THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 12, 1995 TAG: 9506130040
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA McNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
BECKY WATSON DIDN'T know what she was in for when she transferred from a large high school in a North Carolina metro area to a small school in Southeastern Virginia.
She was in for a surprise. Several, in fact.
All of them pleasant.
``Everybody talked to everybody,'' she said, her eyes growing wide and expressive as she sat on a bench in front of Windsor High School recently. ``Even the seniors talked to the underclassmen. It was - exciting.''
She continued, smiling: ``And the teachers! They are so caring here. They try to help you out. They'll give you their time if you want or need help.''
Despite changing schools at the high school level, Watson found it took Windsor High no time at all to grow on her - and she soon grew on her new school.
In the three years she's been there, she's been on the basketball team and the cheering squad. This year, she was captain of both. She's been active in a number of other extracurricular activities, and she's still managed to maintain good grades.
``I did a lot of studying. I would study when we'd go on trips and stuff.''
One of the hardest things to get used to at Windsor wasn't just the size of the school and the friendly, caring people. It was block scheduling, new this year in Isle of Wight public high schools.
``I really had to stabilize how to study with block scheduling classes. This year I took government one semester, English the second semester. After I got used to it, I think it made things a lot easier.''
Watson still had to work a little harder to maintain her ``B'' average, since changing from North Carolina schools to Virginia schools meant her graduation requirements were a little different.
``I had to catch up. I had to take just the classes I needed to graduate.''
Watson did manage to work one elective into her busy schedule. G.B. Eley taught the transfer student family-management skills. And she saw in her student a special young woman always willing to reach out to others.
``I don't know of anything I've asked her to do that she hasn't tried to do,'' Eley said. ``She has a strong feeling for mankind. She likes to help others, and she's willing to reach out to do so.''
Eley said she saw the best example of Watson's caring personality when the students in her class were working on sewing projects. Watson's class partner was a little behind on her project, she said, and Watson immediately started showing her what she had to do.
``When the other student reached a point where she needed assistance, nobody had to ask Becky. She offered.''
Eley said Watson, the youngest of four children and the only girl in her family, got along well with students and teachers alike. She was committed to her studies, committed to doing a good job.
``She always expresses herself very well,'' Eley said. ``And she never has a problem asking questions when she doesn't understand something.''
Windsor Principal William Worsham called Watson ``a good, all-around student. She's a good example of what it takes to succeed.''
All of those skills will help in the fall when Watson enters Louise Obici Hospital's School of Nursing.
``All my life, I've wanted to be a nurse. I just like helping people and working with them. My dad's mom was a nurse.''
Watson received a scholarship to Chowan College in North Carolina, but when she was accepted at Obici, she gave up the scholarship rather than give up the dream. She was also awarded scholarships from the Windsor Ruritan Club and the Isle of Wight Ruritan Club. She applied for several others she's yet to hear from. Any of them could help her through nursing school.
As Watson talks, she fingers a large Southampton Academy ring, which she wears on her left hand, given to her by her boyfriend.
``He's a farmer,'' she explained, smiling. ``He's supportive. He's talking about starting college, too.''
When Watson marches down the center aisle of the new high school's auditorium, she automatically will attain some distinction. She's a member of the first graduating class from the new Windsor school.
Otherwise, she's typical: hard-working, caring, thinking about the future.
In the 1995 Windsor High annual, the 18-year-old has a quote next to her name: ``You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try!''
With that, and a lot of warm memories of friends she had no trouble making and teachers who cared, Watson will receive her diploma with the other members of her class Thursday evening.
``It's like family here,'' she said, glancing over her shoulder at the school. ``I'll miss it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Becky Watson transferred from a large school in North Carolina.
by CNB