They came, they learned, they graduated.
A four-year odyssey of academic, athletic and artistic achievement ended Sunday afternoon for 267 bright-eyed Oxford High School seniors as they received their diplomas before a packed audience at Oakland University’s Athletics Center in Rochester Hills.
Of those of who walked the stage, an impressive 116 students graduated with some form of academic honors.
Twenty-two students graduated with Highest Honors because they earned Grade Point Averages of 3.8 to 4.0.
Those 55 students with GPAs of 3.5 to 3.79 graduated with High Honors, while another 39 students walked with Honors for achieving GPAs ranging from 3.2 to 3.49.
Oxford’s Top 10 students for the Class of 2009 included Heather Workman, Cidney Fritche, Elizabeth Ligon, Brianna Pastewski, Jennifer Taraski, Lindsay Comerford, Margaret Ligon, Taylor Dewey, Mitchell Seeling and Anthony Sottile.
For profiles of the Top 10 students see our special 12-page graduation section included with this issue.
Graduate Geoffrey Charles earned the highest honor a graduating Wildcat can receive ? the Oxford Cup.
Since 1930, the coveted silver cup’s been awarded annual at commencement to the graduating senior who’s ‘shown the best all around development.?
‘It’s really a great honor,? Charles said. ‘It makes me feel like people around here remember me and like me.?
Selected by a vote of the junior and senior classes along with OHS faculty, the winner must exhibit ‘proficiency in scholarship, friendly social qualities, well-balanced physical development and superior school citizenship.?
‘It’s so important that we honor those (students) of today so that they can inspire the students of tomorrow. And I think that’s what the Oxford Cup does,? said Superintendent Dr. William Skilling.
During his high school career, Charles proved himself to be the consummate scholar-athlete by earning eight varsity letters in football, wrestling and baseball while achieving with a cumulative GPA of 3.687.
Charles, who’s the son of Rod and Karen Charles, plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall. He’s undecided about what to study at this point and is considering trying out as a walk-on for either the football or baseball teams.
Finalists for the Oxford Cup included Katherine Bosetti, Scott Compau, Brianna Pastewski and Bridget Schultz.
Given these students represent the cream of the crop at OHS, Charles was even more humbled that he was selected for the cup.
‘I was really surprised because some of those people really do a lot around the school. Anyone of them could have won.?