At the division’s May 19 school board meeting, York County students were recognized for their outstanding contributions to their schools and to the community. Williamsburg Christian Academy has a new society to honor high-schoolers who excel in music.
YCSD Seniors of the Month
Each month, the York County School Division recognizes teens from each of the county’s high schools who have shown exceptional merit in academic performance and school involvement to receive the Senior of the Month Award. The May Seniors of the Month are:
Ethan Buck from York High School
Buck excels musically in both a band a choral setting. The tenor placed first in his voice part in the Virginia Music Educators Association’s All District Choir, has also served as brass captain in the Falcon Band and is a member in the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
When he is not performing, Buck plays tennis with York High – where he has been team captain for two years — and has an interest in business and accounting. He will attend the College of William & Mary in the fall.
Zoe Ferebee from Bruton High School
A four-year athlete, Ferebee has competed in cross-country, indoor and outdoor track. As a freshman she was honored with the most valuable player award in outdoor track, and with the coach’s award for the sport in her junior year.
A volunteer and officer of the Key Club, Ferebee also fosters dogs with her family through the Save-a-Lab organization.
Planning to major in cinema at Virginia Commonwealth University, Ferebee has demonstrated her film finesse this year, earning the Most Creative Short Film Award at the 2014 William & Mary Global Film Festival.
Michael Larsen from Grafton High School
A Governor’s School student as well as Grafton senior, Larsen has made the All-A Honor Roll every semester of high school and earned the rank of Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. He was named Grafton’s Class of 2014 salutatorian.
Larsen was also the school’s representative at Virginia Boys State, where his peers selected him to lead as Chaplain.
Named an Echol’s Scholar by the University of Virginia, Larsen will attend the school in the fall to study biology and pursue a career in medicine.
John Svendsen from Tabb High School
Svendsen has spent four years on the varsity tennis team — two of them as captain — but also shows his talent on the stage. He has participated in all four musical productions at Tabb, and is a member of the Thespian honor society.
He was awarded the Rising Star Volunteer award for his efforts volunteering at the Virginia Living Museum for four years. Currently completing a mentorship at NASA Langley with Jacobs Engineering and Technology, Svendsen plans to study engineering in college and will attend the University of Virginia.
Noel Woody from York River Academy
Woody is graduating a year early from school to get a start in her career. A participant in the EMT program through New Horizons, she volunteers as part of the medic unit with the Abingdon Volunteer Fire Department and already has two industry certifications.
Outside of her occupation, Woody is active with Coastal Community Church’s food ministry and has also served as a liaison and representative of YRA to other schools.
She will attend Rappahannock Community College next year as a step toward being a paramedic, and eventually hopes to attend medical school.
WCA Forms Music Honor Society Chapter
Tri-M Music Honor Society, a national organization for secondary school music students, now has a chapter at Williamsburg Christian Academy. Sixteen students were recently inducted into the group, which currently has more than 50,000 members across the country and abroad.
Students are selected for Tri-M membership based on musicianship, scholarship, character, leadership, and service to their school and community.
The society became part of the National Association for Music Education in 1983, with the goal of fostering an interest in musical performance and providing more opportunities for personal musical expression.
