Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 15, 1990 TAG: 9006150529
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By CHARLES STEBBINS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"This world and the people in it await your contributions," he said at the school's commencement.
Taking a cue from the 1989 hit movie, "Dead Poets Society" starring Robin Williams, Gring asked the graduates what verse would they contribute to the continuing play of life.
He said there are plenty of areas of human endeavor that need their verses, but he specifically addressed four - health care, world hunger, the environment and human rights.
Health-care problems, both throughout the world and at home, are seemingly without solution, he said.
On the issue of world hunger, he said that 40,000 children die of starvation daily throughout the world.
Environmental issues are wide-ranging, including the deteriorating ozone, deforestation, clear water and waste disposal, he said. And human rights are violated daily throughout the world, he added.
Gring called upon the graduates to contribute their verses and serve humankind in all their endeavors.
Thirty-six of the graduates were recipients of awards, honors and scholarships.
The largest went to the valedictorian, Melony Beth Martin, who won a full scholarship amounting to $3,200 to Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tenn.
Mitchell Allen Semones, the salutatorian, was the recipient of the Roanoke Valleywide B'nai B'rith Award.
Semones and Martin were selected by the student body to receive the Highlander of the Year award.
Among the Glenvar graduates were five foreign exchange students who have studied at the school for the past year. Special certificates went to Jean Paul Dicks, from Germany; Christian Jensen and Jesper Jensen, both from Denmark; Jordi Prat-Sols, from Spain; and Wouter Wehberg, from Holland.
by CNB