SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2018 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 517
Commending Wakefield High School.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 7, 2018
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2018

 

WHEREAS, in 2018, Wakefield High School celebrates 65 years of educating the young people of Arlington County; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School first opened its doors in 1953 and now has an enrollment of over 2,000 students; in 2013, the school moved into a new state-of-the-art building; and

WHEREAS, a vibrant academic community, Wakefield High School builds strong students and confident critical thinkers by stressing the five pillars of rigor, relationships, resiliency, responsibility, and results; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School prides itself on preparing its students for success in higher education; 92 percent of graduates go on to college, and in 2017, students earned over $7 million in college scholarships and grant money; and

WHEREAS, one of Wakefield High School’s signature programs is the Ninth Grade Foundation for Academic Excellence, which organizes freshman students into academic teams and provides them with personalized instruction and other support to aid their transition into high school; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School also operates the Spanish Immersion Program, which offers in-depth instruction in Spanish language and literature; the school has been designated as an International Spanish Academy by the Spanish Ministry of Education and was the Embassy of Spain’s 2015 School of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School runs an Advanced Placement (AP) Network and an AP Summer Bridge program to help students prepare for AP courses; in 2017, the College Board awarded the school the prestigious Capstone Diploma; and

WHEREAS, in addition, Wakefield High School operates the Cohort and United Minority Girls programs to ensure that minority students have support and assistance in the college and scholarship application process; and

WHEREAS, as part of its graduation requirements, Wakefield High School challenges each of its seniors to complete an independent project related to their academic or career interests; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School has forged strong community partnerships with organizations such as the Urban Alliance and the Signature Theatre; it also benefits from its Wakefield Education Foundation, an organization of alumni that has given over $2.25 million in scholarships for students; and

WHEREAS, in 2009 and 2011, President Barack H. Obama visited Wakefield High School to congratulate the school on its many successes and deliver messages about the importance of education; and

WHEREAS, the diligent faculty, staff, and administration of Wakefield High School work constantly to improve all aspects of the learning experience and prepare their students for future success; and

WHEREAS, Wakefield High School has an incredibly diverse student body, with students whose families hail from over 90 countries and speak over 40 languages, representing the rich tapestry that is the Arlington community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Wakefield High School on its long tradition of academic excellence on the occasion of its 65th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Christian Willmore, principal of Wakefield High School, as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the school’s ongoing commitment to its students and the community.