ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996 TAG: 9606060010
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-42 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
Gordon Lawson III not only inherited his name from his late father, but he also inherited a desire to be a part of the United States Navy.
Gordon Lawson Jr. was an enlisted seaman who toured the world; his son has earned a rare appointment to the Naval Academy, where he will be begin college and officer training this fall.
"My father was an inspiration,'' said the young Lawson, who was 9 when Gordon Lawson Jr. died.
The young Lawson is one of 300 Patrick Henry graduates who will receive their diplomas at the Roanoke Civic Center on June 13 at a 10 a.m. ceremony.
The valedictorian and salutatorian of Lawson's class, Rebecca Hogan and Allison Suggs, respectively, share interests beyond academics: Both are all-state volleyball players. Lawson is a well-rounded student-athlete himself. Ranking among the top 25 1996 PH graduates (with a 3.8 grade-point average), Lawson is secretary of the senior class, a member of the golf and lacrosse teams, and a seasoned extemporaneous speaker for the forensics team.
Lawson attends Governor's School in the morning, CITY School in the afternoon, and studies Spanish in between. All in all, it is a very intense level of involvement for someone who entered Roanoke city schools as a junior.
Lawson is the son of Rita Bishop, assistant superintendent of the city schools. His stepfather, Lew Bishop, operates Travel Network, a local travel agency.
Lawson had a number of post-high school options available to him, but quickly decided upon the Naval Academy, and his serious interest garnered letters of recommendation from Sen. Charles Robb, D-Va., and Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke.
"I thought about it a lot in elementary school, but then the dream [of enrolling in the academy] sort of faded away,'' said Lawson, who was born in San Jose, Calif. "In my junior year, I decided I really wanted to do it. I visited [Annapolis] in February of 1995, and that really sealed it for me.
"It's a beautiful campus, with so much history. And I really like the discipline that a place like that will instill in you.''
Lawson intends to study political science at the academy. His SAT scores of 1,320 (730 verbal, 590 math) contributed to his appointment, as did a letter of praise from a naval captain that Lawson received after attending a seminar at the academy last summer.
"You go through a lot of physical and mental challenges in the mini-plebe seminar,'' Lawson said, referring to his summer experience. "Apparently, I did pretty well.''
Will Lawson make a career of the Navy? "It's hard to say,'' he admitted. "It's pretty much their decision as to whether they want to keep you.
"But I'm eager to face the test.''
Lawson has yet to meet a test he could not handle. "It's been pretty easy to blend in [at Patrick Henry]," he admitted.
Although Lawson has gained a high level of acceptance from his peers, most students in the PH class of '96 would contend that - in one sense, at least - Lawson has not exactly "blended in.'' His class performance and academic pursuits have clearly set him apart.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Lawson (headshot)by CNB