Oak View students graduate, say goodbye to beloved principal

by Stephanie Bertholdo

bertholdo@theacorn.com

VALEDICTORIAN—Kathryn Rope, Oak View High School valedictorian, addresses family, friends and classmates at the school’s June 16 graduation ceremony. Twenty-eight young men and women from Oak View High School, an alternative high school in Oak Park, accepted their diplomas last Thursday at an intimate ceremony conducted at the Oak Park High School Pavilion.

About half of the students had completed the requirements for graduation in December. The graduation program featured photographs of each graduate on the front cover.

For Millie Andress, principal at Oak View and for Oak Park Independent Study, the Class of 2005 will be her last class as principal. After 37 years as a teacher and principal, Andress will retire and move to North Carolina to train teachers at the college level.

Millie Andress Scholarships of over $4,000 were awarded to the students. Alyssa Arrigo, Natalie McNulty, and Joyce Cecilio received scholarships from the National Charity League. Ashley Beckwith, Joseph Ben-Chetrit, Scott Lubin, Kyle McReynolds, and Kelly Bracha were presented with scholarships from the Associated Student Body.

Daniel Paris was the recipient of the Oak Park Teachers Association award, and Niv Parnes won the Christine E. Brown Excellence Award. Two students, Francisca Quezada and Kathryn Rope, won the Oak View Staff scholarship. Haley Simons was presented with a scholarship from Conejo Realtors, and Taylor Wells earned the Oak Park Community Gardeners award.

Niv Parnes, salutatorian, was the first to address his class. He said that as an Oak View graduate he is ready to experience a variety of challenges—college, job, charitable work, even a stint at a familyowned business or maybe even environmental work. Parnes said he was prepared to become a responsible member of the community, and said that he was ready to “pay taxes.”

“From now on we are governed by us,” Parnes said. He added that he was indebted to his teachers, school staff and family for the help and encouragement he received during high school.

Valedictorian Kathryn Rope said she left Agoura High School to take the “road less traveled” at Oak View. She said that at Oak View, knowledge and creativity was celebrated by students and teachers and learning wasn’t treated as a competition. Rope noted that cliques were non-existent on the Oak View campus and that at “normal” high schools students cared more about their shoes than learning.

“Everyone in some way is segregated,” Rope said in comparing the two school environments. “It’s okay to laugh at yourself once in awhile.”

And laugh they did. The graduates had been roasted by the staff at their senior dinner. On this night, the students turned the tables.

“Don’t let the man hold you down,” Rope said, as a reminder to teacher Susan Allen, who often counseled students on the value of tenacity. Allen was presented with a poster of favorite adages.

Rope said that Randi Liepman was a teacher and a friend, and presented her with a personalized poster as well. Rope gave teacher Sharon Cohen pink rain boots to wade through the “bull,” and apologized to her for the times that she was a difficult student.

Andress, Rope said, was difficult to roast because she had such a tremendous impact on hundreds of students.

“She believed more in me than

M I believed in myself,” Rope said. She presented Andress with a crown and scepter. “I crown you the queen of many hearts,” Rope said.

Each student had created an artistic page for the yearbook that included original artwork and photography. The books were inscribed: “Dedicated to our other mom, Miss Mildred Andress, a queen among women. She has guided and supported us, encouraged and cajoled us, she has shown us paths we did not know existed, and opened doors we thought were shut forever. She has believed in us, until we could believe in ourselves. We are her family.”