THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 23, 1995 TAG: 9506230022
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: LIFE IN THE PASSING LANE
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star has been following the paths
of four students in South Hampton Roads during their senior year in
high school. This is the last installment detailing their graduation
and hopes for the future.
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
LOOKING SCHOLARLY with his maroon cap and gown, LeVar Thornton stood in the hot, early evening sun Monday outside Chrysler Hall in downtown Norfolk, waiting for his dad and family to arrive for his graduation from Booker T. Washington High School. He wiped sweat from his face with a pink washrag.
He had worked hard to reach these final moments of a long, but rewarding, school career. But LeVar wasn't feeling philosophical: ``Just let's hurry up and get it over with,'' he said, only half joking.
LeVar, who turned 18 last month, is a young man with a plan. Even though he has a high school diploma in hand, LeVar knows that, in many ways, his real education is just beginning.
There will be no detour into college for LeVar. He will go straight into the work force. And he intends to work hard to achieve his goal - to become a journeyman wireman, the first step on a long path toward becoming a master electrician, and then an independent electrical contractor.
He would work full time and attend night classes two days a week for the next five years to become a journeyman. At some point, he wants to go to college and get a degree in electrical engineering.
``I know there's a lot of hardships out there that I have to face, but I think I'm growing up to it,'' LeVar said. ``You face something new every day. It's confusing, because you're leaving school, and it's up to you to make the right decisions.''
Unlike many teens, LeVar staked out his career early in high school, and he has maintained his focus. In February, the owner of a small electrical-contracting business, Nickens Electric Co., hired him as part of a school-work program that enabled him to get class credit and receive on-the-job training.
His employer, Rodney Nickens, issued LeVar's grade: an A.
``I wish I could have about 20 LeVars,'' Nickens said. ``I have nothing but good things to say about him. He has a promising career in the electrical field.''
Even before he graduated, LeVar had interviewed for a journeyman's apprentice program with union Local 80 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. An apprenticeship committee will make its decision on LeVar in early July.
``He's a great candidate for us,'' said Carol Dekker, the union's apprenticeship director. ``He is somebody who is looking not for a job but a career. He has a good attitude, and he seems dependable. He's very focused and certainly seems to have a good work ethic.''
LeVar shone his senior year. The Norfolk Technical Vocational Center's principal, William Davis, surprised LeVar by calling him up on stage at the end of an award's ceremony earlier this month: The center's teaching staff had named him the most outstanding Electricity II student this year.
LeVar also was one of seven students recognized at the vo-tech center for perfect attendance - for the second consecutive year.
Even though his decision to work after school made his senior year hectic, LeVar managed to squeeze in time to play on Booker T.'s soccer team and make the city's All-Southeastern District's first team.
It was evident from their smiling faces at his graduation ceremony that LeVar had done his family proud. His mom, who died when he was 11, would have been proud, too, said his sister, Michele Green.
``He has come a long way,'' Green said. ``Being a young black teenager is hard out here, and he's gone the right way.''
LeVar's dad, George Williams, a delivery driver for a Richmond-based food distributor, was confident of his son's future, saying, ``It's in his mind what he wants to do, and I have no doubt he's going to do what he sets out to do.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
GARY C. KNAPP
by CNB