From a small school serving a rural community, to a “rich, diverse and vibrant learning community that we see today.” That was how Great Mills High School (GMHS) Principal Jake Heibel described the timeline of his school during its 84th Commencement Thursday at St. Mary’s College. The school founded in 1929 is now in the middle of St. Mary’s County’s urban area and a short distance away from the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and its diverse, well-educated work force.
Heibel noted that the 2013 graduates would have begun kindergarten in August of 2001, just a few weeks before the events of September 11th. Gas was $1.46 and the Apple IPod had just been introduced, but it was that terrorism attack that really impacted everyone. “It changed our lives forever,” the principal said.
Heibel introduced and thanked a number of people, including his school’s administrators, teachers, office staff and custodians. He also asked the two academic deans of Fairlead Academy, Rebecca Cline and Wendy Zimmerman, to stand up and be recognized. He also had the members of the Class of 2013 who are going on to a military career to stand and be recognized.
Heibel said the 354 graduates had amassed more than $5 million in scholarships and will be going on to higher education in 20 states. He said many of the students took Advanced Placement classes and many have participated in online learning.
You are caring, loyal, dedicated individuals that have made Great Mills High School a better place,” he told the prospective graduates. He urged them as they go on with their lives to be lifetime learners. “Learn from your mistakes and bounce back,” he added.
Heibel got an instant reaction from the Class of 2013 when he shouted “We are” followed by the class responding “Great Mills.” School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano repeated the shout.
Martirano told the audience assembled in the gymnasium, and the more than 1,000 who watched the ceremony on a big scream in the auxiliary gym, about the previous evening in which his daughter graduated from Leonardtown High School. He asked the parents and guardians assembled to remember back to 1995 when most of the graduates were born.
The superintendent picked up on Heibel’s reminder about 9/11. “We can never take for granted our freedom in America,” noting that one of them was “academic freedom.” He then asked everyone in the audience who had served or was serving in the military to stand up. It being a military community, a number of people did stand, including Patuxent River Naval Air Station Commanding Officer Captain Ben Shevchuk, who has a child in the school.
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