Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 16, 1990 TAG: 9006160378
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACQUELINE B. JAMES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sato, one of two foreign exchange students at the high school this year, was awarded an honorary degree. She came to Buchanan last August.
Eighteen-year-old Sato said she grew up in Nosaka - a small town about two hours away from Tokyo, with a population of about 10,000. She wanted to leave her hometown because it was too small and she wanted to do something different, she said.
Much to her surprise, when she arrived in Buchanan it was much smaller than her native town.
"I started wondering why in the world did I come here," Sato said as the audience laughed.
Sato said being a foreign exchange student had been her most rewarding and challenging experience in life.
She admitted that she had also picked up some bad habits while living in America, such as eating fast foods, which have caused her to gain eight extra pounds, and being tardy for class and sometimes losing class assignments, two acts latter of which she said she could never get away with at home.
Sato started to cry as she told the audience she would be leaving the United States next Tuesday and wasn't sure when she would return.
Principal Larry Journell presented Sato with a Virginia state flag and assured her she wouldn't find many of those back home.
Journell said that this year's is the smallest class to graduate, but they received more academic awards and athletic championships than any other class.
Class Valedictorian, Karla Miller, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average, received $5,000 worth of scholarship money in addition to full tuition at George Mason University, in Fairfax.
Although graduate Tina Huffman said she found school boring at times, she maintained perfect attendance during high school. Huffman received more than $2,000 in scholarship money and plans to attend Roanoke College.
by CNB