The Langley High School class of 2005 began their high school experience just four days before the Sept. 11 attacks, a tragedy that affected their home area more than other places in the nation.
"No longer were world events taking place across the sea — you had to deal with them," said principal William Clendaniel, addressing the class during their graduation ceremony at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall.
But the students were "unlike any group I'd ever seen," he said, referring to their playful but caring personality as a whole. "You've logged more hours in doctors' offices in McLean on Fridays than any other class, but you were also smart enough to get through a chain-link fence with three security guards standing right there," he said, with a laugh rising up from the students.
With nine students heading to Ivy League schools, Clendaniel applauded the graduates' academic achievements while thanking them for raising more than $6,000 for medical treatment of a soldier in his son's Marine unit.
"I have no doubt the future is in good hands with this group. I have confidence in your success," he said.
Guest speaker Doug Liman, director and producer of the "Bourne Identity" and "Bourne Supremacy" movies, along with "Swingers" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," encouraged the students to work at life and be sure to learn from their imminent failures.
"It is important to challenge authority," he said. "When I was graduating from high school in 1984, blacks in South Africa could not vote. Now they have a black president. Your opportunities will come to you in no way any speaker could prepare you for," he said.
Being able to see challenges and problems as occasions to try something new is a valuable skill, Liman said. "You will come across hurdles too high to vault, but once you overcome it, you'll have a new way of looking at and dealing with your problems. After all, I lost Nicole Kidman for the lead in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Problem. I found Angelina Jolie. Opportunity."
Class President Carolyn Skancke reminded her class that life is like a buffet, and each food choice represents a vital characteristic each student should strive to portray.
"What you choose to give you a jolt of energy, the way you deal with opportunities to challenge yourself, the memories that give us comfort and how we focus on the next step in our lives and consider their consequences will carry us through life," she said, referencing hangouts frequented by Langley students, like Starbucks, Coldstone Creamery and Chipotle. "I hope you learn to try new tastes and explore new ideas as we leave Langley and go into the world."