After 36 years of devoted service to Westminster School, the legendary Mrs. O'Drudy is retiring. Mrs. O'Drudy has been teaching Latin at Westminster School since 1982. She has shepherded hundreds of students through Westminster, not just by teaching Latin, but by being the matriarch of the Upper School. She has counseled parents, mentored teachers, and served as a loyal and dependable confidante to Mr. Glover and the administrative staff for decades. There will be much more to say about Mrs. O'Drudy in the near future. In the meantime, we ask that any students, graduates, parents, or friends who would like to express their well wishes and gratitude are invited to send cards or letters to: "Mrs. O'Drudy Celebration, 3819 Gallows Road, Annandale, VA 22003." Emails are also welcomed and should be sent to Mrs. Schuler with a subject line of "Mrs. O'Drudy Celebration." These messages will be gathered and presented to Mrs. O'Drudy at the Griffin Soiree on August 3rd when we will honor her years of service. Please see "Upcoming Events" at the top of the page for details.

Nine students out of 26 received the prestigious President's Education Award. To earn this award, students must earn a 90% average or above in every subject for the full year of 7th grade and first semester of 8th grade. They must also achieve an 85th percentile or higher on their ERB tests for both years in either math or reading.

These ten students earned honor roll status for EVERY quarter since the beginning of third grade. For this award, students must have been enrolled since the 3rd grade and maintained an 86% or above in every subject every quarter for a total of 24 times in a row! Very impressive!

The six students pictured above earned citizenship awards, which are given to students who come to school with a positive attitude, achieve in the classroom, and participate in all aspects of life at school, including clubs and sports. They each received a trophy and their names will be engraved on the plaque in the lobby which dates back to 1978.

Shalini earned the DAR Award which is given to a student who shows genuine interest in American history beyond the classroom and is a model American citizen.

Alex received a generous scholarship award from Highland School worth almost $59,000.00. He won many other academic awards, including a perfect score on the National Latin Exam, something only achieved by less than 1% of the over 140,000 students who took the test internationally.

Nora was awarded the "The Golden Griffin" Award which is awarded to a student who achieves in all areas of endeavor: academic, leadership, participation, and character. This award is voted on by all upper-school teachers and administrators who work with the 7th and 8th graders. Congratulations!

The video above was created by Mr. Crook and shared at graduation. Anyone who thinks that the Upper School is all about work will have that idea dispelled when seeing how much fun the 8th graders have had this year.

The graduation ceremony was filled with laughter and tears as the 26 graduates reflected on their years at Westminster School.

Half of the class came to Westminster in kindergarten, including this joyful young man in the photo above.

As is tradition, each graduate gave a speech expressing gratitude for their Westminster teachers, administrators, and their families.

The graduates were presented with diplomas and a bag of mementos from the school.

The graduates spoke with such tenderness and eloquence, demonstrating their true appreciation for their time at Westminster School. This appreciation will only deepen in years to come. Please enjoy a few excerpts from their speeches:

"Westminster to me is the best teachers I have ever had. I have been to four schools, and I have learned French since I was five. I have had about seven French teachers but none of them have made me love French language and culture like the ones here. Because of them, I have become more open-minded to other cultures of the world."

"{I would like to thank} Mrs. Jacobson for teaching me and my classmates the importance of breaking boundaries and pushing down the walls of prejudice that goes on around us day by day."

"{Westminster} helped me find the passion for things I thought I would never love, such as drama, American history, books of social criticism, solving algebraic equations, understanding scientific laws, and learning the wonders of France and Italy."

"Mr. Glover taught me how to be the person I am now. I remember the first lesson you taught me in the hallway, when I was leaving from my shadow day in the third grade, was that you should look a person in the eye when saying hello or goodbye."

"Mr. Glover and Ms. Glazier, the love you showed everyone {in the lower grades} was unsurpassable, and when I entered the upper school, all of that came crashing down on me, driving me to excel at whatever I did, whether singing in front of 300 people, or speaking in front of twelve."

"In the most beautiful way, you have sheltered me all these years, and yet at the same time, you have prepared me to stand on my own and walk out into the world. Thank you."

Three Legacies Graduate

Rohit Setty (Class of 1990) with daughter, Shalini

Caoilfhionn Machabee (Class of 1998) with son, Lochlann

Lane Nemirow (Class of 1985) with daughter, Devin