RHS
WALL OF FAME
2007
Valedictorian and Salutatorian
VALEDICTORIAN
GPA: 107.37 (weighted)
Plans: Duke University
Major: Classical Studies or Physics
RHS senior Tara McKenna is Valedictorian for the class of
2007. Her parents are Martin and Janis McKenna.
Tara is the second valedictorian in the McKenna household.
Her sister, Erin, was also an RHS valedictorian. Tara maintains
a 107.37 (weighted) grade point average and is active in
Math Club and Mentathletes. She was a Commended Student
in the National Merit Scholarship program and is a member
of the National Honor Society. She also is president of
the high school Latin team and the Latin Honor Society.
Tara is not only smart, she is also talented. She is in
the Chamber and Show Choirs and plays the cello in orchestra.
In addition, she is a member of Blue Masques and was the
choreographer and a lead in their recent production of “Guys
and Dolls.” She was nominated for a Teeny Award by
the East End Art Council for her abilities as a choreographer
in both Grease and Guys and Dolls.
Outside of school, Tara keeps on dancing at ReDancers (tap,
jazz, modern--you name it).
Next fall Tara will attend Duke University and major in
Classics or Physics. She attributes her love of physics
to RHS physics teacher Kim Skinner, who not only taught
her physics but inspired her with this thought, “The
purpose of life is to find your gifts. The meaning of life
is to give them away.” (The Wonders of Sassafras
Springs).
 SALUTATORIAN
GPA: 105.09 (weighted)
Plans: University of Virginia
Major: Chemical Engineering
RHS senior Erin Belfield is Salutatorian for the Class of
2007. Her parents are Nora and Scott Belfield.
Erin is a member of the French Club, Math Club, the National
Honor Society and the National Foreign Language Honor Society.
She plays the tenor sax in the Jazz Ensemble and sings in
Chamber Choir. She, too, was a Commended Student in the National
Merit Scholarship program, which placed her among only 34,000
students of the 1.4 million juniors who take the PSATs that
managed to reach that level of the competition.
Usually more at home in the lighting booth, this year Erin
stepped into the spotlight as one of the leads in the Blue
Masques' production of “Guys and Dolls.” She was
nominated for a 2007 Teeny Award for lighting in the Blue
Masques' production of Grease.
Erin will attend the University of Virginia where she plans
to major in Chemical Engineering.
She, too, credits the RHS science teachers with her enthusiasm
for a career in science. “I had so many really great
teachers,” Erin shares, “but Dr. Mandresh, my
Chemistry teacher, got me really, really interested in chemistry.
He’s always been very supportive.”
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