Kenston Forest School held the 52nd commencement Friday, June 1st on the KFS lawn. Twenty- one seniors received their diplomas from Mr. John Goode, President of the Lunenburg-Nottoway Educational Foundation and Mr. Paul Zanowski, Headmaster of KFS. Seven of the seniors are second or third generation Kavaliers.
Pastor Cameron Bailey of Kenbridge Christian Church gave the Invocation. Emily Anne Zincone, Historian of the Class of 2018, presented the history of the class. The Salutatory Address, was presented by Peyton Cierra Clary. William Chance Whitehead presented the valedictory address.
The guest speaker was Jane Osborne Baugh Singletary – KFS Class of 1975, recently returned to Kenbridge. Ms. Singletary attended Mary Baldwin College, spent a semester abroad at The University of Bath, in Bath, England, and graduated with a biology degree in 1979. Her first job after college was in pharmaceutical sales, at a time when women were rare in this field. Ms. Singletary also followed her passions for garden and home. Southern Living and Country Home magazines, local radio talk shows, and HGTV were not things on the “to do” list, but were a welcome validation of what passion and hard work can manifest when one least expects it.
The following students received awards during the graduation ceremony:
Justin Hart Brandon Memorial Award has been established to recognize a rising senior member of the Class of 2019, selected by the faculty, in hopes that this award will provide the honored student with the incentive to surpass his or her own expectations. The recipient of the 2018 Justin Hart Brandon Memorial award is Tyler Borum.
The Robert Allen Quicke Sportsmanship Award was established by the Quicke family to recognize a Kenston Forest student who has demonstrated superior sportsmanship. This $500 award was presented to Joshua Michael Tiller.
The Carl Burton Schwabenton Memorial Scholarship was established by Mr. Schwabenton’s former students to honor his memory and is continued today by the Schwabenton family. This $500 scholarship recognizes a student who has excelled in history, government, and English. The scholarship recipient is Remy Whitfield Butts.
Marian Anzolut /Martha Hoefler Memorial Scholarship is a $750 scholarship awarded to a senior who plans to seek further education beyond high school through vocational school, community college, or a four-year college or university and has shown excellence in the classroom, participated in extracurricular activities, and embodies the Kenston Forest School spirit. The scholarship recipient is Kaitlyn Nicole Suggs.
Blackstone Rotary Club Scholarship is a part of Rotary International. Each year, the Blackstone Rotary Club awards a $1000 scholarship to the Kenston Forest student who best exemplifies the Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.” The recipient of this scholarship is Jocelyn Leigh Epperson.
The Headmaster’s Award for Inspirational Leadership was established this year to recognize the member of the graduating class who best personifies the ideals of leadership described by John Quincy Adams: “If your actions cause others to learn more, do more, dream more and become more, you are a leader.” The recipient of this year’s Headmaster’s Award for Inspirational Leadership is William Chance Whitehead.
The Alumni Association offers a Kenston Forest Alumni Association Scholarship to recognize an outstanding graduating senior who has shown extended interest and service to Kenston Forest School and plans to further his or her education. The recipient is Taylor Katherine Berkley.
The Adam Bryant Memorial Scholarship was established by the United States Coast Guard Academy Class of 2003 to honor LT Adam Wade Bryant. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who best portrays a dedication to academics, leadership, and a strong commitment to serving in the community. The recipient is Remy Whitfield Butts.
The N. Burton Allen Distinguished Graduate Award recognizes the distinguished graduate who is a member of the National Honor Society, best exemplifies the Mission Statement of the school, and who demonstrates great dedication to the students and institution of Kenston Forest School. This distinguished award in the amount of $1500 was given to William Chance Whitehead.