Wednesday, June 12, 2013 • The South Whidbey Record
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Field
2013 Graduates of South Whidbey High School:
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Bay Golf & Country Club or on Advanced Placement statistics problems. As a shop student, in which he took two classes, he worked on an old Bobcat, a little bit on the remodel of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse lantern room and on the mini monster truck. On the course, Field drives the cart that picks up golf balls from the driving range (so stop aiming for the cart). Staying on the straight-A path just happened, as Field tells it. He didn’t focus on being valedictorian, spending an average of one hour a night on homework. Instead, he was attentive during class, did the work, turned it in and kept getting As from his days at Langley Middle School to now. “I pay attention in class,” he said. “I just haven’t done anything but maintain As, so I’m just used to it.” The closest he came to losing the 4.0 was in his Advanced Placement U.S. history class. Learning early American history was tough when, as Field said, “everybody is named John or Jane.” Outside the classroom, Field keeps active. He was on the school’s Knowledge
Ben Watanabe / The Record
Kellen Field, one of two valedictorians from South Whidbey High School, will enroll at Cal Poly this fall. Bowl team, part of National Torch Honor Society which encourages students to volunteer and assist their communities, played soccer with South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District and advanced as far as a Life Scout, when he left the Boys Scouts because of its stance against homosexuality. Field said the national Boy Scouts of America’s recent vote to admit gay scouts was, “a great step toward where
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University-bound student. “Getting through 10-page papers is a pretty big accomplishment for me,” McCauley said. “My opinion on (PTSD), I hadn’t done enough research to develop a strong feeling on it.” McCauley has spent his entire life in the same house on South Whidbey and grew up in South End classrooms. He started at the Wellington Day School until fourth grade, when he enrolled at South Whidbey Elementary School, moving to Langley Middle School and eventually South Whidbey High School. Learning in the South Whidbey School District had a familial quality. “There’s a more personal aspect because we’re a smaller school district than others,” McCauley said. “I feel like the teachers are personable people, I look at them more as friends as well as teachers. They’re willing to help and joke around, which for me made a more comfortable learning environment all around.” When he’s not solving equations as in “Good
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Ben Watanabe / The Record
Connor McCauley will enroll at WSU this fall. Will Hunting,” McCauley kept the beat for the South Whidbey High School jazz band. He also played soccer for the Falcon varsity team all four years, transitioning between midfielder and defender. Playing midfield, where he could be an integral part of the team’s offense, was his desire. But team needs trumped his wants, and McCauley filled in as a defender last season and this season. Injuries prompted McCauley’s switch from the midfield to defense this season. As a team captain, he accepted it without complaint and helped South Whidbey to its best playoff finish in years when the
they need to be going.” Earning high marks in class was a simple task to Field, even when taking classes like Advanced Placement biology, Advanced Placement U.S. history or Advanced Placement statistics, like he did. Do the “Field” work. “As long as you’re paying attention in class and not sleeping,” Field said.
Falcons advanced to the 1A tri-district tournament before elimination in a shootout. “I kind of knew that was going to be my position,” he said. “It was difficult, but I came to terms with it.” Speaking of terms, McCauley studied every math class South Whidbey offered. When there were none left, he made his own with an independent study Advanced Placement calculus course online through Apex. He’s taken four classes with his favorite teacher, David Nelson. “You can sense he wants to help you,” McCauley said. “He never just passes you by. If you want to learn, he’s there and ready to teach you.” McCauley is the valedictorian who almost wasn’t. Focused on his studies in AP biology as a sophomore, his English grades were close to an A-minus by the semester’s end. McCauley admitted a little extra work and a bit of playing teacher’s pet secured his solid A grade. “Doing extra credit, sucking up to the teacher a little more than normal,” he said. “I’m not going to lie.” Add in a ton of hard work over four years, and McCauley earned 2013 co-valedictorian honors.
Thoomas Grant Rein Allen Makayla Shay Artis Jhamil Bader-Jarvis Adam Jeffrey Baesler Cameron Wesley-Lee Baldwin Lucas Thomas Nathaniel Barker Robert James Barker Angelina M Berger Joshua James Bishop Lennox Elizabeth Bishop Jenica Riley Bourque Alyssa Danae Box Dominik David Brandys Lauren Ashley Breslaw Bolen Joseph Brown Hannah Louise Calderwood Zackary Reese Caravan Daniel Henry Caron Michelle Marie Casey Steven James Casey Alysen Kristine Chapman Vanessa Kay Chidester Caitlin Mary Christensen Chase Everett Collins Max William Corell Lukas Allen Corradini Hannah Rose Cotton Cameron Thomas Coupe Shaylee Dawn Crawford Aaron O’Brien Curfman Merissa Nicole Dahlman Alina Frances-Elizabeth Davis Audrey Marie Digirolamo Annexea Sunshine Dobson Sophia Louise Bego Duccini Sarafina Marie Durr River Keeper Ellis Paige Marie Farmer Nora Lorraine Felt Kellen Thomas Field Elloise Ann Marie Greene David Nash Grimm Lindsey Elizabeth Grimm Colette Miranda Grove Isaac Leigh Betz Hall Kaitlyn Lee Hanson Kelsey Michaela Hardaway Lisa Katharina Haufler*
*Exchange Student, certificate of participation
Darby Cooper Hayes Dane Clements Heggenes Delanie Laura Helland Frank Tyler Helvey Zoe Yi Yin Hensler Payton Stovall Hermanson Jordan Dean Hoch Andrew Douglas Holt Anna Erickson Hood Cody Dean Huffman Mitchell Forrest Hughes
Megan Michelle Hull Elijah Oliver Iles Scarlet Madison Inches Nicole Cherie Jhanson Christian Alexander Justus Jenna Michelle Kaik Sylvie Anna Claire Kaul-Anderson Bonnie Ellen Klamm Meaghan Alena Klebold Alexandra Mae Kubeska Sophia Elektra Larson-Wickman Sean Evan Leisle Jake D Leonard Robert Jackson Lewis Stephen Jeremy Lyons Elliauna Rene Madsen Collin Robert Magney Brianne Elizabeth Marcelynas Kailee Jo Sellers Marin Connor Jon Lee McCauley Evan James Merculief Madison Kelsey Merkley Patrick Michael Monell Sage Sierra Monet Serena Diane Monet Taylor Margaret Morley Miki D Nagahashi Caitlin Maria Neil James Mitchell Nelson Korey R Nelson Hayley Michelle Newman Hayden George Nichols Carly Madison Pate Erik Marius Pedersen Desiree Anne Peterson Trenton Samuel Petosa Oken Steven Eli Poolman Derrick Matthew Riley Lucy Georgina Rock Carrin Julianna Romain-McErlane Isaac Evans Rubenstein Michael Matthew Foote Schaaf Sienna Grace Schaal Chelsey Jean Schultz Carley Marie Schwoerer Dustin Ju’mar Shelledy Kyle Joseph Simchuk Taylor Michael Simmons Logan Exar Skjelstad Guy Kenji Sparkman Lillianna Kay Stelling Juli Mei Sundberg Sarah Anne Swanberg Chelby Linn Thomas Wesley Daniel Thorsen Jessica Lynn Toney Samuel Mark Turpin Evan Francis Welch Ellie Christina Whitcomb James Lee Whitlock Sarah Ann Yeilding