Hilltopper Highlights 2012 - Westmont Hilltop School District

Commencement 2012
Pride & Hope
Westmont Hilltop School Board President, Mrs. Diana Schroeder, paid tribute
to the Class of 2012. Excerpts from that tribute are as follows:
“This group of students has quietly worked within this community to make
it a better place. The seniors are required to do a senior project. The intent of the
senior project is to move beyond the walls of the school and into the community
to make a positive impact. As I review the academic achievements of this group,
their community engagement has been even more notable. The creativity and
commitment that the students demonstrate in these projects is remarkable. As
an example, we have one senior who organized a fashion show for the Cinderella
Project, which gathers donated gowns and accessories for young women who
might not be able to afford a prom dress. Another group of students ‘adopted a
grandparent’ for their service. One young lady took a daily walk with a neighborhood
couple, and continues to do so beyond the timeline of her original commitment.
Four students organized and started a nursery at their church which
has been wonderfully received by the parents and their children. Two students
started ‘Cookies for Kids’ Cancer’ and baked 2,500 cookies for holiday cookie
trays to sell to friends and neighbors for their cause. In total, at least 3,625 service
hours were donated by this senior class to the Westmont Hilltop community.
Now, that is a real legacy!
The main focus of school is education. That education takes place primarily
in the classroom, but some of our best learning comes from participation in
extracurricular activities. It is there that students discover new skills, hone and
develop existing skills, develop new friendships and learn as much from their
failures as their successes. This year’s musical, The Pirates of Penzance, was the
50th musical performed at WHHS, and it was a very special event. Members of
the original cast of the very first WHHS musical Oklahoma were in attendance.
Costumes representing many different musicals over the years were on display,
and each and every program for the 50 years was available for alumni to autograph.
As someone who did not graduate from WHHS, the phenomenon of ‘the
musical’ is one that I have never experienced elsewhere. To say that it is
amazing would be insufficient. Every year I marvel at the talent of the students
and of the faculty to get such a professional
presentation from high school
students.
You don’t need to go to Broadway;
you only need to come to 200 Fair Oaks
Drive in the spring.
The capacity of this class doesn’t
stop at music. There are accomplishments
in Scholastic Quiz, Forensics,
Band, Chorus, Art, and Athletics. The
Class of 2012 has amassed 12 team
champions, multiple District VI championships,
and various individual
honors and state place winners. This
class is special: It has won the District
VI Sportsmanship Award more than
any other District VI school and has an
overall sports record of 754 wins and
430 losses, which is more wins than
any other Laurel Highlands Conference
school. And most importantly, the
class has supported its teams. This class
has led a resurgence in fan support by
cheering on the teams as they win or
lose.
As we speak of education both in
the classroom and outside of it, that
education would not occur without the
dedication and support of the faculty
here. I am sure that the faculty and
administration feels a sense of pride
and hope as they watch you graduate—
pride in your accomplishments and
hope for your greater impact on
the world.”
Kyra Nichole Hill
Academic Scholar, Westmont Hilltop Class of 2012
In her Commencement address, Kyra encouraged her classmates with an
inspirational analysis of the ways in which Thomas Edison, J.K. Rowling, and
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) overcame obstacles and prior failures in their lives. She
honored her alma mater as follows:
“
You have taught us well in academic areas along with the values that
we will need to be successful and compassionate members of society…
The knowledge and values we have gained here at Westmont have given
us a foundation we can use to solve the problems on the road of life. No
matter what bumps we may come across on that road, it is how we face
the obstacles that will determine the ultimate direction of our lives.”
2 “Commencement 2012”