Fort Defiance High School 2024 graduation: Photos
HARRISONBURG — Lobsters are soft, mushy animals that live in a hard shell that doesn't expand.
It was a biology lesson from an administrator who majored in biology and chemistry as an college undergraduate. Lea Dean told the Fort Defiance Class of 2024 Tuesday night that she waited tables in her 20s and it wasn't until she was a few years older that she chose education as the path to pursue.
Dean was assistant principal at Fort Defiance High School for eight years before leaving last year to become principal of Rockingham Academy, an alternative education program in Harrisonburg. She is a graduate of Riverheads High School and Roanoke College who spent time in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Once she moved into the education field, she worked as a special education teacher at Wilson Memorial until moving into administration.
"The decisions you make right now are important, but they don't have to be permanent," Dean told the graduates. "What you do tomorrow or 10 years from now doesn't have to be what you do forever."
The lobster, Dean said, can only grow if it sheds its shell, but there's a danger that comes with that, leaving the lobster vulnerable to prey. But if it wants to continue to grow, the lobster has no choice but to shed that shell.
The same can be said for students.
"There will be times in your life that you have to be like a lobster," Dean said. "You have to let go of what is familiar because it becomes uncomfortable and change is needed. On the other side of that will be a bigger, better, stronger you."
Fort Defiance graduated 166 students Tuesday at the ceremony held at James Madison University's Atlantic Union Bank Center.
VALEDICTORIAN
Bethany Lange
SALUTATORIAN
Kyong Dresch
CLASS PRESIDENT
Kaden Hansbrough
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Lea Dean, former assistant principal at Fort Defiance High School and current principal at Rockingham Academy
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— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Fort Defiance High School 2024 graduation photos
