Class of 2020 a tribute to high school seniors in northwest/northern Guilford County
WHAT’S INSIDE Congratulations, Class of 2020! ..........................................2 The last few months were ‘just crazy’ ..................................4 Parting words ........................................................................6 Blake Sullivan, NWHS student body president ..................8 Jackson Reeves, NWHS senior class president .................9 NWHS valedictorian/salutatorians....................................10 NWHS top scholars ..............................................................12 NWHS graduate list ..............................................................14 Congrats Taylor Lowman, on perfect attendance ........22 The year in photos ...............................................................24 NWHS senior fights his way back .......................................27 Congrats Noah Robertson, Page HS valedictorian .......28 Congrats Tyler Sapp, on perfect attendance .................28 Graduate list.........................................................................28 Parting words ..................................................................... 30 Cadee Gafford, Northern student body president ........32 Rianna Allen, Northern senior class president ................33 Northern valedictorian, salutatorian ................................34 Katy Price, Trinity scholar ....................................................35 Northern top scholars .........................................................36 Northern graduate list ........................................................38 Congrats Kelisia Robinson, on perfect attendance ..... 43
published by pscommunications
CONGRATULATIONS
To the Class of 2020, First, to the 515 Northwest Guilford High School graduates, to the 340 Northern Guilford High School graduates, and to the hundreds of other high school seniors in our readership area who are graduating from various other public and charter schools, private schools, and home school organizations – our sincere regret for the unexpected turn of events that began with school closings in mid-March.
brought to you by
publisher of
Contact us (336) 644-7035 • info@pscommunications-inc.com location: 1616 NC 68 North, Oak Ridge, NC 27310 mail: PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310
Visit us online at www.pscommunications-inc.com
months of high school is inspiring and I pray you will seize the opportunity this pandemic has offered to find the treasures amidst the rubble, and to gain some valuable insights that will serve you well as you move on beyond familiar boundaries.
Don’t overlook the learning opportunities that challenges offer; acknowledge your fears, but don’t let them hold you back; embrace this day as if it Patti Stokes Your graduating class were your last; treasure publisher/editor has been part of a historic your health; remember you event that has left no one unafare important, but not the center of fected. As you say goodbye to your the universe; and no matter where high school years, we acknowledge life may take you, always find your we can’t give you back the senior way back home to the people who prom, senior awards ceremony, year- have loved and supported you in your book signing and senior picnic, and youth. traditional graduation ceremony you On behalf of PS Communicamissed. As you process and accept tions, we’re very honored to offer this these disappointments, we underpublication as a tribute to the Class stand for many of you it’s the lack of 2020 and hope it helps to shine a of closure and being able to share light on this milestone in your life and a precious last few months together give you the honor and recognition before going your separate ways that that you deserve. you regret the most. Class of 2020, you will be rememThanks to the efforts of parents, bered in very special ways, teachers, staff and community members who have found creative ways to Patti Stokes compensate for the things this panPresident, PS Communications demic has taken – to the extent they could – we hope you felt the love and P.S. One more thing – “If you want to support in ways no other graduating change the world, start off by makclass has experienced. ing your bed”— Admiral William H. McRaven (I highly recommend you Despite your youth, the resiliency read his book, “Make Your Bed”). you have shown in your last few
The NWO is on Facebook, and so are over 13,900 of your neighbors Get • Be • Stay connected at facebook.com/NorthwestObserver
2
JUNE 2020
ONWARD and UPWARD
Special Congratulations
from LeBauer Primary Care providers and staff to all 2020 graduates
We’re here for you And, we’re just a phone call away Accepting new patients Call today to make your appointment at Oak Ridge 1427-A NC Hwy 68 North, Oak Ridge (336) 644-6770
Stokesdale
Summerfield
B LeBauer HealthCare
B
at Summerfield Village 4446-A US Hwy 220 N, Summerfield (336) 560-6300
A C
Oak Ridge
at Horse Pen Creek 4443 Jessup Grove Road, Greensboro (336) 663-4600
e Av
Joseph M Bryan Blvd
nd ou gr ttle Ba
C LeBauer HealthCare
D
G
e
W Friendly Av
E
er Ave
v Wendo
Jamestown High Point
et
et Stre
W Mark
Benjamin Pkwy
W
Greensboro
D LeBauer Primary Care
at Brassfield 3803 Robert Porcher Way, Wendover Ave E Greensboro (336) 286-3442
S Ohenry Blvd
A LeBauer Primary Care
In-person and virtual visits available
lebauer.com
Congratulations
Class of 2020
‘It was just crazy’ The abrupt ending of the school year due to COVID-19 outbreak spurs principals, teachers and parents to make graduation for the Class of 2020 special despite the challenges by CHRIS BURRITT NW GUILFORD – For more than 800 graduating seniors, a final drive through the campuses of Northwest and Northern Guilford high schools is bringing an end to their high school years.
duate Celebrate your gra charm. with a pendant or ilable. Many schools ava
It wasn’t a graduation that students, school staff and parents had ever anticipated, before the COVID-19 outbreak forced the closing of schools three months ago. It threw normalcy into uncertainty, abruptly separating friends, halting classes and sports and depriving the Class of 2020 of the traditions and perks enjoyed by seniors before them. “I felt bad for all of the students, especially the seniors who missed so many of rites of passage,” said Ralph Kitley, who retired as Northwest Guilford’s principal March 1, less than two weeks before the closing of school countywide due to the coronavirus.
CASS JEWELERS BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY FOR A LIFETIME
Serving Northern and Northwest families and grads for over 70 years. 336.292.1736 | cassjewelers.com 4008-G Battleground Avenue. Just minutes away from the NW area.
Convenient to Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Stokesdale
4
JUNE 2020
“These seniors had so much to look forward to in the spring of their senior year – senior Awards Day, the prom, the senior picnic, graduation itself and all of the things they had been looking forward to since they hit high school,” Kitley said. “All of a sudden there was nothing but question marks. It was just crazy.”
ONWARD and UPWARD
To comply with social distancing requirements, schools across the county are staging drive-through graduation ceremonies on their campuses instead of gathering students at the Greensboro Coliseum’s Special Events Center as in years past. Northern Guilford scheduled its ceremony for this Wednesday and Thursday, June 10 and 11, while Northwest Guilford will pass out diplomas to students this Friday and Saturday, June 12 and 13. Students “seem to be pretty excited about it under the circumstances,” said Janiese McKenzie, Nothern Guilford’s principal. “We would all rather have a traditional graduation for our kids where they can all be together as a class and cheer and clap for each other.” Instead, students will drive through their school’s campus with their families, passing the football stadiums, athletic fields and buildings before exiting their cars and walking across temporary stages to receive their diplomas and have their photographs made. Kitley plans to assist Tanya Hiller, who is serving as Northwest Guilford’s interim principal until the end of June. While she plans to escort students to the stage erected in the parking lot near the football field, Kitley will give them their diplomas, she said.
“It’s going to be ‘all things senior,”’ Hiller said. “Everyone’s tried to add a special touch.” ... continued on p. 46
o i t a H l u t e m o a H 0 = r e 2 v g Lo 0 + n 2 e s CoHou ss ouflations t a a r l g C n o 0 2 C 0 2 f o s s a l C L + e ous
e
om H = e
o i t a l u t a r 2 g 0 n 2 f Co o s s a Cl v
Lo se +
Hou
“F O R I K N O W T H E P L A N S I
HAVE FOR YOU,” DECLARES THE LORD, “PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO RM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE FH OA R I KNOW TN HD E A U HOPE A P LFAUNTSU IR E HY AO VE FOR Y O U , ” J E R E M I A H 2 9 : 1 1D E C L A R TH ES E LORD, “PLANS T O PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YO U, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOP E AND A FUTURE JEREMIA H 2 9 : Tim 1 1 Atkins ABR GRI
“
SRES
Realtor®/Broker 336.280.8016 TimAtkins.allentate.com Tim Atkins AB R GRI SRES Realtor®/Bro ker 336.280.8016 TimAtkins.alle ntate.com
FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU,” DECLARES THE LORD, “PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE JEREMIAH 29:11
Tim Atkins ABR GRI SRES Realtor®/Broker 336.280.8016 TimAtkins.allentate.com
Parting words from the NWHS Student Body PRESIDENT Traditionally, the student body president of Northwest Guilford High School is given an opportunity to speak at the commencement ceremony. Due to COVID-19 that opportunity wasn’t an option this year, so we invited Blake Sullivan to write a letter to his classmates. He readily accepted, and here’s what he had to say …
anything good possibly come from this situation?”
tage of every moment when our world returns to a state of normalcy.
Graduating from high school (especially during a pandemic) is no easy task, but that is exactly the reason why we will benefit longterm. The word “perseverance” is defined by dictionary.com as the “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”
Perseverance is glossed over too often. Society loves to talk about the steadfastness, faithfulness, and reward in perseverance, but it largely ignores the struggle involved. The
John D. Rockefeller stated, “I
Blake Sullivan, NWHS student body president
Even though I am writing this at home, let me begin by honoring our school’s tradition of daily announcements: “Good morning, Northwest. It is (and will always be) a great day to be a Viking.” For the past year, I have thought about possible topics for my graduation speech, but I could never have guessed what was in store for our senior year. Although I could
focus on missed opportunities and pout about our situation, I would like to address how the unplanned end to our senior year can lead to a positive outcome. In doing so, I am not overlooking the fact that there are a few obvious and negative outcomes in the finality of the past twelve years, but I want to affirm these negatives will soon fade in the scope of time and the positives from this season of life will emerge. I probably have your attention by now. You are most likely wondering, “Blake, how could
6
JUNE 2020
do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.” Since elementary school, we have learned how to persevere through brain-wrenching math concepts, loads of homework, and letter grades that were not where we wanted them to be. Right now, we are learning an even larger lesson about perseverance as we face difficulties, loneliness, and helplessness. Though our situation is uncomfortable, our character is being shaped whether we realize it or not. For example, we now recognize the invaluable importance of face-to-face instruction. When we persevere through quarantine, we will benefit by working more effectively and efficiently with others and will appreciate faceto-face instruction and collaborative interaction more than we did before our stay-at-home mandate. The same can be said about learning the necessity of spending time with friends. Persevere a little longer and I promise we will be able to be with our friends again, and we will appreciate their company more than ever. Lastly, we are realizing the importance of treating every opportunity like it is our last. If we persevere through this time, we can exemplify an opportunistic attitude and take advan-
ONWARD and UPWARD
struggle is what refines character, and it is what is refining us right now. Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” The suffering we are enduring right now is not easy. However, not all hope is lost for our situation because as long as we persevere through this, we will develop our character, and with a more developed and mature character, we will see the hope of positive outcomes in the darkest moments of life. I may be a little radical in saying this, but let this shortened senior year define you.
Let it show that you developed a strong character that will be able to adapt to and thrive in the post-education season of your life. Let it show that you will search for the positive outlooks when circumstances appear dark. I am so grateful to have served as your student body president for the past year and to be a fellow Viking. I know all of us are well-equipped to succeed in whatever avenue life paves for us. I hope to see everyone soon. Thank you Northwest, and have a great Viking day.
Blake Sullivan 2019-2020 student body president
Class of 2020...
We are so proud of all your accomplishments. As you enter your next journey in life, don’t forget the road back home to your loved ones.
Full-service funeral home just around the corner Locally owned and operated • forbisanddick.com Stokesdale
8320 US Highway 158 | (336) 643-3711
Greensboro
1118 N Elm Street | (336) 275-8408 5926 W Friendly Ave | (336) 299-9171
Congrats,
Meghan & Evan Andrews Meghan & Evan, You have brought us so much joy over the years and we are very proud of you both! Best wishes as you set out on your new adventures. Much love, Mom & Dad
NWHS Student Body PRESIDENT
Despite lack of closure, ‘we are grateful for the opportunities we had in the fall and winter,’ says senior class president by PATTI STOKES Blake Sullivan got involved in student government as a freshman at Northwest Guilford. His brother, a senior at that time, was running for Student Council and told Blake he might as well run, too, because Blake was going to be at all the meetings anyway while waiting for his brother to drive him home.
Meghan Andrews Northwest Guilford High UNC-Charlotte, fall 2020
Prior to his role as student body president, Blake The brothers both got had other leadership roles, elected and as student body including with Fellowship of representatives helped bring Christian Athletes and the back the TWIRP dance, once school’s guitar club – but a tradition at Northwest that Blake Sullivan those involved a relatively has a twist – the ladies typismall number of students. cally ask the guys to the dance and
Evan Andrews New Garden Friends School UNC-Asheville, fall 2020
pay for the dance tickets, dinner, etc. “We had the first TWIRP dance in years and had a fantastic response,” Blake recalled. “That year I got bit by the ‘Student Council bug’ and enjoyed having tangible proof of the student government’s impact on changing our school.” Four years later and as a rising senior, Blake was elected to represent the entire student body as Student Council president. Boosting school spirit was at the top of his list of goals for the year.
COWgratulations to the 2020 graduating class! Your friends at Chick-fil-A Guilford College are so proud of all your hard work and send you all the best wishes.
8
JUNE 2020
“the biggest Homecoming Week I’ve ever seen,” Blake said. “The (homecoming) dance had a fantastic turnout; we had a parade before the homecoming game and spirit activities throughout the week leading up to it. It was great to see everyone enjoying it and a ton of great memories were made that week.”
“We have great teachers, students and community, but for some reason school spirit seemed to be low,” he said. “I wanted this to be the year we made school spirit go through the roof.” After brainstorming with other student leaders on how to enhance Homecoming Week, the school had
ONWARD and UPWARD
“When you are the representative of a student body of over 2,000, it’s much different,” he said. In his role as student body president, he drew on the leadership skills of many, including his father.
“My dad is a fantastic leader and I look up to him for his leadership qualities… Multiple times I went to him and asked, ‘how do you deal with this situation?’” Recently retired Northwest principal Ralph Kitley was another person he relied on. “Mr. Kitley was a fantastic help and he was right there the whole time. I and other student representatives went to lunch with him once a month. He would have conversations with us, give us advice, and really pour into our lives. He really helped us mature as leaders.”
... continued on p. 44
NWHS Senior Class PRESIDENT Student Council senior class president by MEREDITH BARKLEY
Jackson Reeves
Jackson Reeves’ first foray into elected office was a winner. Last spring his classmates voted him president of Northwest Guilford’s senior class.
“I’m very honored to have served,” said Reeves, noting it was his mom who urged him to throw his hat into the ring for the class president’s role. “I’m glad she did, because working with the student council representatives and administrators at the school was an amazing experience,” he said. Among those administrators he most
enjoyed working with was recently retired principal Ralph Kitley, whom Reeves described as “an amazing administrator” who “truly cared about the students.” As senior class president, Reeves worked with his classmates to plan dances, fundraisers and activities to promote school spirit, such as those surrounding Homecoming Week and the powder puff football game, where the girls take to the football field as players and the boys cheer them on. He also listened to student concerns and worked with others to help find solutions. One annoyance they tried to address: a leaky roof in an older part of campus that had students walking around buckets in a hall. It was early March when the school
year took a wild turn – that’s when the coronavirus forced learning to go online.
year – that plan garnered the support of school officials and won out, he said.
It also forced cancellation of such long-anticipated events as prom and the senior picnic. Despite the pandemic, he and other student leaders hoped there would still be an opportunity to come together and recognize students for their achievements. Some of the ways that is typically done is with endof-season sports banquets and concerts, a spring art show and the annual senior awards ceremony in May … but those didn’t happen this year either.
“Some are happy with that. Some aren’t,” he noted.
That left him “saddened,” Reeves said, noting he has known many of his peers since elementary school.
Reeves said he will miss the friends, teachers and administrators he got to know at Northwest. Among his favorite teachers is physics teacher Caroline Stilwell (Hess), whom he credits with helping him develop an interest in physics.
Among his final duties before the senior year ended: help determine his classmates’ wishes for a graduation observance. Some, he said, wanted to wait and have a more traditional ceremony after the pandemic subsided. Others opted for a drive-through graduation at the end of the school
His year in a leadership role gave him empathy for those elected to serve. “I learned that no matter what, politics are stressful at any level,” Reeves said. But, he added, he also “learned that hard work really does pay off in the end. The stuff we were able to work on turned out amazing.”
“It became my favorite period of the day,” he said. This August Reeves will head to Western Carolina, where he plans to study electrical engineering.
Congratulations Graduates! BE WISE ABOUT YOUR WISDOM TEETH!
DeVaney dentistry at Oak Ridge
• Quick & Comfortable • Flexible scheduling • Affordable fees • IV Sedation • Experienced, caring staff!
Now accepting new patients. Call
Dr. Matt DeVaney today for an appointment.
(336) 643-5515 | 1580 Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge | drdevaney.com ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
9
Northwest Guilford VALEDICTORIAN by MEREDITH BARKLEY When Teresa Pan began her freshman year at Northwest Guilford, she said she had little idea of what a valedictorian even was. Teresa Pan Unaware that anyone would be tracking class rankings, she had one simple goal when it came to her academics: out-do her brother, who was a year ahead. “I wanted to one-up him,” admitted Pan, a native Mandarin speaker who came to the United States at age 11. Four years later, Pan is graduating
academically at the top of her class, with a 4.7+ GPA. She’s honored with her accomplishment, but also seems a bit bemused by the recognition. “I am proud that I am valedictorian,” she said. “It is not something I was seeking to be. But from taking the classes that I love and am interested in, I came upon the title.” Pan nearly ran the table with As while at Northwest. Her only final grade below an A came her freshman year – ironically, in a Mandarin class, in which she finished with a B (she’d turned in a project late and had points deducted). This August she’ll head to UNC-Chapel Hill, where she’ll likely major in business. While Pan excelled in the classroom, she also picked up a few life
lessons that weren’t in her textbooks. Some came from her sophomore precalculus teacher, Joe Hamilton. His class followed her first-period AP World History class, which proved the most challenging of her high school career.
found English and history less interesting, but science and math grabbed her.
“I got a borderline A” in World History, Pan said. “It was a struggle.”
During part of high school, she also had classes at GTCC. As a junior last year she took a heavy, 10-class load of science and math courses. The tradeoff was that this year her class load was a lot lighter.
She found Hamilton’s class enjoyable and engaging, but it was her teacher’s wise counsel that stuck. “Focus on your goals,” he advised, and “don’t get distracted.” “He was the best teacher ever,” said Pan, who also ran cross country and track at Northwest and participated in several school organizations. Although born in the United States, she said she spent most of her earlier childhood years in China. Of her classroom subjects, she
“I like the logic of math and science,” she said. “It makes more sense to me.”
After Ap World History as a sophomore, “my junior and senior years were a breeze. Everything else compared to that class was so much easier,” Pan said. To relax, Pan enjoys watching (often binge watching) Korean dramas with Mandarin subtitles. They’re “very addictive,” she said.
Northwest Guilford SALUTATORIANS
Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church celebrates and congratulates its graduating seniors: Megan Aydelette, Chloe Beam, Owen Elwonger and Gretta Overmyer We are proud of you and send you with our prayers and blessings. Go with God’s grace to love and serve the world.
Megan is a lifelong homeschooler, has been dually enrolled at GTCC for her junior and senior years and after completing her AA, she plans to transfer to a university to pursue a degree in Industrial Design. Megan has enjoyed many summers at Camp Don Lee in Arapahoe, NC, as a camper, an LIT and will return this summer as a staff member. Chloe is graduating from NWGHS. She is smart, funny, beautiful, talented and compassionate. She will be attending UNCC this fall and plans to major in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Motorsports Engineering. Her entire family is proud of her and loves her bunches! Owen is graduating from NGHS where he has played baseball and wrestled, going to state himself, with the team winning the state championship. He has earned the Service Learning Certificate. He will be attending Ole Miss this fall and studying Business. Gretta is a senior at NWGHS. She is a member of the National Honor Society, National German Honor Society and National Art Society. She loves animals, volunteering at the Greensboro Science Center, hiking, being outdoors, traveling and art. She will be entering the Life Sciences program at NC State in the fall.
10
JUNE 2020
Krystyna Derezinska-Choo
Christa Simaan
by MEREDITH BARKLEY Krystyna Derezinska-Choo, Christa Simaan and Sarah Arteaga tied this year for class salutatorian.
KRYSTYNA DEREZINSKA-CHOO If the coronavirus pandemic and the upheaval it caused taught Krystyna Derezinska-Choo anything, it’s that the course of life can change in a hurry. “It’s sad that we won’t get a goodbye together,” Derezinska-Choo, one
ONWARD and UPWARD
Sarah Arteaga
of Northwest Guilford’s three salutatorians, said of her classmates and school friends. When they left school March 13, they had no way of knowing it’d be their last time together for the school year. “It’s a reminder of how quickly things change,” she said. “It’s going to make us more present with each other.” Although she’s looking forward to going to college in a few months, her high school experience remains large.
“I like that Northwest has a lot of school spirit and academic rigors,” she said, noting it hasn’t been easy staying academically at the top of her class. “There’s a lot of hard-working, smart students at Northwest,” Derezinska-Choo said. “It’s good to be with students who work just as hard and are just as passionate about learning.” She was also grateful for the level of instruction her school offered. Her favorite teacher: Scott Walker, who taught her honors English and AP English composition classes which she said were “discussion-based” and engaging. “He wanted to hear what every student had to say,” Derezinska-Choo said. Just as important, she added, “He taught me a lot about how to be a better writer,” a skill that will remain with her long after high school. In the high-stakes competition for grades and class rankings, she hadn’t expected to finish as a salutatorian, although she had long been academically near the top of her class. Her favorite extra-curricular activity in high school has been tutoring at Northwest Middle School. There she worked with teachers who she had in middle school and she tutored some students who are now in high school.
CHRISTA SIMAAN Christa Simaan made all As through high school, but learned early on there was more to gain from her school experience than just high grades. “It’s good to have a nice balance and do everything I can,” said Simaan, a Northwest salutatorian. “Everything,” she said, has included four years of playing on the varsity golf team, going to basketball and football games, hanging out with friends and family, holding a part-time job and founding a technology camp for girls.
Her advice to classmates: Don’t get down on yourself if some plans don’t work out. That simply means your life will take a different, more promising path. “Your plan will eventually reveal itself,” she said wisely. From freshman year, her goal was to be among the top academic students. She recalls attending her oldest sister’s graduation four years ago and listening to student speeches. “I thought, ‘that’s where I really want to be, what I want to do,’” she said. At Northwest, she enjoyed being exposed to new people and new ideas.
But the coronavirus loomed over everything and came at a “pivotal” time, she said.
“I definitely grew as a person,” said Simaan, who’d come from a “very rigorous” charter school. “I changed, and I think it was for the better. I love every teacher I ever had.”
Derezinska-Choo is headed to UNC-Chapel Hill in August to pursue a degree in nursing.
May all your dreams come true!
“It’s important to do the best job you can, but also have good relationships and be a good role model for others,” she said.
“It was so nice to give back,” Derezinska-Choo said.
“We’re so focused on the chase for grades. It’s easy to miss other things,” she reflected. As she moves beyond the current situation, she said, “I’ll be looking for a balance, making time for what really matters, like family and stuff.”
Congratulations to All Graduating Seniors
Next fall she’s headed to University of Pennsylvania, where she’ll major in computer science. She hopes to be a software engineer. She said she’s worked with robotics since first grade and has been an advocate for women in STEM (science,
From the
Town of Oak Ridge
... Salutatorians continued on p. 26
ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
11
12
Summa Cum Laude
NORTHWEST GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2020
Congratulations to these 54 students who graduated with a weighted GPA of 4.5+
Shay Adio
Ahmad Al-Qaq
Jesse Andrews
Sarah Arteaga
Brooks Atwell
Hallie Bell
Brennan Berry
Mary Beverly
Mary Bradley
Devin Bradshaw
Jimmy-Lee Brown
Zachary Brown
Isaac Byrd
Krystyna Derezinska-Choo
Trey Foulks
Joseph Fries
Shelby Harbaugh
Jordan Hillard
Wenyue Jia
Hua Jiang
Erika Kallam
Ana Maria Keating
Garrett Kessel
Celeste Kidd-O’Brien
Margaret Lucas
Christy Ma
Mackenzie Major
Jaden Malley
Mackenna Myers
Harrison Neeble
David Nguyen
Anna Overman
Teresa Pan
Hinal Patel
JUNE 2020
ONWARD and UPWARD
we’re ready when you are Allison Petty
Lauren Pollock
Olivia Pool
Payton Reyes
Wake Forest Baptist Health looks forward to welcoming you back. As we resume surgeries and in-person care, our promise is to keep you safe, healthy and COVID-19-protected.
Following the advice of our Infectious Disease experts, we are: • Practicing social distancing in all of our clinic locations. • Minimizing wait times in common areas. • Asking our patients to join all providers and clinic staff in wearing masks and providing masks upon arrival. • Limiting visitors, with few exceptions. • Cleaning our facilities following strict sanitation protocols.
Payton Rolland
Abigail Rose
Abigail Seidle
Christa Simaan
• Conducting screenings for COVID-19 symptoms—for our providers and for you upon arrival. • Providing COVID-19 testing for all patients undergoing surgery. • Offering expanded access to virtual visits via phone or video. • Staffing ten designated respiratory assessment clinics for patients with COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, separate from regular clinic locations.
Taylor Soukup
Paris Stankewich
Blake Sullivan
Calvin Toland
Jeremy Van Duin
Mitchell Vermilyea
Nathan Vescio
Elizabeth Weidl
For more information, visit WakeHealth.edu/GetCare. To schedule an appointment, call 888-716-WAKE. care for life
Keely Woyahn
Samuel Yaun
Mary Yin
Kendall Young
ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
13
Northwest Guilford SENIORS A
B
Devin Walker Bradshaw
Caroline Lei’a Chavis
Alex Connor Brady
Kelsey Marie Cheney
Ashley Elizabeth Bray
Kyndall Danielle Cherry
Jimmy-Lee John Brown
Kirsten Leigh Christensen
Zachary Bryce Brown
Ava Nicole Clapp
Pranav Buneti
Molly Corinne Coble
Olivia Rae Burg
Ethan Hunter Cole
Noah Goodwin Burke
Skylar Lane Coleman
Nickolas Scott Burlew
Jeremy Matthew Corkhill
Dylan Ray Byrd
Elliot Neil Couture
Isaac Nathaniel Byrd
Wade Anthony Cox
Louis Joseph Abbott
Hannah Michael Baker
Yasmine Fatimah Abdelhaq
Meshela Miko Isoia Balambao
Rachel Marie Abele
Haleigh Nikole Ballard
Kaylan Shawn Acker
Sarah Gail Barham
Michael Beimnut Adal
Alec Bryant Barnes
Shay Victory Adio
Tanner Ray Barton
Kush Prashant Agarwal
Robert Davis Baugh
Ahmad Wael Al-Qaq
Chloe Reese Beam
Jenell Chanay Alford
Cory Allen-Wayne Beck
Ayanna Niema Ali
Violet May Behnke
Landon Urbain-Lozier Alison
Hallie Grace Bell
Hannah Hajim Almatarneh
Claire Cholette Bercaw
Renad Abdulwahed A Alsaid
Ava Baudreau Berry
Valdir Fernandes Andrade Jr
Brennan Laure Berry
Aeda Lyn Andrews
Mary Alexandra Beverly
Ma’kye Kapri Calloway-Matthews
Jesse Lee Andrews
David Michael Blair
Keegan Allen Cantrell
Meghan Lee Andrews
Anna Rose Blake
Lucas Daniel Carminelli Corretjer
Johanna Lizbeth Aparicio
Rachel Faith Blevins
Emma Joyce Carson
Jackson Solomon Aronson
James Graham Bonham Jr
Ellis Khari Carson II
Sarah Nicole Arteaga
Haley Elizabeth Booth
Sydney Elizabeth Carter
Melanie Rosalba Ashburn
Scottsman Manning Boris
Thalia Charlize Carter
Ryan Dean Askew
Robert Forest Boulton
Cameron Alexander Casillas
Aaliyah Marie Atkins
Madison Elizabeth Bowen
Fernando Jose Castellanos Lima
Lindsey Grace Atkins
Justen Daryl Brackley
Nicolas Alexander Chandler
Philip Brooks Atwell
Mary Madison Bradley
Connie Hyun Joo Chang
Congrats,
Madeline Mckayla Cadby
Marc Andrei Cronan
David Andrew Cake
Alyssa Michelle Cross
Brianna Calcaterra
Caleb Luke Da Silva
Elizabeth Dyanna Calderon-
Hannah Marie Davis
Velazquez
Ava Berry
We are so proud of all of your accomplishments, 2-time State Champion for cheer, all-American Cheerleader, yearbook editor, officer for United Youth of Excellence, and tennis at Forest Hills Central! Looking forward to the amazing things you will be doing at NC State – Go Wolfpack! We Love you, XOXO Love, Mom, Dad, Max, Izzy, Charlotte, Lucy and Honey
JUNE 2020
D
Juan Pablo Calderon-Juarez
Northwest Guilford High School Attending NC State, Fall 2020
14
Jessica Morgan Creviston
C
ONWARD and UPWARD
Congrats,
Morgan Anne Davis Morgan Taylor DelFava Catherine Elizabeth Denny Krystyna Amethyst Chin Tien
Derezinska-Choo Kylie Blue DeSilvey Nicholas Keane Dewberry Zeinab Munira Diaby-Kassamba Alex Carlos Distefano Autumn Dayva Dixon Kathleen Louise Dodge Logan Tyler Doles
Joseph “Joey” Doyle
Northwest Guilford High School Virginia Tech, Fall 2020 Joey is a proud member of the NWHS Class of 2020. He has been awarded the National Naval ROTC Scholarship and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets’ Emerging Leader Scholarship. Joey will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall, with plans to study engineering. Let’s go, HOKIES! We are so proud of him and excited to see what great things God has planned for his future. We love you, Joey!!
Raven Monique Donnell
F
G
Kierstyn LeanneGibson Gray
Joseph Conner Doyle
Mohammed Humza Farid
Abhyuday Gandikota
James Nelson Greene
Neeve Taylor Drysdale
Christopher Nobles Farmer
Blake Allen Gardner
Mary Elizabeth Greene
Sara Sophia DuMond
William Thompson Farrell
Landry Tanner Garris
Addison Clair Greenhill
Emily Janell Dunn
Declan Joseph Feeley
Jessica Andrea Gaytan
Bethany Elyse Greer
Nathan Dunn
Santiago Leon Ferguson
Joshua James Gee
Lauren Jade Gregory
Madeline Elizabeth Duvall
Grayson Rose Fidishun
Olivia Maria Gennaro
Annie Hudgins Grove
Elaina Marie Fleming
Reece Savage Gentry
Nathaly Daniela Gutierrez
Cassie Michelle Eberle
Kevin Anthony Flores
Adam Christopher Gietzen
Thomas David Edwards
Gavin Thomas Forsman
Lesley Gil-Rodriguez
Jeffery Harmon Hall
Jason Banks Ellington Jr
Samantha Diongson Foster
Jenna Lee Ginther
Jackson Alexander Hallman
Ivy Magdalen Presley Ellis
Trey Evander Foulks
Devin William Goffredo
Claire Emma Halterman
Catheryn Lorraine Engel
Hope Sophia Freshwater
Sophia Elizabeth Goga
Christopher Ryan Hamphill
Jacob Wesley England
Myles Louis David Freshwater
Grady Taren Gonzalez
Christain Tyvon Hampton
Cole Alexander Epperson
Aidan Cole Frey
Gerardo Gonzalez-Salazar
Kayla Lynn Hancock
Lydia Renee Esbrandt
Joseph James Fries
Luke Howard Gordy
Shelby Elizabeth Harbaugh
David Winchester Evans
Landon Gray Frye
Kaleb Jeremiah Gossett
Megan Elizabeth Harkey
Tanyia Amari Evans
Paul Liu Fu
William Garrett Graham
Chad Thomas Harrell
E
Keriann Janene Gray
Patrick James Evans Jr
Congrats,
H
... more SENIORS on next page
Chase & Chad Harrell Northwest Guilford High School
Chase & Chad will attend Western Carolina University, Fall 2020
Chase Harrell
Chad Harrell
We are so proud of y’all. Watching you grow into polite young men has been a blessing in our lives. I will never forget the Pigeon Forge trips with y’all and Dawn, especially the last one. I thank God for letting me be your Memaw. Love you more!!! Jeremiah 29:11 Memaw & Grandpa (Kay & Mike)
ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
15
Chase Adam Harrell
Ethan Rolando Hoffman
Alisha Brielle Harrelson
Ethan Tyler Holbrook
Claire Marie Jacoby
Navshalin Deep Kaur
Taylor Alexis Harrison
Benjamin Laurence Holcomb
Grace Nicole James
Ana Maria America Keating
Ashley Elizabeth Hartman
Annelise Liberty Holmes
Andres Felipe Jaramillo Rodriguez
Garrett Edward Kessel
Jenna Laurine Hartman
Summer Nicole Holmes
Richelle Imani Jeffy
Celeste Kidd-O’Brien
Justin Edward Harvell
Austin Cornelis Hooijschuur
Wenyue Jia
William Anthony Kieffer
Hailey Ray Hawkins
Faith Renee Hornsby
Hua Jiang
Gabrielle Jin Kim
Saunly Pandora Hean
Denny Manuel Horruitiner
Anthony Christian Johnson
Seihn Kim
Terry Eldon Hedenskog II
Layton Victoria Howard
Baylie Caroline Johnson
Seohyun Kim
Brooke Arianna Hedgecock
Maxwell James Huber
Brooke Allyson Johnson
Ethan Grant King
Jake Austin Hedgecock
Madeleine Diane Huffman
Dawn Renae Johnson
Kaitlyn Brooke Kiser
Brendan Herbst
Lily Anna Hughes
Turner Holladay Johnson
Jonathan Isaiah Kigonya Kizito
Nancy Jazmin Hernandez Pena
Owen Avery Hughes
Riley Barr Joncas
Kihyun Kwon
Mauricio Hernandez-Martinez
Mya Louise Hulse
Christian Alexander Jones
Ashley Noelle Hettman
Jacklyn Elsa Humel
Marissa Maria Jordan
Benjamin Joseph Lacer
Lily Ana Hickman
Joshua Harry Humphrey
Caley Maxine Justice
Madeline Ann Lacopo
Jessica Rose Higgins
Avery Paul Hurst
Charles William Hill Jordan Ashley Hillard
Congrats,
Erika Summer Kallam
I Exaucee Richelle Issangou
Grayson Elisabeth Kanoy
Cody Marion
Cody was honored with the Service Learning Excellence Award for volunteering 250 hours of community service mainly at W/S Ronald McDonald House, SPCA of the Triad and Stokesdale Parks and Recreation. He also received recognition from the National Technical Honor Society. Cody, your family is so very proud of you! You have worked very hard to graduate with terrific grades in addition to all you service and achievements. You have grown up into an outstanding young man and we look forward to seeing what you do and become in the next chapters of your life.
JUNE 2020
ONWARD and UPWARD
L
Michael David Lamb
K
Northwest Guilford High School Attending Western Carolina University, Fall 2020
16
Reagan Belle Kargo
J
Sarah Lizabeth Lamb ... more SENIORS on next page
Congrats, Trey Foulks
Northwest Guilford High School UNC-Chapel Hill, Fall 2020
Words on a page could never depict how much joy, love, and laughter you have brought into our lives. It has been an honor to share every adventure, every milestone, every hardship, and every celebration with you the past 18 years. We could not be prouder of you, Trey! Through hard work, determination, and perseverance, you have achieved exactly what you set out to do and we can’t wait to celebrate the next chapters in life with you. We love and support you always, Dad, Mom, and Josh
Congrats to the Class of 2020
Remember, dreams are built one brick at a time
Custom home building isn’t just our job, it’s our passion. With attention to detail at every step of the way, we’ll strive to make your home building process smooth and stress-free. Plus, we back every new home with a 1-year warranty. We hope you’ll work with us to build your next home – you won’t regret it!
www.naylorcustomhomes.com (336) 382-9085 • naylorcustom@gmail.com
Philip Lamendola IV
Magdalena Grace Mahon
Connor Patrick Mobus
Devyani Jayshil Patel
Kayla Nicole Lanser
Mackenzie Nicole Major
Breanna Leigh Moore
Hari Patel
Alexander Jason Laughlin
Jaden Lyn Malley
Julia Peyton Morris
Hinal Anilkumar Patel
Ayden Nicole Law
Sierra Kate Malley
Gavin Scott Mortenson
Ryan James Patterson
Jaiden Davon Lawrence
Madison Alexandra Malone
Olivia Jacqueline Moyer
Austin James Paul
Hadi Zeyad Laymoun
Carly Anne Maness
Jadyn Keinan Muhammad
Nicholas Tanner Peacock
Haiden Isaac Leak
Cody Wayne Marion
Melissa Marie Muntyan
Amber Renae Pegram
Jordan Alexander Lech
Shaquor Donde Andrea Marsh
Natalie Ann Muntyan
Danika Cristine Perez-Capell
Erynne Chen Lee
Cade Fischer Martin
Spencer Illarion Murray
Tristan Elijah Perry
Avery Lynn Leggett
Emma Cross Martin
Mackenna Grace Myers
Kayla Mary Jean Peters
Ryan Colby Lemons
Ethan Samuel Martin
Roberto George Leon
Gabrielle Elise Martin
Harrison Reed Neeble
Cassie Leigh Petty
Adam Jeffrey Leonard
Sean Alexander Martineau
Allison Marie Neumann
Nathan Scott Phelps
Kema James Leonard
Jonathan William Mayes
David Bao-Long Nguyen
Trevor Cole Phelps
Shelby Linn Lester
Riley Ann McCallister
Katelin Elaine Nierle
David Michael Phillips
Michael Blake Lett
Austin D’Maco McClinton
Mitchell Arne Nikula
Taya Mckinzie Noel Phillips
Evan Matthew Lewis
William Bryant McCorquodale
Devin Riley Nix
Mackenzie Diana Pigg
Austin James Liebgott
Savannah Pleasants McCracken
Joseph Edwin Norris
Avery Elizabeth Pigue
Myah Elizabeth Lindstrom
Hannah Elizabeth McFarland
Kameryn Leigh Nowlin
Julian Manuel Pina
Arianna Angele Lites-Trevino
Eden Rebekah McKoin
Carlos Alberto Nunez Rodriguez
Eli Robert Pippenger
Kenneth Guillermo Lopez
Landon Joel McLamb
Aymara Lleru Lopez-Rodriguez
Montana Skylar Mears
Jamia Oglesby
Lauren Elizabeth Pollock
Katelynn Cecile Lovelace
Zoe Avery Michalak
Rylie Nicole Olsen
Olivia Ann Pool
Taylor Carson Lowman
Addison Elizabeth Middleton
Cory Ryan Olson
Daniel Charles Popp
Margaret Ellen Lucas
Rachel Dawn Milby
Valeria Maria Orozco
Greg Chignell Potter
Nicole Catherine Luther
Nicholas Craig Miller
Xavier Rafael Ortega
Carson Anthony Powell
Tyler Alan Miller
Anastasia Mara Ortt
Derrek Lake Price
Christy Ma
Brandon Russell Mills
Anna Mae Overman
Francesco Luca Proposito
Madison Rae Magyar
Tyler Scott Mitchell
Gretta Elizabeth Overmyer
M
Congrats,
Ronald Villarosa,Jr.
Northwest Guilford High School Wake Tech, Fall 2020
Ronnie, We are so proud of all you have accomplished and the man you have grown into, and we are excited to watch you experience life in Raleigh. Stay smart, kind, patient, loving, and make memories worth remembering. God has you in his hands. Congrats! Love, Your Beautiful Crazy Family xoxo
18
JUNE 2020
N
O
Jasmine Demet Ozan Jayda Senan Ozan Kayla Ogzen Ozan
P
Allison Hope Petty
Ashlyn James Plott
Q Mason Walker Quinlan
R Jaime Caleb Ramirez Jaime Josue Ramirez
Emma Sophia Palmenteri
Octavio Ramirez-Lara
Reagan Ashley Palombo
Samuel Alejandro Ramos Tirado
Teresa Pan
Emma Danielle Rand
Jenna Nicole Parker
Jackson William Reeves
Emma Grace Parrish
ONWARD and UPWARD
... more SENIORS on next page
Northwest Soccer Boosters
congratulates our Class of 2020
#2 Jeremy Van Duin UNC Chapel Hill
#4 Brooks Atwell Duke University
#10 Max Huber University of North Greenville (Team Captain)
#5 Eli Pippenger UNC Wilmington
#18 Mason Quinlan Appalachian State University
#8 David Cake University of North Greenville (Team Captain)
#22 Harrison Neeble NC State University
Seniors, I know this is not the way you envisioned ending your high school career, but I hope you will never forget the great memories you made at Northwest – and in particular, the Northwest soccer team. Your class is next to none with the achievements you have been able to reach during your four years: a 78-14-6 overall record, four consecutive conference titles, a quarterfinal appearance in 2017 and a Final Four appearance last season. As your coach, I am immensely proud of all of you, and on behalf of the Northwest Soccer Boosters, I congratulate the class of 2020! Day by Day, Coach Allred
Dean Thomas Reiber
S
Zoe Alane Simon
Jaziah Naomi Terrelonge
Maximus Jay Reina
Yampier Anthony Safora Ortega
Shelby Ann Sims
Luke Ronald Tharrington
Jenna Diane Revak
Bryceson Liam Sanders
Yan Patrick Siqueira da Cunha
Brandon Alexander Thomas
Payton Alexander Reyes
Adam Henry Sasser
Alexis Nitavanh Sirimongkhon
Daeshawn Rashard Thomas
Gage Harding Reynolds
Alidaycia Aryanna Rayne Saunders
Matthew Paul Sixberry
William Dalton Thomas
Joseph Mathew Rezek
Ioana Catrinel Scalco
Andrew Phillip Sizemore
Ainsley Marie Thompson
Kali Rae Ricciuti
Brittany Joy Secraw
Kiara Nichole’ Sloan
Ryan Douglas Thompson
Sarah Ivy Riedell
Abigail Marie Seidle
Jack Laplante Slomkowski
Jackson Philip Tilyard
Maya Catherine Ritenis
Michelle Semaan
Amber Nicole Small
Kenan Xavier Tippett
Miranda Rivera
Benjamin Joseph Senic
Eric Robert Small
Calvin Joseph Toland
Preston Gage Robinson
Jared Andrew Senic
Evan Michael Smith
Caroline Grace Tomlin
TiAndra Nichele Robinson
Malcolm Kelly Sessoms IV
Jakeblee Mitchell Smith
Peyton Michael Townsend
Payton Linley Rolland
Keala Anjolie Shaffer
Mckenna Lee Smith
Maria Luiza Hecke Trevisan
Francesca Pia Romano
Lauren Mackenzie Shaw
Gavin Quinn Snyder
Brennen Paige Tripp
Bailey Grace Rooks
Tanner James Shumpert
Taylor Thomas Soukup
Sidney Michele Tsui
Abigail Elaine Rose
Andrew William Shuttleworth
Brooke Janine Southern
Jacob Glen Rose
Paige Nicole Sigmon
Valerie Rose Southern
Graham Reagan Royal
Christa Elise Simaan
Nicholas Alexander Spencer
Tyler Mitchell Simmons
William Thomas Spradling
Oscar Ignacio Valadez Puente
Aaron Thomas Spruill
Jeremy David Van Duin
Connor Jonas Stafford
Michelle Scarlette Vasquez-Soto
Chantal Elise Stalling
Stephen Jeffrey Vega
Paris Nicole Stankewich
Michael Reece Venable
Joseph Alan Starr
Mitchell Alfred Vermilyea
Mason James Staszak
Nathan Aleck Vescio
Jacob Kenneth Stevens
Ronald Louis Villarosa Jr
Davon Robert Stewart
William Andrew Virost
Taylor Alexandra Strain
Alexandra Vlad
Dylan Jacob Streeter-Jimeno
Disha Ketankumar Vyas
Congratulations Class of 2020 “Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you! Do not be afraid to dream of great things!” - Pope Francis From our family to yours – Congratulations graduates! We wish you all the best. Dream big and we encourage you to consider a trade occupation – there is a big need! – Francis, Mark and Patti Disney
Time-tested reputation of excellence in quality home building for over 35 years 336-643-4219 • disneycustomhomes.com houzz.com/pro/disneyconstructionco
20
JUNE 2020
Minji Suh
U Joshua Michael Usry
V
W
Blake Andrew Sullivan
Brooke Jeannette Wade
Hayden Landis Summers
Tyler Matthew Wadford
Claire Marie Surette
Chloe Elizabeth Walker
Sydney Gray Sutherland
Tammy Wang
Isabella Kellynn Alexandria Sutton
James Vearl Manwill Warguez
Daniela Jacey Swain
Gabrielle Rene Watson
T Sarah Elisabeth Teague
ONWARD and UPWARD
Jessica Hatley Watts ... more SENIORS on next page
! d o o h or b h g i e in your n SUMMERFIELD
coming soon!
3 Locations. 1 Name. Locally Owned. www.OakRidgePT.com
OAK RIDGE
|
SUMMERFIELD
|
EDEN
Grant Daniel Weaver
Zachary Porter Williamson
Jarod Andrew Webb
Seth Franklin Willis
Elizabeth Jade Weidl
Alexander Joseph Wilson
Colin Andrew Weishar
Elizabeth Grace Wilson
Jevin Miller Wells
Jacob Robert Wilson
Lauren Kay Wesley
Eric Stefan Wirtz
Sidney Elizabeth Westfall
Kelsi Michelle Wooten
Elke Anne Von White
Keely Alexander Woyahn
Joshua Griffin Whitley
Jeorge Elijah Wynter
Samuel Austin Widener
Y
London Cade Wilkins
Issac M Y
Emily Asenith Willey
Matthew Jing Han Yan
Abigale Elyse Williams
Samuel Aidan Yaun
Hannah Riley Williams
Mary Yin
Nathaniel Scott Williams
Kendall Mccarry Young
Samantha Blair Williams
Meghan Ann Young
Zyon Carneillius Williams
Junho Yu
Caleb Matthew Williams-Clark Tavis Derek Williamson
Z Dalton Michael Zimmerman
Congrats, Skylar Lane Coleman
Northwest Guilford High School
Leon’s Esthetician School, Fall 2020 One in a million, beautiful, confident, sassy (some say bossy) and loves with all her heart! Voted “Best Dressed” by her Senior Class… with her passion for style & beauty she’s attending Esthetician school this fall. Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed, and then aim for the SKY!
Perfect ATTENDANCE
Taylor Lowman set sights on perfect attendance early by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – As a second grader, Taylor Lowman read an article about a girl who won a college scholarship after achieving perfect attendance in school. “I had already gone through kindergarten and first grade, so I said ‘why not go all the way through 12th grade?’” Lowman said. A decade later, the 18-yearold accomplished the feat – never missing a day while attending Pearce Elementary School, Kernodle Middle School and Northwest Guilford High School.
The essay may have helped. She’s headed to Wilmington in August with plans to study nursing, probably neonatal care. “I love babies,” she said. “That would be the perfect job for me.”
8400 Hwy 158 • PO Box 469 Stokesdale, NC 27357 kim@kimberlythacker.com
JUNE 2020
After getting perfect attendance awards in kindergarten and first grade, Taylor Lowman made it her goal to have perfect attendance all the way through school – and she did it!
“I was determined to go every day,” said Taylor, who wrote about her perfect attendance as “one of my lifetime achievements” in her essay for admission to UNCWilmington. “It helps with grades. You don’t miss lessons and tests and don’t have to catch up with work.”
Tax & Consulting Services For Individuals & Businesses
22
Courtesy photos
ONWARD and UPWARD
Taylor’s father, David, remembers when his daughter read the article about the girl who achieved perfect attendance. He said he encouraged her to pursue the goal, telling her something along the lines of “you can absolutely do anything you set your mind to.” “She saw it as a challenge,” he said. “I’m super proud of her commitment to stick with it.”
Bookkeeping Financial Reports
... continued on p. 26
Budget Analysis Tax Returns
Tax Planning Payroll Service
(336) 644-2741 office • (336) 644-2743 fax
Central Baptist Church
Congratulates our 2020 Graduates on a Job Well Done
Rachel Blevins Northwest Guilford High School Appalachian State University
Ansley Fondow Vandalia Christian School N.C. State University
Chad Harrell Northwest Guilford High School Western Carolina University
Chase Harrell Northwest Guilford High School Western Carolina University
Blake Carter Randolph Community College A.A.S. in Criminal Justice
David Wilson, Jr. American Public University M.A. in Humanities
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 1715 Highway 68 North, Oak Ridge, NC | (336) 643-7684
The beginning of the school ye but then it took a w
Staff members and volunteers at Northw found ways to honor the Class of 2020, despite
Northwest High School’s Student Council set several plans in motion this year to boost school spirit. The first of two Spirit Weeks was held the first week in October and culminated with a homecoming parade and football game Oct. 4 and homecoming dance the following evening. For the first time, a second Spirit Week was held in the winter during basketball season and culminated with the TWIRP dance (“The Woman Is Requested To Pay”).
Photo courtesy of Denise Blevins , Northwest Guilford Equipped with masks and hand sanitizer Trevisan and Rachel graduates (L-R) Alisha Harrelson, Malu the Class of 2020. Blevins capture the challenges faced by
t Principal NWHS Assistan lds a Wendy Farrow ho on May 6 “Congrats” sign graduates as the soon-to-be e student drove through th ck up parking lot to pi wns. their caps and go cing an Due to social dist ts en restrictions, stud t bu , rs r ca remained in thei e er w they along their route music and y el liv ith met w ring by staff clapping and chee g handmade members holdin s. signs and banner
ear started like many others … wild turn in March
west and Northern Guilford high schools e complications of social distancing restrictions
Northern Nighthawk students enthusiastically cheered their football team on last fall; shown in photo at right, Northern football players celebrate after another touchdown and below, fans continue the tradition of joining the drumline on the track after the third quarter of each football game to add to the sideline entertainment.
Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO
To show support for he r graduating seniors, Northern Princi pal Janiese McKenzie committed to riding a ¾-mile lap around the school property on her bicycle for each of the school’s 340 graduati ng seniors. McKenzie started in ear ly May, riding 10 laps each weekday of the first week, then working her way up to 13 laps each weekday at 2:1 5 p.m., rain or shine, until she finishe d June 4. Before each lap she announced the name of the senior she was riding for and refl ected on that senior’s journey in hig h school as she rode in their honor.
A large rock near the front entrance to North ern Guilford High School was painted in Ma y to honor the Class of 2020.
ATTENDANCE
...continued from p. 22 Over the years, the Summerfield family has arranged trips around Taylor’s school schedule so that she wouldn’t miss school. Once, she stayed behind and rode with an aunt and uncle to a family wedding in Ohio so she could attend school on a Friday. Taylor’s 14-year-old sister, Morgan, is following in her footsteps. She recently finished eighth grade at Kernodle without missing a day since kindergarten, setting her on course to pursue her big sister’s achievement when she enters Northwest Guilford High this fall as a freshman. Until the start of school last August, Taylor played competitive volleyball almost year-round with Carolina Spike Force, a travel volleyball club affiliated with the Spears YMCA of Greensboro. After routinely practicing four days
a week and traveling out of state for tournaments on weekends, she decided to focus on her school work instead of continuing to play. “I realized this was my last chance to get into the college I wanted, which was Wilmington, so I focused on keeping my grades up and keeping my perfect attendance,” she said. For the past year and a half, Taylor has worked at Well-Spring retirement community in Greensboro, which is helping her learn about caregiving as she prepares to study nursing. Over the past three months, the COVID-19 outbreak has given her new responsibilities, such as delivering meals to residents who aren’t leaving their rooms, and screening all visitors, including employees, before they can enter the facility. “It’s given her a sense of the nursing environment,” her father said. “She’s also picking up extra money for college.”
Congratulations Class of 2020 Share your SMILE wherever you are, and wherever you go, go with all your heart.
SALUTATORIANS ...continued from p. 11
technology, engineering and math). She used grant money from the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a national nonprofit promoting girls and women in computing, to found camps for girls at UNCG and Appalachian State. She credits Dr. Lakshmi Iyer, a professor who was at UNCG and is now at Appalachian State, for assisting with those camps. She gives a nod to her mother and older sisters for helping her to be a good student. She learned alongside her sisters growing up, and particularly “loved math, every aspect of it.” When it came to her schoolwork, she said her mom was strict – no television during the week and no heading off to bed until all work was done. “I learned work ethic,” Simaan said.
SARAH ARTEAGA If Sarah Arteaga needed motivation to work hard and achieve at Northwest Guilford, she needed to look no farther than her parents. Her family, which moved from Venezuela when she was 11 months old, struggled. “They went through so many sacrifices,” said Arteaga, one of Northwest Guilford’s three salutatorians. “I had to take the opportunity they gave me and show them it was worth it.” While it wasn’t her goal to be salutatorian, she did want to be among the top in her class.
Complimentary exam | Financing available Insurance accepted | Braces & Invisalign for children & adults (336) 441-7007 |admin@olmstedorthodontics.com | 2205 Oak Ridge Rd., Suite CC, Oak Ridge
www.OlmstedOrthodontics.com 26
JUNE 2020
“My goal was to be successful in every class I took, to challenge myself,” Arteaga said. “I was hoping to be in the top 10.” She’s headed to UNC-Chapel Hill next year to study biochemistry, which she said she’ll use as her first step
ONWARD and UPWARD
toward going to dental school. She developed an interest in dentistry through her close personal connection with the specialty. She’s had a number of dental procedures, including braces, bone grafts and having wisdom teeth removed. After deciding to shadow her dentist and orthodontist to learn more, she decided that was the field she wanted to enter. Two summers helping at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center through its VolunTeen program gave her experience in a medical setting. There she did a variety of things, from making casts in orthopedics to filing papers for nurses and answering phones in the ICU. “Not only was I helping people,” she said, “but it gave me the opportunity to figure out what I wanted to do in my future.” While she earned all As in high school, those grades didn’t always come easy, she admitted. She tended to excel in math and science, but English and history were more of a struggle. And although math is one of her favorite subjects, calculus was one that especially proved to be a challenge this year. “My main problem is I was having to adapt to a different teaching style (referring to distance learning due to the pandemic),” she said. “I was used to one-on-one. If I needed help and was confused, I could go to the teacher. This year (especially the last few months) there was really no time to ask questions. You had to kind of figure it out.” Among her favorite teachers at Northwest were Cathy Haywood, AP Chemistry teacher, and Jessica Estep, Math 3 teacher. Arteaga, who is bilingual, played volleyball and soccer in high school and was a member of six school organizations.
With the love and support of family, NWHS senior fights his way back after near-fatal wreck by MEREDITH BARKLEY
STOKESDALE – Austin McClinton’s life turned in an instant late on July 25, 2018, when a collision near his Stokesdale home left the rising Northwest Guilford junior in a coma, fighting for life. Doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, who worked to mend his battered brain and body, weren’t sure he was going to make it. His mother, Christy Dalton, never lost hope. “I asked God to give me a sign,” she said. “I looked at him and the biggest tear ran down from his left eye.” She took that as the sign. “I was there every step of the way,” Dalton said. “I slept in chairs and on the floor.” This week Austin will participate in a drive-through graduation at Northwest. That has him “really excited” and “very thankful,” she said. It hasn’t been an easy slog. He and his family have had to stare down the odds.
... continued on p. 47
Photo courtesy of Christy Dalton
Northwest High School senior Austin McClinton has been fighting his way back since July 28, 2018, when he nearly lost his life in a car wreck. His brain is still “rewiring,” but he’s graduating this week and has plans to attend Rockingham Community College after he fully regains his ability to walk.
We are so proud of our 2020
Northwest Cheerleading Seniors
Congrats,
Jordan Hillard
Ava Berry • Kayla Hancock Taylor Harrison Layton Howard • Mya Hulse Avery Leggett Mackenna Myers • Payton Rolland Claire Surette
Northwest Guilford High School UNC-Chapel Hill, Fall 2020
Jordan, We couldn’t be more proud of you! You can do anything you set your mind to with faith, hard work, determination and belief in yourself. We are your biggest fans and we will always be here for you. Love, Mom and Dad We hope your dreams take you To the corners of your smile, To the highest of your hopes, To the windows of your opportunities And to the most special places Your heart has ever known
We love you,
Club NW Cheerleading Booster and Coaches
ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
27
congratulations The following high school graduates are among those who live in our readership area and attended a high school other than Northwest Guilford or Northern Guilford. Thanks to those who submitted their information, and congratulations to these students and all the students living in our local communities who attended schools throughout Guilford County and beyond, including those who were home schooled.
CORNERSTONE ACADEMY Allison Louise Reeves Tyler Sapp, Summerfield EAST FORSYTH HS Kalista O’Shields, Oak Ridge MIDDLE COLLEGE at Greensboro College Zandria Ryleigh Elizabeth McComas, Stokesdale
NEW GARDEN FRIENDS SCHOOL Evan Andrews, Northwest Greensboro
NOBLE ACADEMY Davis Hardy Younginer, Summerfield
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY HS, Destanie Collins, Summerfield Stephanie Gonzalez, Summerfield NC CYBER ACADEMY Catherine Kinkead Crotts, Oak Ridge
WEAVER ACADEMY Adam Doyle, Summerfield WESLEYAN ACADEMY Luke Barrow, Oak Ridge Gavyn Byrd, Oak Ridge Jackson Bowman, Oak Ridge Ryley Nail, Oak Ridge Mackenzie Faith Wood, Summerfield
PAGE HS (IB program) Noah Robertson, Summerfield
Cornerstone’s Sapp ‘never had a reason’ to miss school by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Tyler Sapp never missed a day of school – not even on senior skip day.
‘Math and science guy’ graduates at top of his class by PATTI STOKES
“He went to school every day including during exams when he didn’t have an exam on that day,” said Kitty Sapp, who raised her 17-year-old grandson with her husband, Tim. “All of his teachers knew he would be there anyway.” “I just never got sick,” said Tyler, who started his perfect attendance streak in 2007 as a kindergartner at Guilford Elementary School. “I never had a reason not to go to school.” Tyler said he enjoyed his friendships in school more than going to class so “it didn’t really bother me” when the COVID-19 outbreak forced the closing of schools in March.
In fact, he said, he enjoyed the break after 13 years of perfect attendance. “I didn’t have to go to school anymore and I got to hang out with my friends all day long,” said Tyler, who lives in Summerfield and finished high school at Cornerstone Charter Academy in Greensboro. He enjoys socializing with a group of 10 classmates, playing basketball, fishing and hanging out. He plans
... continued on p. 47
Congrats, Noah Robertson
Page High School
Penn State University, Fall 2020 Noah has earned his International Baccalaureate Diploma at Page High School where he is Valedictorian. He is a member of National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Latin Honor Society. Noah has been president of Science Olympiad for the past two years as well as being involved in Chess Club, Young Life, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Noah will attend Penn State University, Schreyer Honors College, where he will major in Aerospace Engineering.
SUMMERFIELD – After he had already skipped one grade during his two years of attending public school, Noah Robertson’s parents were Noah Robertson given the option for him to skip another grade. Instead, they decided to try homeschooling and let him move at his own academic pace. It worked well, all the way from second grade through his sophomore year of high school. As he approached his junior year, Noah and his parents learned of the IB (International Baccalaureate) program offered at Page High School. They decided it would be a good fit for him. “It sounded like a good opportunity to get the high school experience, but I could still take the advanced (entrylevel college) classes that I wanted to take, plus have the bonus of graduating with my IB diploma,” Noah said. The IB program requires completion of three high-level classes and three lower-level (but still advanced) classes in a student’s junior and senior year. Just as with students who take advanced placement (AP) classes, students in the IB program graduate with college credits. Transitioning from being a homeschooled student to a large public school “was definitely kind of a nervous concept for me,” Noah admitted. “Prior to going to Page I only knew one person. But I think because there were only 70 kids in our IB program,
... continued on p. 44
MacCord Mason PLLC an intellectual property law firm
MacCord Mason would like to honor the following 2020 Northwest Graduating Seniors
for their outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments!
Garrett Kessel Garrett was a member of the National Honor Society and the German National Honor Society. He will receive the GCS Service Learning Diploma with over 250 volunteer hours for working with the Backpack Ministry and Camp Carefree, and he is an AP Scholar with Distinction. Garrett played soccer for NC Fusion with the United States Development Academy and was his team’s captain for the last four years. He was selected as the Coach’s Player of the Year, the Player’s Player of the Year and was the Warrior Award recipient through NC Fusion. Garrett will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he will be playing for the UNC Men’s Soccer Team. He will major in Economics with plans to apply to the Business School. Brooks Atwell Brooks was Vice President of the National Honor Society, a member of the German National Honor Society, and a National Merit Finalist. Brooks will receive the GCS Service Learning Diploma with over 250 volunteer hours working with Camp Carefree and the Colfax Fire Department. He won all-conference honors and was a four-year member of the NW Varsity soccer team that set numerous school records and won the NCHSAA 4A conference championship four consecutive years. Brooks played soccer for NC Fusion in the Elite Clubs National League and US Development Academy program. He was an AP Scholar with Distinction and will graduate in the top 2% of his class. Brooks was recognized as a Trinity Scholar finalist and will be attending Duke University with plans to double major in Mathematics and Political Science.
Elizabeth Weidl Elizabeth was a member of the National Honor Society and the German National Honor Society. She played for the NW tennis team
in the #1 position for four years. She progressed to States in tennis all four years, was Captain of the Tennis team, and named Conference Player of the Year all four years. She also competed with the United States Tennis Association, earning a top 10 ranking in the state of North Carolina. Elizabeth will graduate in the top 2% of her senior class at NW and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. She will be attending Auburn University in the fall, participating in the Honors program, and studying Aerospace Engineering and Journalism.
Anna Blake Anna was a four-year Varsity swimmer on the NW Swim Team and also a 2-year Varsity Cross Country runner at NW. She progressed to Conference and Regional competitions in swimming all four years. Anna was a member of the German National Honor Society. She participated for many years as a swim coach at Oak Ridge Swim Club, where she also worked as a lifeguard. Anna volunteers as a Sunday School leader in the Kids Ministry at Mercy Hill Church. In the fall, Anna will be attending Appalachian State University with plans to pursue a degree in Nursing.
David Cake David was a four-year member of the Northwest soccer program. As a senior Varsity Captain, he helped lead the team to the regional finals; the farthest in school history. He contributed 11 goals and earned All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State soccer honors. He was a member of the German National Honor Society. David also volunteered with the NW youth soccer camp during multiple summers. He also captained his NC Fusion Elite club soccer team. David will continue his soccer career with the North Greenville University Crusaders in Tigerville, SC, with plans to major in Business Administration.
Blake Sullivan Blake was the Northwest Student Body President and led the NW Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. He was Fox 8’s Rookie Anchor, and actively participated throughout high school in the Student Council to plan homecoming’s spirit week and dance, as well as TWIRP. As Blake stated in his morning announcements, he believed because of NW’s administration and faculty it truly was a “great day to be a Viking!” He will graduate in the top 2% of his senior class and is an AP Scholar with Distinction. Blake will be joining the Wolfpack at North Carolina State University in the fall to major in Mechanical Engineering. Jeremy van Duin Jeremy was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. He played for the NW Soccer team that advanced to the semi-finals of the 2019 State Championship. Jeremy also played club soccer for Piedmont Triad FC. He captained his PTFC team and was named a NCSCA All Region player. Since 2014, Jeremy has volunteered as a tutor to school-aged children and also taught US citizenship classes to Burmese adults. Jeremy plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall and will major in Neuroscience and Exercise & Sports Science, with a minor in Spanish.
We would like to express our
Parting words from Northern Student Body PRESIDENT
gratitude
to the many businesses, family members, community members, friends, school groups and others who financially helped make this publica�on possible through their adver�sing
Traditionally, the student body president of Northern Guilford High School is given an opportunity to speak at the commencement ceremony. Due to COVID-19 that opportunity wasn’t an option this year, so we invited Cadee Gafford to write a letter to her classmates. She readily accepted, and here’s what she had to say …
&
to the Northern and Northwest staff members who provided countless lists, photos and other requested informa�on on the Class of 2020
Cadee Gafford, Northern student body president
We couldn’t have done it without you! To my 339 classmates, congratulations!
publisher of
Northwest FINDER, At Home in northwest Guilford County, To Your Health, and Onward & Upward
To our faculty and parents, we thank you. Without your tough love and support we would not be here today. Who could’ve predicted the time we are in right now? This school year has been unlike any other years before it; however, like many, we are faced with obstacles and trials in life that we are called to overcome.
While the COVID-19 pandemic created uncertainty, it has also brought our community together. To be a Night-
hawk stands for far more than just being a student at a school. Nighthawk Nation is a community, a place where we learn and develop together, and a place where relationships and friendships flourish.
PO Box 268 | Oak Ridge, NC 27310
(336) 644-7035
30
JUNE 2020
ONWARD and UPWARD
This year has taught our Class of 2020 about the importance of being humble and being grateful for our blessings. As we finalize this chapter and move on to achieve great things, I
hope we will remember who we are, what we are, and who we represent. We should remember the feeling we had when we rushed the field at Johnny Roscoe Stadium after winning a football game, our arms wrapped around one another as we sang our alma mater. And then there was the excitement of Spirit Week and seeing the enthusiasm of our students as we danced for our Student Council page.
We should never forget the names and faces of our peers, for we have grown together. After graduating, some of us will stay in North Carolina, some of us will venture to other parts of the United States, and some of us will venture to the far ends of our world. No matter where we end up, or the wonderful things we will accomplish, we will all have one great thing in common – our time at Northern Guilford High School and the memories we made together over the last four years. Forever a Nighthawk.
Cadee Gafford 2019-2020 student body president
COMFORTABLE
INVITING
Congratulations Graduates WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING YOU A HOME THAT WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS IN ANY PHASE OF LIFE.
ELEGANT
Co-owners Don & Annette Mills
DON MILLS BUILDERS, INC. | (336) 362-1777 | www.donmillsbuilders.com
Northern Guilford Student Body PRESIDENT by PATTI STOKES As a freshman at Northern Guilford, Cadee Gafford looked up to some of her upperclassmen in student government. She ran for a seat on Student Council the next year and was elected, and then her junior year she was elected student body vice president. This year she was elected student body president. One of her goals as student body president was to create traditions “that would last far beyond my time here,” Cadee said. “I feel we were able to do that. We brought back the TWIRP dance. And last year we succeeded in moving the homecoming dance off campus and held it at Summerfield Farms. I think those kinds of things brought us together as a school community, across all grade levels, and that was important to me.” Another goal was to “properly rep-
Cadee Gafford
resent the entire school,” and to do that she knew she needed to work with people of all ages, from faculty to parents to students and representatives of the school’s many clubs.
She cites a few mentors who have helped her along her leadership path. “A very big influence in my life was my calculus teacher, Mr. Sims,” she said. After returning from a trip in January which resulted in her missing about three weeks of school, she said she was “filled” with all the things she had to do to catch up. “One day Mr. Sims sat me down and told me that as a student leader in the
CELEBRATES THE
CLASS OF 2020! LIF
32
JUNE 2020
E SAFETY
school, people would be watching how I was going to bounce back with my school work,” she said. “He motivated me to succeed and I finished the work very quickly.” Rick O’Hare, a youth leader with Campus Life, a Christian-based program she’s been involved with since middle school, has been another mentor. “He taught me about how I have the ability to affect others and encouraged me to think about what I could do to add joy to other students’ lives. That’s why I wanted to be a Campus Life leader every Thursday morning,” she said. And then there is Mary Ann Vespa, her AP Art teacher, whom she describes as a “queen!” “She has especially taught me not to give up,” Cadee said. “With my art pieces, I sometimes get frustrated when things aren’t perfect. On one of my pieces, I really wanted her help, but she said, ‘No, Cadee, I need you to do it yourself. I know you can do it.’ “At first I thought, ‘What? She’s my art teacher!’ But then I kept working on it and in the end, it turned out to be one of my best pieces. I learned a lot from that.” Joan Baer, Northern’s Student Council adviser, has also been a mentor to Cadee. “I was nervous about running for Student Council – and especially about losing,” Cadee said. “She was a great help and advised me to stay true to my character, whether I won or lost.”
ulty with the idea she got turned down. “But this was something my classmates wanted and they expected me to help them. So, I got with the president of our Fine Arts Booster Club, went to a club meeting, and worked with them to make the dance into a fundraiser that would bring funds back into the art and dance program. The dance was held Feb. 15 and we raised $4,500. Everything went smoothly and it was all for a great cause.” As for the last few months of school, “At first we had the idea this would pass very quickly and we’d be back to our normal lives,” she said. “I was studying for a test at 11 p.m. and at midnight I got a text telling me we weren’t going to go back to school the next day. It was difficult to not be with my peers and experience this together.” One of the ways she and other student representatives communicated with their peers was through an Instagram account the Student Council had created earlier in the year, which gave students an opportunity to share their thoughts on how they were dealing with the pandemic. As she looks back on this past year, she considers what she wants to dwell on – the “amazing first part of the year” or the last few months. “The year 2020 doesn’t have to be a messed-up year in our memories,” she said. “As one of my favorite pastors said, we need to acknowledge that we’re going to have a new normal. We don’t want to go back to our old normal because we won’t understand our many blessings.”
Of this year’s challenges, Cadee said creating the TWIRP dance tradition was a challenge that had a great outcome.
Her advice to others? “Recognize your attitude is something you can control, make the best of every situation and think about how you can be a positive influence on other people.”
“There were a lot of things that had to be considered,” she said, noting that when she initially approached the fac-
Cadee will be attending N.C. State University next fall, where she plans to study textile design.
ONWARD and UPWARD
Northern Guilford SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT by MEREDITH BARKLEY Rianna Allen expects her life to be all about helping others and giving a voice to the voiceless – a passion her parents instilled Rianna Allen in her. That’s why, she said, she ran for senior class president at Northern Guilford. “I didn’t know I’d won until someone texted me,” Allen said. “It was really exciting.” Representing her senior classmates on Student Council gave her a means to advocate for them and help ensure their wants and needs were addressed, she said. “My role is not about me,” she
emphasized. “It’s about the entire senior class. It’s all our voices together, and that can make change.” That, she said, was especially important after the coronavirus pandemic struck, upending the school year and leaving classmates adrift. “I’ve tried to figure out how I could help them at home,” said Allen, who has relied on many social media platforms to stay in contact. “I’ve been reaching out to them and asking how they’re doing. I know it’s hard for some people.” As part of her efforts to represent her classmates well, Allen said she solicited classmates’ views on how they wanted graduation to play out, and then passed that feedback on to Guilford County Schools’ superintendent, Sharon Contreras. Her fellow seniors, she said, wanted an observance at the close of this school year, versus
waiting until later in the summer, or even beyond that. Her feedback, along with that of representatives from other schools, led to the county coming up with a plan for seniors to have drivethrough graduations at their respective schools (Northern held their drivethrough graduation over two days, on June 10 and 11). Allen has been active in student government since she was in eighth grade at Summerfield Charter Academy, where she was student body president. She was a Student Council representative through her junior year at Northern, before deciding near the end of last year to run for the office of senior class president. She’s headed to UNC-Charlotte this August, where she plans to study psychology on a pre-med track and continue, she hopes, with student government. There, she said she’ll
“get into activism, anything that will help people.” “At a very young age my parents encouraged me to stand up for what I believe in, and to love everybody,” Allen said. It should come as no surprise, then, that her career goal is a profession that will give her the chance to helps lots of people – surgical pediatric oncology. “I’ll make sure everybody gets the medical treatment that they need,” she said. Looking back, Allen said “there’s a lot I’m going to miss” about high school – friends and teachers especially. “I truly enjoyed it,” she said. Her favorite teacher? “I don’t have just one favorite teacher,” Allen said. “I have so many favorite teachers.”
A few words of advice to the Class of 2020 (Excerpted from “Make Your Bed,” by Admiral William H. McRaven)
Start your day with a task completed (i.e., make your bed) You can’t go it alone It’s the size of your heart (not your flippers) that matters Life’s not fair – drive on Failure can make you stronger You must dare greatly Stand up to the bullies Rise to the occasion Give people hope Never, ever quit
Congratulations from all of us at communications publisher of the Northwest Observer, Northwest FINDER, At Home in northwest Guilford County, To Your Health, Countdown to Kickoff and Onward & Upward
ONWARD and UPWARD C0
M 100
Y 100
K5
C0
M 100
Y 100
K 100
C0
M0
Y0
K 60
JUNE 2020
33
Northern Guilford VALEDICTORIAN by MEREDITH BARKLEY
Connor Vines
When Connor Vines arrived at Northern Guilford as a freshman, he knew one other person in his class of about 350.
Prior to beginning high school he had attended the small, private Canterbury School in Greensboro, where he had made all As and knew everyone in his class of about 40. “It was a very big change,” said Vines, Northern’s valedictorian. But, it was apparently a change that helped him come out of his shell. “I came to high school as an
Congrats,
introvert and I’ve become a lot more extroverted,” Vines said. “I used to get really anxious talking to people, and I kept to myself.” His high school experience, he said, made him “a lot more outgoing,” and he expects that to pay big dividends as he heads off to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall, then on to his career. At Northern he made new friends, played on the lacrosse team three years and joined several clubs. In October he earned his Eagle Scout award and more recently he has been working several days a week as a delivery driver and dishwasher for a local restaurant. His goal as a freshman was to continue his middle school streak of all As. “I didn’t expect to be anywhere near the top,” Vines said. However, by
Caromis Ferrer
Northern Guilford High School UNC-Greensboro, Fall 2020
Congratulations on your high school graduation and best wishes for your new college journey. We are so happy and proud of you, too! Your parents, Grandpa and Grandma
his sophomore year he had done just that.
work every day to understand fully,” Vines said.
“That motivated me to continue,” he said. In his junior year he took all AP (advanced placement) classes, which are college-level classes for which students can earn college credits.
AP World History in his sophomore year proved to be another challenge. He got a 33 on his first quiz in that class.
He credits his parents, who met at UNC’s dental school, for instilling in him an academic work ethic, and said they insisted he do school work first, and then have fun. He learned to prioritize classes he felt would be a challenge – such as calculus, which he took in his junior year. “That was one I needed to do the
by MEREDITH BARKLEY After charting an academic course in high school and following it diligently, Davis Brandberg wasn’t too surprised when he learned he Davis Brandberg was Northern Guilford’s salutatorian. He said he took a lot of AP (advanced placement) classes in high school – and he’d learned that “hard work pays off. If you put in the time and effort to accomplish what you want, you can achieve that goal.”
“I put everything I had to do in a planner and made sure I would allow time to do assignments and not let it pile up,” Brandberg said. He finished his coursework at Northern with all As and is headed to Clemson in the fall to study engineering.
JUNE 2020
At UNC, he expects to study computer science. He’s not sure where that will lead, but right now he’s drawn to the field of cybersecurity, he said. As for being class valedictorian, he called the honor “a cool thing, something I’ll look back on down the line and be proud of.”
Northern Guilford SALUTATORIAN
Also crucial, he said, was handing assignments in on time.
34
“That was the first time I’d seen a grade like that and it woke me up for sure,” Vines admitted.
ONWARD and UPWARD
Asked whether he had any academic struggles in high school, he said not many – until final semester. The coronavirus, which upended the school year and forced instruction to go online, was a wrinkle no one saw coming. “It was harder to learn the material,” Brandberg said. “You had to hold yourself accountable to do all the work.” His favorite teacher: Dr. Caroline Stilwell (Hess), whom he had for AP Physics. “She had us do labs every single week so we could have hands-on experience to see how everything worked,” Brandberg said. “And she was really good at explaining the material in a way you could understand it.” He found role models in his parents, whom he said demonstrated the value of hard work. “They taught me (that) nothing is going to be handed to me,” he said. He played golf for the Nighthawks all four years, was part of the school’s
Science Olympiad team and was a member of several other school clubs and organizations. For Science Olympiad, his team was tasked with creating a device that would hold heat. The one they built out of foam insulation finished fourth in regional competition and ninth in the state. “It was an enjoyable experience,” he said. Brandberg chose Clemson for “the feeling of family and culture there. It seems like a fun place to be.” He said he also liked the university’s student support system. He’s not sure specifically what field of engineering he’ll go into, but hopes to figure that out through opportunities like internships and research. “I’ve always been a huge fan of math and science and I like problem solving,” Brandberg said. “I felt like engineering was a good way to explore those interests.”
Katy Price awarded Duke’s Trinity scholarship The building where she’ll attend her bioengineering classes is directly across from the Duke Hospital building – and room – where her father stayed before his death three years ago. by LESLIE DEATON, Northern Guilford High School counselor
Northern Guilford High School senior Catherine (“Katy”) Price exists because of Duke University. Literally. Before she was even a thought, two college students who would one day become her proud parents met for the first time when they carpooled to a Duke basketball game, later to be considered their “first date” of sorts. Years later, it was Duke Hospital where Katy’s future father received a
kidney-pancreas transplant, granting him 20 additional years of life. Five years after the transplant and through the miracle of fertility Catherine “Katy” procedures, the Price world was graced with the birth of Catherine Grace Price. It only makes sense that Katy would choose Duke University as her college home. Duke is her heart. After all, it is why she came to be. If only this story could be neatly wrapped up here and tied with a pristine bow. Tragically, it cannot. Years after the initial transplant, Katy’s father’s health hit a downward spiral. Through a series of complications, Duke repeatedly answered with
the latest in medical advancements. Always the fearless warrior, he battled on, through the fields of amputation and dialysis. On the sidelines of the battleground, his daughter was developing keenly observant eyes, not common to a child.
“All I could see were the barriers in his world,” Katy said. “A cobblestone street is a jarring experience on wheels. A darker home leads to hitting a doorway. An old restaurant means not going to the bathroom until you get home. “I witnessed my father struggle in his wheelchair through these scenarios. It
... continued on p. 42
Congratulations to the Class of 2020! Job well done! ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
35
36
Summa Cum Laude
NORTHERN GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2020
Congratulations to these 30 students who graduated with a weighted GPA of 4.5+
Melanie Kiersten Bacon
Patricia Kristina Benitez Arriaga
Connor Jarrett Blevins
Davis John Brandberg
Rhiana Shaw Brownell
Garrett Mason Cline
Nicole Grace Dinallo
Preston Cole Forst
Emma Lynne Fredericks
Alex Wei-Cheng Griswold
Julie Lynn Gu
Emily Ralphaela Headden
Candace Morgan Hernando
Mason Brim Hershey
William Cameron Johnson
John Daniel Livaudais
Sydney Grace Lucas
Katharyne King Mascia
Raed Marwan Naim
Amanda Paige Prevatte
Catherine Grace Price
Hope Elizabeth Rackers
Lauren Elizabeth Ryall
Abigail Grace Schoppa
Jason Kenneth Smith
Taika Alexandra Sorjonen
Zoe Kalena Storm
Ryan Christopher Swartz
Joseph Peter Tewksbury
Connor Roberson Vines
JUNE 2020
ONWARD and UPWARD
They took away your prom and your cap and gown ceremony. But they can’t take away your accomplishment.
Congratulations Class of 2020!
By the way, we’d still like to take away your wisdom teeth.
1015 HWY 150 West, Suite B, Summerfield, NC 27358 336.447.7550 office 336.447.7551 fax bestoralsurgery.com
Northern Guilford SENIORS Michael Steven Becker
A Sydney Erin Adam
Taryn Beckman
Rogelio Aguilera-Martinez, Jr.
Maia Elizabeth Belskis
Adam Ibrahim Albahlawan
Maxwell Walker Benfield
William Harrison Albright
Patricia Kristina Benitez Arriaga
Rianna Renea Allen
Isaac Zachary Benlfakih
Synia Monique Allen
Ka Leal Obadiah Messiah Bennett
Nathan Isaac Allred
Clay Dallas Bergman
Adisen Isabelle Ames
Megan Lynne Bingaman
Dejuwan Mario Anderson
Connor Jarrett Blevins
Tyler Vance Anderson
Braeden Elijah Bluitt
Raul Andrade-Perea
Isaac Michael Bogdan
Paymon John Arshagi
Melanie Amber Bolin
Kyle William Ashley
Leslie Faith Bowles
Whitley Blaire Askew
Mahogany Simone Boyd
Jesse David Auger
Caroline Sue Bradshaw
Joshua Allen Auger
Davis John Brandberg Andrew Edward Broadstreet
B Joseph Kolawole Babatunde Jr.
Jaden Taylor Brooks
Melanie Kiersten Bacon
Zackary Jalen Brooks
Angelina Julia Bagnoli
Miceia Jetoria Brown
Aaron Austin Baker
Zoe Hannah Brown
Elizabeth Brewer Baker
Rhiana Shaw Brownell
Kaitlyn Frances Baker
Olivia Leigh Buck
Alex Gregory Barham
Hanna Dennise Burge
Jacob Carroll Barlow
Congrats,
Carson Lomax
Northern Guilford High School
University of South Carolina, Fall 2020 Congratulations, Carson! We are so proud of your academic and athletic accomplishments. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!
Go Gamecocks!
C Rachel Leigh Callahan
Sarah Elizabeth Eanes
Patrick Harrison Camden
Sidonique Alexia Edwards
Isaiah Daniel Campbell
Katherine Grace Eldredge
Cody Everett Carden
Owen Byford Elwonger
Kelli Diane Carden
Daniel Ray Epperson
Hannah Laurel Causey
Marco Anthony Errichiello
Rebekah Nicole Cheek
Antoine Jules Mercado Espadero
Joshua James Chicosky
Charles Anthony Evans
Mea Jordyn Clark
Alexis Estelle Everson
Trey Matthew Clark
JUNE 2020
F
Garrett Mason Cline
Jacob Alexander Faucette
Sean M Clougher
Tobiloba Ademola Fawole
Michael Thomas Coady
Caromis Ferrer Ramos
Jackson Campbell Cole
Meghan Campbell Fickling
Carleton Drummond Coleman Jr.
Lejasia Stephanie Vernelle Fleeton
Jeremiah Steven Collier
Nancy Jean Foltz
Charles Raymond Conaway III
Terence Patrick Forde
Heather Marie Conaway
Preston Cole Forst
Jazlyn Charde' Cotton
Jacob Robert Foster
Albert Erik Cox
William Jayden Foster
Jacob Sidney Credle
Steven Blaine Fox
John Joseph Credle
Dylan Edward Francisco
D
Justin Daniel Franklin
Ayah Brooke Unopaishe Darwish
Emma Lynne Fredericks
Madison Ann Davis
William Gregory Fredericks
Nehemiah Jabez Davis
Michael Scott Frogge II
Seth Phillip Dean
G
Nicole Grace Dinallo
Cadee Leslie Gafford
Domenic Emilio DiSpirito
Aliyah Tiana Gardner
Hank Christopher Dodson
James Ross Geller
Sandra Dzifa Naa-Oyo Dormon
Joshua Ervin Genwright
Maya Olivia Dove
Justin Michael Gillespie
Kaitlyn Nicole Draper
Phoebe Brooke Gittis
Ashley Elizabeth Ducker
John Heath Gonyer
Wyatt Coble Duncan
Love, Mom, Dad & Kelly
38
E
ONWARD and UPWARD
Parker Wayne Goots Jalen Ray Graves ... more SENIORS on next page
First car, next car, or dream car: We fix your vehicle to help keep you and your family safely on the road.
Preventative maintenance will keep your vehicle running better, longer, safer, and could save you thousands of dollars. Call Greensboro AutoTech today and schedule an appointment at 336.668.1199.
2050 Fleming Road, Greensboro NC 27410 • 336.668.1199 • GreensboroAutoTech.com
Sophia Grace Greene Wilkins
Maci Marie Hudson
Paige Danielle Greeson
Edell Denise Huffine
Northern Guilford High School UNC Charlotte, Fall 2020
Alex Wei-Cheng Griswold
Kayla Meadow Huntoon
Julie Lynn Gu
Dain Tyler Hutton
It has been a pleasure watching you grow into a man. You are a southern gentleman, a caring soul, the voice of reason among your friends, strong in your faith and a Boy Scout at heart. Share your love of service and your dry sense of humor with the world. It will take you far. We are so proud of you!
Rajesh Emmanuel Guiang
Elizabeth May Victoria Hyman
Congrats, Noah Samuel Patrick Smith
Darryl Gunn
Congrats,
Stephanie Marie Guthrie-Johnson
Rachel Noel Idacavage
Sean Steven Guze
Andrea Elsa Julianne Ingman
H
Love, Mom, Clifton, Meg, Dad and Kathy
Rebekah West
Northern Guilford High School GTCC, Fall 2020 Advertising and Graphic Design
We are so proud of the incredible young woman you have become. God has great plans for your life and we will always be here to love and support you. Reach for the stars and continue to make miracles happen. Love, Mom, Dad and Emma
Trina Faith Michele Jackson
Lexton Robert Hallisey
Dawson Nicole Jarrett
Michael Zachary Haney
Kennedy Michelle Jeffers
Amelia Kate Harris
Robert W Jenkins
Jayla Marie Harris
Lynette Jimenez
Reagan Elizabeth Harris
Brandon Keyon Johnson
Justin Ronald Harvey
Caroline Sarwi Johnson
Dwann Amin Harvin-Bailey
Lianna Chanel Johnson
Ethan Charles Harward
Naomi Elizabeth Johnson
Nicolas Anton Hasler
William Cameron Johnson
Evan Phillip Hausler
Jayda Naviah Jones
Anna Clark Haverland Emily Ralphaela Headden
Lupita Viridiana Juarez Gonzalez
K
Jack Caleb Helms
Emma Junene Kaltwang
Janelle Dinah Naa-Lomorkor
Caila Martha Kelley
Henderson
Thomas Chase Henderson Ashley Yaneth Hernandez-
Hernandez
Candace Morgan Hernando Conor Joseph Hill Khairi Najeed Hogan Olivia Claire Horan Jaden Lamonte Horne
JUNE 2020
J
Morgan Kellie Haines
Mason Brim Hershey
40
I
Ella Isabel Kirkman Evan Michael Klick Valerie Joan Kluepfel Cameron Thomas Kluttz Zowie Faith Knight Zachary Andrew Kroeger Kaitlyn Maria Krueger Blake Alexander Krusch
L
Trent Alan Hostetter
Kylie Danielle LaGamba
Ethan Brooks Houser
Austin Thomas Lambeth
Olivia Paige Housley
Ridge Harrison Lanzi
Matthew Benjamin Howard
Sherwin Lashani
ONWARD and UPWARD
Jason Diamond Le
Coy Joseph Medley
Rashawn Michael Pleasant
Andrew Riley Santiago
Benjamin Harold Lewis
Frank Matthew Mejia
Zion LaRay Porter
Hillary Mercedes Santiago
Brett Thomas Little
Joan Hector Millan
Camryn Qua'Shaun Pressley
Giacomo Ronald Santomauro
John Daniel Livaudais
Hannah Kristen Miller
Amanda Paige Prevatte
Grace Gabrielle Schneider
Carson Gray Lomax
Makalah Jhanel Mitchell
Catherine Grace Price
Abigail Grace Schoppa
Brooklyn Mason Lord
Giovani Rahmel Morgan
Olivia Akinyi Pudo
Taylor Lee Schutt
Isabella Emma Lothan
Emilie Catherine Morton
Trevor Emmanuel Lott
Nyles Caleb Mosley
Aniyah Nashi Quinlan
Jon Andrew Scott
Noah Austin Lowery
Kirk James Muhlestein
Juan Pablo Quintero-Sarria
McKenna Avery Silver
Sydney Grace Lucas
Shakym Demerius Murchison
Kaylee Alyssa Lujan
Eliza Keane Murphy
Hope Elizabeth Rackers
Josiah Marcus Sims
Kylie Briann Lynch
Je'Quan Delonte Myles
Ryan Andrew Reynolds
Kendall Elaine Skiles
Kayleigh Maeve Riggs
Abdul Lamin Smith
Robert Brandt Lyne Joseph Spencer Lyon
N
Q
R
Raed Marwan Naim
Riley Caitlyn Riggs
Ron Nay
John Patrick Ringhisen
Hayley Lane Magnussen
Jackeline Nicole Nolasco
Ty Williams Ritchie
Ava Nicole Manning
Dalton Lee Nunn
Kelisia Sha'le Robinson
Joseph Tyler Marshall
Hailey Elizabeth Nusskern
Anna Grace Rogers
M
Sydney Layne Martin
Jeremy Luke Rose
O
Violeta Martinez-Zavala
Malaki Jaquise Geovani Obie
Hannah Christine Roth
Katharyne King Mascia
Taylor Ann O'Connor
Trey Allen Ruff
Caleb Anthony McBride
Brandon Duke Rumley
P
Jayla Faith McCloskey
William Chandler Pannell
Kayla Faith Rumley
Andrew John McGowan
Hayden Gray Parker
Lauren Elizabeth Ryall
Ben Jacob McKinney
Allyson Mackenzie Paschal
Ethan James Ryan
Gabrielle Elizabeth McMillan
Jacob Bradley Peeden
Asa Hill McMillian
Raini Marie Pegram
Jennifer Michelle Sanchez Jimenez
Aiden Charles McNeill
Tamyra Tashay Perry
Anna Lynn Sanders
Congrats,
S
Alexander Grey Scott
Emma Jane Simpson
Alexander Tanner Smith Jason Kenneth Smith Kayla Brianna Smith Noah Samuel Smith Kaitlyn Marie Snyder Alexander Keith Sonesson Taika Alexandra Sorjonen David Zachary Spencer Adrion Raeshaun Stinson James Dominic Stopka Zoe Kalena Storm Gibson Gray Stratton Jamie Michele Strickland Breanna Stump ... more SENIORS on next page
Sean Clougher
Northern Guilford High School GTCC, Fall 2020
Sean, We are so proud of the young man you have become. While we know school didn’t end the way you expected it to, we also know you will move on with hope and determination. The universe has big plans for you! Love, Mom and Dad
ONWARD and UPWARD
JUNE 2020
41
Galen Hart Sullivan-Buckingham
Elijah Mason Whitlow
Ryan Christopher Swartz
Meagan Nicole Wilkins
PRICE AWARDED TRINITY SCHOLARSHIP ...continued from p. 35
Amari Jene' Williams
T Henry Scott Tardy
Devin Gregory Williams
Ahsonni Tatum
Gracia Hope Catherine Williams
Ethan Morgan Taylor
Nathaniel DeVaughn Williams
Mitchell Nene Tetteh
Kellen Drake Williamson
Joseph Peter Tewksbury
Brandon Leslie Winrow
Aaliyah Sierra Thomas
Luke Philip Witte
William Patterson Thomas
Abigail Di Woodard
Ryan Elliott Thompson
Rylee Dawn Woodruff
Charles Joseph Thousand
Amber Grace Wrenn
Robert Toledo
Y
Olivia Sue Tooley
Tyler Dean Yates
Benjamin Trinh
Virginia Blair Young
Ashley Renee Tuhro Shaye Donovan Turner
Z Rheana Marie Zaino Alexandria Reece Zielinski
U Jayden Leigh Ukele
V Hanna Veltman Kelly Lynn Vincent Robert Luther Vincent III Connor Roberson Vines Brad James Virgil
W Jake Kenney Wagoner Siarra Nicole Walker Zachary Tyler Walsh Brett Donald Wargowsky
has changed how I see the world, even influencing my career path. Throughout my contact with these accessibility issues, I constantly thought of better ways to do things. These thoughts reassured me that I was interested in biomedical engineering.
Courtesy photo
(L-R) Katy Price, her mother, Mary, and younger sister, Lily, with Bill Price before his death three years ago.
Congrats,
Jake Wagoner
Northern Guilford High School
Mars Hill University/Presidential Scholar, Fall 2020 We are so proud of you! The end to your senior year is definitely not what we envisioned, but we will always remember the extra time we have had with you. Congrats on your academic achievements. We loved every minute of the last 4 years watching you play baseball and football and we can’t wait to see you on the mound again at Mars Hill. Go do big things Jake! We love you, Mom, Dad, John and Bryce
Savannah Yoshino Waters Trevor William Watkins Lola Kaye Watson Emma Grace Werner Rebekah Grace West Zachary Joel White Ki'Ana Ginnette Whitley
JUNE 2020
Ultimately, all wars come to an end. Katy’s father surrendered to transplanted organs that eventually failed him. Ironically, it was at Duke where an extension of life had been provided to him and at Duke where it would end. Barely 15 years of age and a high school sophomore, Katy recounts the early days and nights after her father’s earthly departure.
“I went through the year of pain numbly, with only pieces of feeling. I remember cheering for my Science Olympiad team, becoming sad when he was not there to see me awarded with medals. “I remember the relief when the year was over, as I had been struggling with AP United States History all year, without him to discuss it with me. I remember the basketball state
Mackenzie Claire White
42
“I found myself wanting to help those faced with similar issues, to help create a society where the stress of surviving does not get in the way of the joy of living.”
ONWARD and UPWARD
championship, crying into my mother’s shoulder after we won, as he was not there. The little moments of triumph and strife made me think of him.” Fast-forward to a year ago, for indeed, the world keeps going, even in despair. While on a college tour of Duke University, Katy and her mother, just by happenstance, glanced up and saw the window of her father’s last hospital room. It directly overlooked the new biomedical engineering building. The academic institution that had been temporarily crossed off her college list because of the devastating memories it carried suddenly returned as a contender.
“I realized that although there may be pain within that campus, there were miracles as well,” Katy said. “If I go to Duke, I will always be watched over by my father.” Time for the happy in this story. In the fury of a global pandemic, just two weeks ago Katy Price secured the supremely prestigious Cassell/Saperstein Trinity Scholarship – a full-ride scholarship to the most gifted students residing in the Carolinas – to attend, you guessed it, Duke University. Be assured that in this sacred place, Catherine Grace will be an avid Blue Devil – and an innovative world changer – all under the watchful eye of her adoring father.
Northern’s Robinson ‘always wanted to go to school’ by CHRIS BURRITT GREENSBORO – Wrapping up 13 years of perfect attendance, Northern Guilford High School senior Kelisia Robinson said she always viewed going to school as she would view being an employee. “I viewed it as a job,” Kelisia said, explaining she believes that potential employers will appreciate her commitment to showing up and working hard as she carries it into college and the workplace. “It’s one of those responsibilities,” she said. The 18-year-old is headed to UNCGreensboro where she plans to earn a degree in consumer, apparel and retail studies; she wants to pursue a career in fashion design. While attending Northern Guilford full time, she took fashion classes at the Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts and Advanced Technologies in downtown Greensboro. Kelisia is the second oldest of six children, helping “hold the family together,” said her mother, Shay Drye, who is also raising a nephew. “She’s a great leader. I don’t think she realizes that.” Among her extracurricular activities, Kelisia formed a K-pop club with Northern Guilford classmates who enjoy the genre of popular music that originated in South Korea. This summer, she’s working as a counselor at YMCA Camp Weaver, where she attended camp as a youngster. “She has always been self-sufficient, independent and hardworking,” her mother said. “She knows what she wants and she’s determined to work at it every day. She’s always wanted to go to school.” She followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Yahirai, who also never missed a day of school. To make sure she didn’t fall off course, Kelisia decided
Courtesy photos
Stylish even in fifth grade (above), Kelisia Robinson plans to study fashion design at UNC-Greensboro. Robinson viewed going to classes as “a job” that required showing up every day.
two years ago to skip her sister’s graduation ceremony at the Early/Middle College at Greensboro Technical Community College (GTCC) in Jamestown. The ceremony was held during the school day. Kelisia tried to watch her sister’s graduation online, but the connection between Northern and GTCC didn’t work. As much as she wanted to see her sister graduate, Kelisia told her mom: “I’ve come too far to mess up my perfect attendance now.” Kelisia started school in Albemarle, North Carolina, and entered third grade at Falkner Elementary School after moving to Greensboro. She transferred to Northern Guilford Elementary for the second half of the year and then attended Northern Guilford middle and high schools for the rest of her education.
ONWARD and UPWARD
At Northern Guilford, Kelisia served as a manager of the girls’ soccer and basketball teams. She also volunteered in the school’s library and tutored classmates, said her mother. “Kelisia is respected by her peers and, more importantly, by her teachers and staff,” Drye said. “I’m going to miss her when she leaves, even though she’s going down the street to UNCG.”
JUNE 2020
43
STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT...continued from p. 8 English teacher and Student Council adviser Alex Wertz was also very helpful, Blake said. “He allowed us to lead but was also there when we needed his help. He trusted us as student leaders, and if we had an idea, he would always say, ‘How can we turn this idea into a reality?’ It’s very helpful to have those older and wiser minds surrounding us who know how to make change happen but in a hands-off way.” To further boost school spirit, Blake said he and other student representatives planned more fun activities to engage students during the winter months – which led to a Winter Spirit Week that included themed dress-up days and a “Fire and Ice” theme for the annual TWIRP dance at the end of the week. “After the winter it’s down to the grit with school work,” Blake said. And then, COVID-19 reared its ugly head. “I was walking into school with my friend Robbie Boulton on the last day before the stay-at-home order was issued and he said, ‘Blake, you might as well say “Good morning, Northwest” really proudly today (during the morning announcements to the student body) because it’s going to be your last.’ We just laughed and I shrugged … I wasn’t expecting it to end to the degree it did. We were thinking it would be a two-week break.” At first the news was welcome – the break would give him and some friends more time to play music together. “We play in a band and we were downstairs playing music when we saw the text about school closing. We thought, ‘We’re going to play together every single day over the next few weeks’ … we were very naive about what it was, and what it would get to.” After a few weeks the realization that “this is bigger than we thought” began to sink in.
44
JUNE 2020
As weeks stretched into months, there were several initiatives among staff members and students to show support for each other, Blake said. In lieu of being able to celebrate in person, senior Alexandra Vlad set up a NWHS Instagram page and invited classmates who received college acceptance letters to send a photo and name of the college they will be attending. Teachers made a “We miss you video” for the student body and during Teacher Appreciation Week, “tons of students participated” in a video of the same sort for the teachers, Blake said. With all of the special end-of-year activities that didn’t happen, it’s the seniors’ lack of closure with each other and with teachers that Blake said most of them have missed the most. Still, efforts by staff members and volunteers to create a festive atmosphere for seniors as they drove through the school parking lot and picked up their caps and gowns last month were greatly appreciated. And over a two-day period on June 12 and 13 the seniors will have an opportunity to participate in a drive-through graduation at the school. It won’t be the same as coming together for a traditional ceremony, but “Mr. Kitley will be there and Ms. Hiller (interim principal) will be there,” Blake said. Their families will be in the vehicle with them and the seniors will be able to walk across a stage, get their diploma and have their photo made in their cap and gown. “I appreciate everyone who is being there for each other … if you tried to go through this all by yourself, it would be really hard,” Blake said. “I do feel our sense of school spirit is stronger than it has ever been.” In closing, he recalled the opening lyrics to a Passenger song, “Let it Go”: “Well you only need the light when it’s burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow…”
“That could not be any truer now,” he said. “I’ve talked to so many of my friends who have said, ‘I want to go back to school.’ Now that school isn’t an option, we do realize how well we had it.
We are truly blessed to have the opportunities we had in the fall and the winter and I’m extremely thankful for them.” Blake will head to N.C. State this August to study mechanical engineering.
PAGE VALEDICTORIAN
And that helped when it came to successfully completing the rigorous IB classes at Page.
...continued from p. 44
it felt more like a community within a community, which definitely helped.” At Page, Noah said he enjoyed attending football games on Friday nights, going to prom, and being involved in extracurricular activities like the Chess Club and National Honor Society. As for distance learning that many students recently experienced for the first time because of the pandemic, as a longtime home-schooled student Noah said he was more accustomed to selfteaching, so it wasn’t too difficult to finish his high school classes online. Classes in the IB program “are definitely challenging,” Noah confirmed, “and a lot of the IB teachers at Page are very strict about how they grade – especially my English teacher last year. We had essays due every other day; I might turn in a 5-page essay on a poem and think I got a 100 on it, but might have only gotten an 85. But, the one thing I improved on the most last year was my writing.” Noah acknowledges that home schooling is not for everybody, but he said one of the benefits for him was that “it helped me be more self-motivated.”
ONWARD and UPWARD
He said most days after school he had extracurricular activities, but evenings were typically spent doing homework or studying for a test. “Definitely on the weekdays, studying and doing my homework was the No. 1 priority,” he said, noting he took Saturdays off as much as possible. A “math and science guy” – and especially physics – Noah made all As in high school and graduated at the top of his class with a 4.78 weighted GPA. He’ll attend the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University this fall to study aerospace engineering. In his spare time, Noah enjoys reading (his favorite genre is science fiction), playing golf, playing chess (he plays in tournaments), and competitive Rubik’s cubing (his personal best time for solving a Rubik’s cube is 17 seconds – sounded impressive to me, but he said it’s “mediocre” from a competitive standpoint). He has also enjoyed volunteering locally with the Out of the Garden Project, as well as participating in community service projects in Philadelphia, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Chincoteague, Virginia, with his youth group at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church.
Congratulations 2020 Graduates! We are so proud of you. – Your friends at Forsyth Pediatrics Oak Ridge
(336) 644-0994 • nhforsythpediatricsoakridge.org Deepa Nayak, MD • Chase Michaels, MHS-PAC Steve Kearns, MD • Laurie MacDonald, MD
2205 Oak Ridge Road Oak Ridge
They say graduating in 2020 was like pulling teeth. Let us take care of your mouth so you won’t actually have to see if that’s accurate.
Meet Dr. Bagley, Dr. Davis, and a whole team of cool people wearing colorful scrubs.
2729 Horse Pen Creek Road, Suite 103, Greensboro, NC 27410 336.854.5850 bagleyfamilydentistry.com
ABRUPT END OF YEAR: ‘IT WAS JUST CRAZY’ ...continued from p. 4
A painting of the school’s Viking mascot will greet Northwest Guilford seniors, and friends, families and teachers will be waving signs along the route of the procession of cars. At Northern Guilford, seniors are invited to exit their cars to sign the section of the school’s Spirit Rock dedicated to the Class of 2020. “It will permanently be there,” McKenzie said. “Even if someone paints over it, it will always be there.” Art students plan to paint a mural in a hallway for seniors to sign during a homecoming next school year, the principal said. Students can also sign the jersey that McKenzie wore while riding her bicycle around the school grounds to honor seniors. She plans to frame the jersey and display it in the school.
Knee injuries and a busy schedule have discouraged McKenzie, a former triathlete, from exercising in recent years. She said she rode laps around the school grounds (one ¾-mile lap for each graduating senior) on a bike because her students “knew this would be a challenge for me to do every day in a true act of dedication and love to them.” The sudden disruption of the school year hit McKenzie personally in another way. Her daughter, Ashton, was a senior at Early College at Guilford. On the afternoon that Guilford County Schools shut down schools, Ashton had gone home before planning to return to school for lacrosse practice. Practice was canceled, and Ashton missed seeing her teammates.
“She struggled with that a little bit, had some regret,” McKenize said. “I told her those are the things in life that you can’t control. You will get to be with your friends again.” At New Garden Friends School, a virtual Baccalaureate ceremony last month replaced the typical gathering in the New Garden Friends Meeting House near Guilford College. “Although a Zoom ceremony was not on anyone’s graduation wish list, this exceptional group of students made it work,” said Kim Freedman, head of school. “We are still holding out hope to have an in-person graduation ceremony in July.” Not only did the closing of schools halt all activities, it also prevented
students from just hanging out. “It is hard to be quarantined and not be able to see your friends,” said Jennifer Bingaman, a volunteer for Northern Guilford’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and chair of special events for the group.
“This abrupt ending left students with no time to say goodbye to friends and teachers,” she said. “Some students really mourned the loss of prom, senior nights, spring sports seasons, awards, signing nights, walking the halls of their elementary schools, the senior picnic, yearbook signing and graduation.” The closing of schools also required
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020 We are cheering for you as you head out on your next adventure
And,THANK YOU to the school staff and community members who have all come together to support our local youth 46
JUNE 2020
Tires | Alignments | Tire repair & flat repair Batteries & electrical system | Brakes | Custom wheels Oil changes | Tune-ups | State inspection
IN FOUR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS! Stokesdale
Located at Kings Crossing
7705 Highway 68 N (336) 441-8066
Summerfield
Madison
High Point
4420 US Highway 220N 706 Burton Street 619 Greensboro Road (336) 793-5391 (336) 548-6674 (336) 885-4321
ONWARD and UPWARD
staff and teachers to scramble to provide online learning for students.
SENIOR FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK
NO REASON TO MISS
“It was trial by fire,” said Hiller, explaining that like others, Northwest Guilford teachers “had to give up their old ways” of teaching in classrooms. As it turned out, she said, remote instruction required teachers “to become more student-focused than ever before.”
The wreck left him with several brain injuries, a liver laceration, broken ribs, a left-eye injury, and neck and spine injuries. He has no memory of the wreck, his mother said.
to attend Guilford Technical Community College in August. He’s not sure what he wants to study.
“There are many things these kids lost during these past few months,” Hiller said. “But many of the teachers have gotten to know their kids better than they ever thought they would” by asking them to write about how they were doing while at home. “Face to face, kids won’t tell you what they need,” she said. “But when they can write it when they’re not in front of you, they will tell you.” As a result, the approach to end-of-year activities for all students, but especially seniors, changed dramatically.
“It was no longer about routines and normal graduation, but what we can do to make it special for our seniors,” Hiller said. “It helped us reevaluate what was important.” In years past, Northern Guilford’s PTSA has given seniors a picnic among other events. Instead, this spring they ordered yard signs for seniors and are giving them gift bags during the graduation ceremony, Bingaman said. Northwest Guilford’s Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) gave yard signs to students, as well as a photo of the class standing in the shape of a “20” (for Class of 2020) on the football field, according to Stephanie Brady, the group’s president. The PTSO paid for the gifts with funds it otherwise would have spent on a picnic and an assembly with a hypnotist performing for seniors, she said. “I feel very sad for the weird ending for these seniors,” Brady said. “It wasn’t ideal, but I think the kids are in good spirits. They are resilient. They all adapted and got their work done and are going to graduate.”
...continued from p. 27
The months that followed were a whirl of hospitals, surgeries and lots of therapy and rehabilitation. McClinton, then 16, was treated in the adult section of Baptist until late August 2018 when he was moved to the Brenner Children’s section of the hospital, then on to Charlotte’s Levine Children’s Hospital a week later. He finally emerged from his coma in October 2018 and was well enough to go home the next month. There, the long road to recovery, which began during his hospital stays, continued. “When he came home, he couldn’t do anything,” Dalton said. “It was like I had given birth to a 16-year-old baby.” He had to relearn everything, from going to the bathroom and brushing his teeth to dressing himself and eating. “It was kind of hard,” admitted Dalton, a single mom. She ended up losing her job running a laser for a medical device company. McClinton was high maintenance. There was home schooling, therapist visits, his constant needs and trips to doctors’ appointments. Dalton’s older daughter, Destiny McClinton, takes online classes through GTCC, and has been a big help. To make ends meet, Dalton had to tap into her 401(k) and savings. Austin now receives disability payments, which has helped. “I did what I had to do,” Dalton said of devoting full attention to her son. “It was either that or put him in a facility somewhere, and I absolutely didn’t want to do that.” She said her son’s long-term memory is “excellent” and that he has been able to plow through school work to catch up. “He’s on his grade level,” Dalton said. Doctors have told her his brain is rewiring itself so it can handle such tasks as walking. Once he can walk normally, she said, he plans to study welding at Rockingham Community College and pursue a career. A caravan of family vehicles and trucks from local fire departments paraded past Austin’s Anthony Road address May 31 to mark his 18th birthday. Among them: a member of the emergency crew who responded to the wreck nearly two years ago. “He was so happy to see Austin and hear how well he’s done,” Dalton said.
ONWARD and UPWARD
...continued from p. 28
After Tyler attended Guilford Elementary, his grandparents moved to Summerfield so he could attend Northwest Guilford schools. After spending a year at Oak Ridge Elementary, where Tyler “would have been a little fish in a big pond,” he switched to Summerfield Charter Academy, Kitty said. Tyler attended Piedmont Classical Charter High School in Browns Summit and then Cornerstone for his final three years of high school. He signed up for physical education classes and enjoyed sports medicine. His grades were “OK,” his grandmother said. “I am really proud of him for just being a `good kid’ and hardly any trouble,” Kitty said. “I’ll take the good kid any day.” Tyler never required prodding to attend classes except during high school exams. “At first we really didn’t push the attendance; it just happened,” Kitty said. However, she said, during high school she applied “a small bit of pushing” to encourage Tyler to “go on those days he didn’t have an exam.” “Senior Skip Day required a big push to make him go,” Kitty said. “I think he really didn’t mind. He knew it meant a lot to me.” Achieving perfect attendance allowed Tyler to achieve a milestone with little fanfare. “Tyler wanted to play sports and he was good enough to play, but did not have the self-confidence to do it,” Kitty said. “Attendance was something he could do with nobody watching.”
Stay
distant but
not disconnected join the conversation with over
13,900 of your neighbors
/NorthwestObserver JUNE 2020
47
Congratulations Class of 2020! Now more than ever, we truly realize the meaning of
“there is no place like home”
My mission is to serve my clients’ best interest at all times. Choose a Realtor who can bring integrity to the process. Call me with all your home buying or selling needs.
Ask me about the money back guarantee
Stephanie Lomax, Realtor/Broker 336-209-1406
Stephanie.Lomax@AllenTate.com | www.allentate.com/StephanieLomax