Maurice J. McDonough High School class valedictorian Elizabeth Saoud, left, and salutatorian Charlie Shin enter the Charles County Convocation Center at the start of the McDonough graduation ceremony held Friday, June 1. A total of 222 McDonough students earned their diplomas Friday, making McDonough the second smallest graduating high school class this year. The McDonough Class of 2018 earned nearly $9 million in scholarship offers this year.
Maurice J. McDonough High School seniors graduated in a ceremony held June 1 at the Charles County Convocation Center in Waldorf. The ram senior class of 222 graduates earned nearly $9 million in scholarship offers. At McDonough, students know and understand the core meaning of the letters used to spell out the name of the school mascot, ram.
The R stands for respect; the A is for accountability and the M is for motivation. Class salutatorian Charlie Shin shared with his peers an important lesson about the letters RAM and what they should remember about their high school experiences.
“Here at McDonough we have an acronym that defines our core values. Whether it be college, the workforce, or the military, respect, accountability and motivation will take you in the right direction. We are rams committed to being respectful, accountable and motivated. And don’t you forget it,” Shin said.
Shin plans to attend the University of Maryland College Park in the fall to study computer science. Helping Shin to lead the McDonough Class of 2018 is Elizabeth Saoud, who is this year’s class valedictorian. She heads to Harvard University in the fall and will major in biology and pre-medicine.
In addressing her peers tonight, Saoud encouraged them to always be kind, but to most importantly always have hope.
“We can always have hope. Hope for a brighter future. Hope for support in times of crisis. The one true measure of success is the impact that you have on others, and the positivity that you bring to the world. If we take anything away from our past four years at McDonough High School, let it be this: Be kind. Help others. Have infinite hope,” Saoud said.
McDonough’s graduation ceremony was the fourth of seven high school ceremonies set to take place this weekend at the Convocation Center at North Point High School.
Photos from all high school graduations will be posted on the school system website at http://www.ccboe.com/index.php/graduation-2018 following each ceremony.
Maurice J. McDonough High School class valedictorian Elizabeth Saoud, left, and salutatorian Charlie Shin enter the Charles County Convocation Center at the start of the McDonough graduation ceremony held Friday, June 1. A total of 222 McDonough students earned their diplomas Friday, making McDonough the second smallest graduating high school class this year. The McDonough Class of 2018 earned nearly $9 million in scholarship offers this year.
