthropologist (Steven) year. I’ve been entering a lot of writing contests, Kelsey and Steven love school, and they’re and I recently realized I’m transgender. For once good at it. Something they discovered just a cou- I’m actually happy that I’m going to school and I ple of years ago in an unexpected place: Douglass look forward to it. Kelsey: I won The Shelley A. Marshall Fiction School. The twins transferred to Loudoun’s alterna- Prize for my writing. In my family, there are a lot tive high school 15 years old for different rea- of writers … so being told you’re good at this was sons. Steven, then known by birth name Zoe, was a huge confidence boost. The more confident you KELSEY & STEVEN
MOHINI JODHPURKAR FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL/ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Post-grad plans: College of William and Mary, education/earth science Dream job: Researcher at NASA or U.S. Geological Survey Mohini is an expert at overcoming obstacles and is known around her school for her intelligence, compassion and positive attitude. Diagnosed with Pfeiffer syndrome as an infant, she went through several surgeries to separate skull plates that were joined together. At 3, she
was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a form of blood cancer, and was treated until she went into remission at age 6. Two years ago, she underwent reconstructive jaw surgery to correct a misalignment caused by the Pfeiffer syndrome. Through it all, she’s kept her focus on excelling at school. Her research at the Academy of Science comparing the effects of inorganic and organic fertilizers on vitamin C levels in spinach won her third place in the Loudoun County Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Her experience growing the plants in a hydroponic system she built from scratch inspired her to pursue a career as a researcher. Leesburg Today: What spurs your resilience? Mohini: When things happen to your body so often…you kind of achieve a mental distance from yourself. I learned through that that my spirit is stronger than what is happening to me. I’m more
LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Yasmin: Along with my siblings, we’ve all stayed very happy and optimistic about the future, regardless of any strife that we’ve gone through. I think that’s important and hopefully other people will see that as an example that if they ever have to go through adversity, you can still maintain a smile and be happy with who you are. — Jan Mercker
DOMINION CLASS STATS Graduates: 300 Commencement: 2 p.m. June 14, school gym Speaker: CTE teacher Anthony Eifler
feel, the better you do. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on this school community? Steven: I’ve put together a pamphlet for transgender kids like myself that will go to schools in Loudoun County. There’s a whole generation of trans-kids coming up, and I don’t want them to feel as lonely as I did. Kelsey: I want people to know that each and every student [at Douglass] is special in what they do. Every person has something that they’re good at, and here you can actually focus on those positives and not the negatives and really shine. — Danielle Nadler DOUGLASS CLASS STATS Graduates: 54 Commencement: 9:15 a.m. June 9, at the school Speaker: Loudoun Superintendent Eric Williams
than just this covering that I’m in. I’m capable of going past that, and I think that’s part of the reason I tried to excel at school. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Mohini: I’ve always been a person who likes having close relationships with my teachers. I always try to be the student that they can talk to about things other than just school. I really hope that I’ve had a good impact on my teachers, and I think that I have. — Jan Mercker
FREEDOM CLASS STATS Graduates: 480 Commencement: 4 p.m., June 15, Patriot Center Speaker: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency deputy director Susan Gordon
Congratulations Grads on building a solid foundation for your future! Design your dream life! Remodeling from Concept to Completion
LT HOUNDOH
HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: University of Virginia, molecular biology
DILPINDER
CHAHAL
JOHN CHAMPE HIGH SCHOOL
Dilpinder Chahal is probably tougher
than you. The 17-year-old almost has to be to have gone through what he did a year and a half ago. His father fatally shot his mother and then committed suicide at the family home in Aldie. Dilpin-
CHAVEZ
LOUDOUN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: George Mason University, criminal justice Dream job: FBI agent Cesar has been involved with CAMPUS, an academic and college prep program for underrepresented and first-generation collegebound students, since his freshman year and has been an ambassador with the program since his sophomore year. Caser has played junior varsity soccer since
der and his brother weren’t injured that night, though, and Dilpinder has persevered with the help of family and friends. Now he’s getting ready to graduate from John Champe High School and head to Northern Virginia Community College. From there, he plans to transfer to a four-year school. Many teenagers—adults, too—might not have shown the same strength. But Dilpinder? He said he told a friend, “It takes a lot more than that to get me down and out.” Perhaps his guidance counselor said it best: “He’s truly a remarkable kid.” Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Dilpinder Chahal: Success has taken many shapes in my life. Academically, it’s seeing As and Bs on a report card. Athletically, it is simple: You get better at what ever it is that you are doing. But his freshman year. He opted not to play for the school’s varsity team this year to allow more time to focus on college applications. His work paid off—he’ll be the first in his family to go to college. Leesburg Today: What’s been a highlight of your school career? Cesar: Thanks to [CAMPUS] I’ve gotten many opportunities. They’ve helped me apply to colleges and helped me get into Mason. They’re like my second family here at school. We all get along really well with the teachers and with the other students. We all help each other out, and whenever someone needs something, we’re there for them and when we need something, they’re there for us. LT: What impact do you hope to have on your school community? Cesar: I would hope to be remembered as a great,
Graduates: 310 Commencement: 7:30 p.m. June 16, school stadium Speaker: Division Public Information Officer Wayde Byard overall in life I think success is being able to wake up every day and do something. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Dilpinder: I hope that as a senior I have left a tradition and built a foundation that others can follow and build on that leads them to being great. — Jonathan Hunley
JOHN CHAMPE CLASS STATS Graduates: 247 Total scholarships earned: $2.67 million Valedictorian: Bhavya Ravigopal Commencement: 10 a.m. June 18, at the school Speaker: Neustar CEO Lisa Hook
hardworking student. I always try my hardest and take extra time to get stuff done and get the most out of everything. … I feel like we get what we want to get out of everything. Giving the extra time to get the most out of everything we do in class is most important to be successful. — Jan Mercker
LOUDOUN COUNTY CLASS STATS Graduates: 360 Commencement: 8 a.m. June 17, school lawn Speaker: Solicitor of Labor M. Patricia Smith
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LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community?
HERITAGE CLASS STATS
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Dream job: Professional chef or accountant
— Jan Mercker
Sports
Post-grad plans: Northern Virginia Community College
Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Golda: Success is all the hard work I’ve put into school coming together now at the end of my secondary education journey. … I don't think my parents ever imagined I’d be where I am today. Everything we went through has brought me where I am today. … I’m very happy looking back at my life thus far, and I’m looking forward to the future.
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Born in Togo, West Africa, Ama Youna “Golda” Houndoh moved to the U.S. at age 4. Much of her time as an elementary and middle school student was spent in the hospital, battling sickle cell anemia. She now manages the condition with medication and, in fact, credits her
Golda: I want to leave Heritage a better place than when I entered it. I want to leave the world a better place than when I entered it. Hopefully, people will remember the things I did to build upon [HHS clubs and organizations] and make them better.
EDUCATION Educa t io n
Dream job: Neonatologist
medical challenges to inspiring her to pursue a career as a doctor. Golda has been active in many student clubs, including the Student Council Association and National Honor Society. She also was a student representative on the Loudoun County School Board.
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LT NOAH
MUSSMON
LOUDOUN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: University of Virginia, government Dream job: Prosecuting attorney Noah is one of Loudoun Valley’s top-ranking students, rounding out his school career with a 4.38 GPA. But what he counts as a highlight of the past four years has been his work to share in the success of others. He helped shape a school tutoring program by
MELVIN
PORTILLO
L if e s t yle s
Sports
PARK VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: Virginia Commonwealth University, computer engineering Dream job: Video game designer/programmer Melvin’s parents, who grew up in El Salvador, told him when he was young to give 110 percent toward his education. And he hasn’t taken that advice lightly.
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He’s been active in Park View’s CAMPUS
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SANDY
THONGDYYARATH POTOMAC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: George Mason University, business Dream job: Career with the Federal Reserve S a n d y T h on g dy yarat h, w hos e parents immigrated from Laos and Thailand, is the first in her family to go to college. A highlight of her high school career has been an involvement in DECA, a marketing club that’s taken her to competitions at the district, state and
enlisting students who showed particular academic strengths and then paired them with classmates who needed extra help. His message to the tutors was to be careful to not teach down to their peers, but to look for ways to encourage them. “With the student I tutored, I tried to make it feel more like we were just two friends studying together. You accomplish a lot more that way.” Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Noah: I think success means totally different things to different people, but in my life success for me is knowing I tried my absolute hardest and reached the goals I’ve set. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Noah: I want to leave it better than when I started. I tried to put my own personal spin on the debate club and other clubs and teach people when program, designed to equip first-generation college-bound students for post-secondary education. He also participated in the PEER mentoring program and ran cross-country—he was team captain his senior year—all while taking five Advanced Placement classes and managing to graduate with one of the highest GPAs in his class. “I’m very thankful to my parents for having pushed me to do my best,” he said. Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Melvin: Ever since I started school, my parents have pushed me to do my best in everything. Their life before moving here [from El Salvador] was a little difficult so they told me that education was the key to everything and to give it 110 percent of my effort. All that positivity as well as my motivation has led me to graduate in the top 5 percent of my class and that’s a big accomplishnational levels. Sandy has held an after-school job at Chick-fil-A for two years and volunteers at Cascades Library as a tutor for elementary children.
I could. If I was with other under-classmen I tried to look for teachable moments and let them in on what I’ve learned throughout high school. LT: What’s a high point of your school career? Noah: Winning the state debate championship this year. … It was really fulfilling to work at it and accomplish it. — Danielle Nadler
LOUDOUN VALLEY CLASS STATS Graduates: 285 Commencement: 9 a.m. June 17, Leonard Stadium Speaker: Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring
ment. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Melvin: I’m part of the PEER program where we go to elementary schools and middle schools and tutor the kids who need someone to interact with because they’re a little shy or something’s going on with their families. Every time I go to my old elementary school [Guilford in Sterling], they remember me and ask me how I’m doing. — Jan Mercker
PARK VIEW CLASS STATS Graduates: 295 Commencement: 2 p.m. June 14, Patriot Center Speaker: Park View teacher Pamela Smith
really fun clubs in school and did well in school. Success is not pre-destined for you—it’s what you make of it. — Jan Mercker
Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Sandy: I measure my success on how the choices I’ve made have affected others close to me like my family and friends. My choices have been a success; I’m going to be the first person in my family to go to college and graduate high school. LT: What impact do you hope to leave on our school community? Sandy: I hope I left an impression on my school that says, “no matter your background you can still make it.” My family isn’t the most financially set, and I’m still going to college and I still was in
POTOMAC FALLS CLASS STATS Graduates: 390 Commencement: 9 a.m. June 18, Panther Stadium Speaker: Teacher Ryan Khatcheressian
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LT IVAN
STONE BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: Cornell University, industrial and labor relations
— Jan Mercker
WOODGROVE HIGH SCHOOL
Post-grad plans: Dartmouth College, pre-med Dream job: Oncologist If there’s one attribute that marks 18-year-old Lovettsville resident Dylan Mellor, it’s confidence. The Woodgrove senior says his attitude has always been to be positive, friendly and help others and to get things done on time. “Get your work done as soon as possible because it pays off in the end,” he says.
TUSCARORA CLASS STATS Graduates: 435 Commencement: 9 a.m. June 18, Fortune Field Speaker: Orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Johnson
face life without a husband or a father. A lot of good things came from the experience, Dylan said. “My father’s outlook throughout was, ‘Make sure your mom’s OK. I trust you boys.” Dylan says he has learned to “live life without regrets,” to maintain friendships and keep making new ones. “My MO is shaking as many hands as possible. Who knows—one of my close friends might become a millionaire,” he says cheerfully. Or it might be Dylan. — Margaret Morton
WOODGROVE CLASS STATS Graduates: 385 Commencement: 8 a.m. June 18, school stadium Speaker: Motivational speaker Jason Graves
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His high school career has been a healthy balance between academics and sports. In his recent SAT exam, Dylan scored a perfect 800 on the math portion, with a total score of 2250 out of 2400 possible points: “It was a slam dunk—I knew all the answers.” The Woodgrove wide receiver will head to Dartmouth College in the fall, where he will play football. At present, his target career is as an oncologist—an ambition influenced by the loss of his father, who died May 9 only two months after being diagnosed with cancer. “I discussed the future with him. It was very tough—such a hard time—trying to find the positives, but I had good talks with him,” Dylan recalls. He and his family—his mother and two older brothers, ages 31 and 27—discovered who their real friends were, as well as the strength they took from each other as they prepared to
LT: What prompted your interest in mechanical engineering? Laura: My stepdad is an auto body teacher so I got to work in the shop with him. I just like working with my hands. I also tore my ACL, so I learned the mechanics of my knee and how different parts of the body work. I just like understanding our world, how everything works and how to make it better. — Danielle Nadler
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DYLAN
Leesburg Today: What impact do you hope to leave on your school community? Laura Vasquez Bolanos: Being a part of Tuscarora’s second class, we had to go through a lot of adjustments as the school grew and changed. Some people complained about it, but I’ve always said it’s about making the most of where you are. I’ve been in almost everything—athletics, marching band, National Honor Society, I’m class president—because I feel like the only way you can
make an impact in your school is to really get involved.
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far, the 18-year-old is quick to credit much VASQUEZ BOLANOS of her success to a decision her mother made 15 years ago, to move the then-toddler from TUSCARORA a Colombian city to a Northern Virginia HIGH SCHOOL basement. “These things wouldn’t be possible Post-grad plans: if I grew up in Colombia,” she said. “I had very Cornell University, humble beginnings, so when I came to school I mechanical engi- looked at it as a blessing and gave 100 percent in everything I did.” neering
The day after Laura Vasquez Bolanos collects her high school diploma, complete with a 4.56 GPA, she’ll head to Cornell University, where she’s been invited to join a prestigious research team and study mechanical engineering. Even with all the work she’s put in to come this
Graduates: 408 Valedictorian: Kelsie Weyer Commencement: 8 p.m. June 15, Patriot Center Speaker: Social sciences teacher Brian Miller
LT: What impact do you hope to leave on your
LAURA
Dream job: College/ university president
STONE BRIDGE CLASS STATS
BUSINESS Bu s in e s s
Ivan Del Valle’s involvement in the DECA program immolates his life’s adage—to get the most out of every opportunity. Just a year after he joined the program, he became a club officer and, this year, he was
Leesburg Today: What has success looked like in your life? Ivan: My dad always told me I don’t care what you do as long as you love it and you’re the best at it. I’ve always strived to be the very best at everything I do, especially the things that make me happy. I would love to get a job that I can make a good career out of but can also be really happy doing. I want to be passionate about what I do and make a difference.
Educa t io n
Dream job: Political lobbyist, sports agent or Wall Street executive
school community? Ivan: I hope to leave a legacy, especially with DECA and PEER and have them remember me for bringing new ideas and representing the school well at DECA competitions and through PEER. I want to leave a lasting impact on my community.
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elected as DECA’s state-level regional vice president. Ivan is also active in Loudoun’s PEER program, which trains students to serve as mentors and counselors to their classmates. The 17-yearold has helped put on anti-bullying assemblies at his school and mentored elementary and middle school students.
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