Date: June 21, 2005
Contact: Irene Cromer
Community Relations Supervisor
703-791-8720

VALEDICTORIANS OF CLASS OF 2005 AIM HIGH

The valedictorians of Prince William County Public Schools’ Class of 2005 leave their schools with a record of achievement in addition to the highest academic honors. The students will continue to pursue their education with courses of study in chemistry, business, biomedical engineering, biosystems engineering, government and public policy, economics, psychology, medicine, or law at universities in Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Georgia. The valedictorians and their schools are listed below.

Thien-Thu Tran Nguyen, valedictorian of Brentsville District High School, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honor Society, and received the Presidential Academic Award. Nguyen is active in her church, plays the piano, and enjoys helping young children. In the fall she will attend the University of Virginia and, while she has not yet chosen a major, Nguyen says she plans to pursue a course of study that will positively influence her community.

Marissa Grace Paslick is the valedictorian of Forest Park High School. She attended Henderson Elementary School and Saunders Middle School. President of the Student Council Association for two years, Paslick was also a member of the National Honor Society and on the high school’s soccer and tennis teams. She received the Principal’s Award for 2005, the Presidential Award for Excellence, and was a Youth Salute nominee.

Paslick received her Gold Award from the Girl Scouts of America and has been awarded several community scholarships including the Montclair Lions Club Scholarship and the Comcast Teachers and Achievers Scholarship. She will attend Clemson University to study biosystems engineering.

Walter F. McClean, III, is the valedictorian for Gar-Field High School. McClean, an International Baccalaureate Programme student, received the Principal’s Award for Excellent Academic Performance, IB Student of the Year Award, the Award for Outstanding Performance in the Community from the Dale City Civic Association, and was a commended student in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

In 2003, McClean attended the Governor’s School for theater. He has also received various Model United Nations awards at local, national, and international conferences. A member of the Gar-Field High School Drama Club and Thespian Society and an advanced fencer, he was a member of the Math League, team captain of “It’s Academic,” and president of the German Club.

McClean’s extracurricular activities included participation in the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church youth group, basketball team, and one act play performances. He is an Eagle Scout and troop instructor with the Boy Scouts of America. McClean will attend the College of William and Mary as a Monroe Scholar to study government/public policy and economics.
Daniel Hillenbrand is the valedictorian for C.D. Hylton High School. Hillenbrand, who also attended Saunders Middle School, was active in a variety of clubs and organizations at Hylton. Among them were Model United Nations, “It’s Academic,” Student Council Association, Latin Club, National Honor Society, the Varsity Swim Team, and the Drama Club. Some of the many academic achievements and honors he received while at the school are the Principal’s Award for Excellence, the Presidential Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, Outstanding Social Studies Student 2005, and Hylton’s Best Delegate for 2004-2005. In addition, Hillenbrand received a William and Mary Leadership Award and was recognized by the Dale City Civic Association as the Youth Citizen of the Year in 2004.

Hillenbrand was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church youth ministry and the Boy Scouts of America. He attended Virginia Boys State and the Virginia Governor’s School for the Humanities. He will attend the University of Virginia on a full Navy ROTC scholarship and plans to pursue a double major in history and political science with a minor in law.

Osbourn Park High School had two valedictorians, Kristen Wolf and Chelsea Grimm. Kristen Wolf attended Westridge Elementary School and Woodbridge Middle School. At Osbourn Park, she was a student in the Center for Environmental and Biological Sciences Specialty Program. She was on the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, was a member of the Key Club and the captain of the varsity volleyball team. Wolf was a commended student in the National Merit Scholarship Program, an AP Scholar with Honors Award recipient, and a Youth Salute Participant. She received an academic letter, attended the 2004 Governor’s School for Math, Science, and Technology, and was part of the Governor’s Potential Early Scholars Program.

Wolf was a tutor for Spanish at Osbourn Park and for other subjects at Parkside Middle School. She will attend the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar and plans to major in chemistry and business to prepare for a future in dentistry or medicine.

Chelsea Grimm, co-valedictorian of Osbourn Park High School, attended King and Marshall Elementary Schools and Parkside and Benton Middle Schools. She was a member of the National Honor Society, the French Honor Society, and the “It’s Academic” Team. Grimm was a student of the Center for Environmental and Biological Sciences Program. She received an Academic Letter, a National Merit Commendation, the Presidential Academic Fitness Award, attended the Governor’s School for Math, Science and Technology in 2003, and was recognized in Who’s Who Among American High School Students for each year of high school.

Active in her community, Grimm performed community service through her participation in the National and French Honor Societies. She was also a sailing instructor at the Washington Sailing Marina and involved in equestrian sports. Grimm will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study chemical engineering and biomedical engineering.

David Jared Kobulnicky is the valedictorian for Potomac High School. He was a member of the Model United Nations, the forensics team, the National Honor Society, the Academic Team and the Impeesa Leadership School. Kobulnicky is a National Merit Commended Scholar, a Robert C. Byrd Scholar, a VCU Presidential Scholar, and a Bausch & Lomb Science Scholar. He was awarded a gold Congressional medal and a Ventures silver medal.
Kobulnicky is an Eagle Scout and volunteers as an EMT with a local volunteer fire department. He is also a “Leave No Trace” conservation instructor. He plans to pursue pre-medical studies at Virginia Commonwealth University where he is guaranteed admission to the Medical College of Virginia for the class of 2009.

Stephanie R. Weldon, valedictorian for Stonewall Jackson High School, was the vice president of the Spanish Honor Society, treasurer of the National Honor Society, and founder/president of the History Honor Society. A National Merit Scholarship Finalist and Presidential Scholar’s Program Semifinalist, Weldon was named the Anthropology, Chemistry, and English Student of the Year in 2004. She was the Government Student of the Year in her sophomore year.
At Stonewall Jackson, Weldon was an ESOL tutor, a Forensics Club impromptu speaker, set designer for the stage technical crew, and a Cappies play critic. Weldon was also formerly a Florida Teen Court Attorney. She has lived in various parts of the world including Pattaya, Thailand, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, and Florida. Weldon will attend Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia on a full scholarship.

Kristyn Leigh Schomp, valedictorian for Woodbridge Senior High School, attended Springwoods and Old Bridge Elementary and Lake Ridge Middle schools. On the high school swim team, she was a member of the Key Club, National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Teenage Republicans, BETA Club, and the Norseman Club. Schomp attended the Governor’s School for Humanities and Virginia Girl’s State.
Involved in activities in her community, Schomp was a tutor for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program and, at her church, was a member of the leadership council, praise band, choir, and the youth group. She will attend Duke University in the fall to study psychology.