Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993 TAG: 9306030391
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WENDI GIBSON RICHERT STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
For them, the school, nestled in the countryside between Botetourt County's Eagle Rock and Buchanan, and the community that they commute from five days a week, are one and the same.
And for these seniors, the combination is too good to give up. By choice, Stacy Davis, Libby Crouch, Donald Huffman, Craig Bryant, Mac Westland and Jody Steger won't stray far from home after graduation. In fact, they'll stick around as long as they can.
For them, it's simply a matter of knowing a good thing when they see it. The small towns offer the best of peaceful crime-free living and the best of relationships.
"A majority of this class is staying in this area," Davis says. She can only recall eight people in her class of 104 who applied to out-of-state colleges. "And the ones in-state are going to places like Virginia Tech." Davis plans to attend Hollins College, where she'll study to be an English teacher.
"We've been seeing this community as kids," says Steger, who won't cut his Buchanan ties when he attends Roanoke College this fall. "Now we'll see it as adults."
Recently members of the class shared a few of the things they'll miss about their school.
"We're the best class that's ever been here," says Davis.
The 1992-93 school year did bring many firsts to James River. Academically, this year's class has earned higher grades than any before it, notes Davis. On the sports side, two state wrestling champions and a track champion have come out of this year. And according to some, the baseball team did well for the first time in 14 years.
With some end-of-the-year spirit, Davis goes on to tell of the pep rallies her class has won and all the hall-decorating contests they've triumphed in. They even beat the seniors when they were freshmen, a feat simply unheard of before this class moved here from Botetourt Intermediate School.
Of all there will be to miss, everybody but Huffman says friends will be at the top of the list. "Maybe that's why we want to to stay in this area," reasons Davis.
For Huffman, football will be his biggest loss. The James River linebacker and guard will study welding at Dabney Lancaster Community College this fall.
But, he concedes, the people here will be missed. "I just don't want to leave. I just love the area."
As if to show how intertwined school and community living are, conversation of graduation and school memories quickly yields to the everyday life of students in this rural end of the county.
"You can count on your classmates," says Crouch, who also will attend Dabney Lancaster this fall. "If you want to have a good time, you don't have to leave."
For this class, cruising's been important. But riding a horse or a bike for a change of pace is not uncommon. Then there is the drive-in movie theater in nearby Lexington or shopping at Burruss Department store - a favorite with these seniors. And when all are hungry, La Pizza is just down the road in downtown Buchanan, where classmate and manager Westland will be glad to serve you.
Westland has juggled the role of restaurant manager and student since the school year began. This fall he plans to take management classes at Virginia Western Community College.
As quickly as the conversation turned from school days to community days, it turned back again. This time with a serious gripe. For the first time, James River will graduate students without offering a prayer at the ceremony.
"It's just so stupid," one senior said of the Supreme Court's recent ruling forbidding public schools from praying at graduation exercises.
All of the seniors in this group felt strongly that they should be allowed to pray. "I haven't talked to a person who doesn't," Westland says.
But, as these seniors have already noted, the class of '93 has met a lot of firsts this year. And it is with excitement that they say goodbye to it now.
by CNB