ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 15, 1990                   TAG: 9006150486
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: KIM ZEOLI
DATELINE: RINER                                LENGTH: Medium


AUBURN GRADS URGED TO TRY BEST

Auburn High School graduated 73 seniors Thursday night in the school gymnasium.

Among them was Daniel Smith, valedictorian and a National Merit scholar. Graduating with a 3.95 grade-point average, Smith plans to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology and major in physics.

Smith will obtain experience this summer when he participates in a two-week fellowship at Fermi National Nuclear Practical Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois. Smith's experience will consist of laboratory experiments dealing with beginning level research and the principles of an accelerator. One student per state is selected for this fellowship.

In his valedictory speech, Smith told his graduating classmates that "trying our best is all anyone can do." He said changes will occur, and they will have to adjust to them.

Stephen Colvin and Sharon Francis shared the title of salutatorian.

In his speech, Colvin stressed the importance of taking responsibility and making decisions. "When we were little, our parents made the decisions for us. In high school, we had more responsibility. As we go into the world, we will have to make more decisions to the best of our knowledge."

The speech given by Francis was concerned with possibilities. "Possibilities are endless for us all. If you have a dream and believe in it, it is possible to reach it," said Francis.

For Annell Winbery, a teacher for 37 years, it was her last graduation. She is retiring after 30 years at Auburn High School.

"I'm a little sad. I will really miss all the excitement and the students," said Winbery, who has been a senior class sponsor for 20 years.

Some students who received scholarships and awards included Stephanie Huff, who received a $1,000 New River Community College Foundation scholarship and Smith, who received a $750 Excellence in Mathematics scholarship.

Ann Miles and Kathy Shearing were recipients of the Bobby Hart Memorial scholarship at $500 each. Miles also received a $1,000 Virginia Tech Alumni scholarship.

Stephen Colvin, Smith and Sharon Francis received an O.W. Altizer scholarship.

Six students were awarded a Frank E. Page scholarship. Recipients were Karla Driver, James Elkins Jr., Julie Gardner, Mitzie Howard, Ann Miles and Daniel Smith.



 by CNB