DAVIDSON, N.C. – In front of hundreds of fellow students, friends and family members, Woodlawn School today awarded diplomas to the 17 remarkable members of the Class of 2015. Together, the 17 members of the Class of 2015 received 55 acceptances to 46 different colleges and universities and were offered nearly $1.5 million in merit-based scholarships.
Per tradition, the Class of 2015 selected the graduation speaker from among their own class: Meredith Simpson ’15 did the honors, reflecting on the many good times enjoyed by this tight-knit group of friends, whether learning in class or relaxing together on a Friday night. She reflected on an ancient Chinese proverb that tells the story of an unbreakable red string that connects individuals who are meant to interact throughout their lifetime. “Even though we have reached the end of our time at Woodlawn,” Meredith explained, “I know that our class will remain close, tied together by the proverbial red string. Here on this beautiful green campus, we have gained knowledge, integrity, responsibility, and most importantly, family. The mantra on our senior t-shirts puts it perfectly: we may not have it all together, but together, we have it all.”
The Woodlawn School faculty members are incredibly proud of the class. “Commencement is always a gift to those of us who work with students,” says Beth Helfrich, Head of the Upper School. “It's time and space carved out for reflection: on each graduate's growth and accomplishments, on the legacy of the class as a whole, and on the inevitable ending of this chapter at Woodlawn. Graduation offers a chance to marvel at the forest through the trees, and we are intentional about providing students, their families, and our school the opportunity to revel in it. So there's a whole lot of love in the air! And best of all, our alumni tend to come back to visit often, so we never really have to say goodbye.”
This year’s graduates, their hometowns and the colleges to which they’re matriculating:
Joe Andry | Davidson | Santa Clara University |
Celeste Campbell | Davidson | Gettysburg College |
Ciara Conway | Davidson | Central Piedmont Community College |
Rachel Coutinho | Cornelius | Belmont Abbey |
Rebecca Coutinho | Cornelius | Belmont Abbey |
Emily Dyckman | Cornelius | Syracuse University |
Tyler Ganis | Mooresville | Shenandoah University |
Hannah Gantz | Davidson | UNC Wilmington |
Abigail Haupt | Davidson | Scripps College |
Caitlin Lorch | Iron Station | Virginia Tech |
Clare MacDonald | Huntersville | UNC Chapel Hill |
Reilly Milburn | Huntersville | Haverford College |
Sarah Moran | Mooresville | Virginia Commonwealth University |
Michael Muchane | Davidson | Wake Forest University |
Elia Ramirez | Davidson | Davidson College |
Clare Robinson | Davidson | Wofford College |
Meredith Simpson | Davidson | Pomona College |
Also during the ceremony, the following students received awards:
Amelia Woodall ‘17 | Davidson | Service Learning Award |
Ariana Hoshino ‘16 | Cornelius | Creative Arts Award |
Bella Jacoby ’16 | Huntersville | Achievement in the Sciences |
Drew Hedrick ‘16 | Kannapolis | Achievement in the Humanities |
Clare Robinson ‘15 | Davidson | Athlete of the Year (Female) |
Zachery Lorch ‘17 | Iron Station | Athlete of the Year (Male) |
Meredith Simpson ‘15 | Davidson | Trailblazer Award |
Caitlin Lorch ‘15 | Iron Station | Trailblazer Award |
Reilly Milburn ‘15 | Huntersville | Lifelong Learning Award |
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Woodlawn is an independent school founded in 2002 and located just north of Davidson, North Carolina. Enrolling students in grades K through 12, Woodlawn is accredited by both the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and offers a challenging, project-based academic experience.