“Coupeville has three valedictorians this year – David Farmer, Linnane O’Connor and Jessica Roundy tied for the top spot among this year’s graduating students, each with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.Maybe that’s a sign of how close students get in a small school.Small can be good, the top 10 students said, as they looked forward to graduating with just 84 classmates.The teachers are a little more focused on your education, as opposed to a big school, Farmer said. There’s less of discipline problems, so they can stay more focused.All 10 are headed for college and they can’t wait to move on to the next stage of their education. Here, we’re not really exposed here to the reality of how many different careers there are, or even how many different courses you can take, Jessica Roundy said. Or how many different people, said Colleen McGinness. It will be nice to really go out and see the real world.DAVID FARMERDavid Farmer is the son of Brian and Cathi Farmer. He hasn’t chosen a career yet, but he’s hoping to live and work in the Pacific Northwest after college – maybe for a company like Boeing. He will be headed for the University of Washington in the fall.He says the highlight of his high school days would have to be being captain of the wrestling team my senior year and winning the League title as as a team. The awards that have meant the most to him are the Most Inspirational Award for wresting in his junior and senior years, the Captain’s Award in wrestling and the Lions’ Student of the Quarter award. If he could change anything, I would probably have been less concerned with what other people generally thought of me.His long-term goals, he says, will always become more and more specific as I get older, but for now I know that I want to just be who I am. Asked what inspires him most, he quoted I Corinthians, 9:24: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.And what does he see as the biggest challenge ahead in the world away from home?Laundry.LINNANE O’CONNORLinnane O’Connor has her sights set on becoming an emergency room doctor, but not because she’s hooked on the television show ER. My experience in the Community Resource Training Program at Whidbey General Hospital has allowed me to see what medicine is really like, she says. That’s a dream she’s had since middle school. Along with becoming an ER doctor specializing in pediatrics, she says, One of my life goals is to join a program such as Doctors Without Borders outreaching to troubled areas around the world and offering medical support.O’Connor will attend Reed College in Portland, Ore., next fall and will probably major in biology and take medical school admission requirements, along with a variety of classes that interest her. The highlight of high school is graduating, she says. It is a really exciting time, moving on to experience the vast possibilities of college.What would she change? My first reaction is to say I would have wanted to go to a larger school with more opportunities. But going to Coupeville and living in such a small town is an experience that has really shaped who I am, and I wouldn’t want to change it.Her honors include the Ewing C. Kelly Scholarship, the Soroptimist Youth Citizenship Award, and attending the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. What’s the biggest challenge for her and her classmates in the world beyond school? Finding our own place in the world, finding happiness and meaning in what we choose to do. Dealing with an ever-changing world is a great challenge, as well as trying to fix the problems that exist in the world today, each in our own small way.O’Connor is the daughter of Mary Ellen O’Connor and Carl Leonard.JESS ROUNDYFor Jess Roundy, the highlights of her school years were Breaking the school records in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles. Helping to produce our yearbook, the key to high school memories. Coming to know God. Building friendships.Roundy, daughter of Dale and Sue Roundy, says that if she could change anything, I would have made my senior year more laid back, more like my sophomore year, and much less stressful.She hasn’t decided on a career yet, but I’m highly interested in architecture and other forms of design, such as layout design and editing.She’ll be attending Claremont McKenna College in southern California in the fall. How does she rate her future prospects, as compared with the way things were for her parents when they graduated? I think that my prospects for the future as a female have grown significantly since my parents graduated. The doors that are now open to women are countless, with many more yet to be opened.As for her goals, she says she hopes to find happiness down whatever path my life takes, with an enjoyable and interesting career and a warm family added onto my own.Roundy is valedictorian for the class of 2000. Other honors she values include the American Legion Citizenship Award, History Day state championship, the superintendent’s contribution award and the principal’s leadership award. What inspires her most? My athletic coaches, especially Ed Watson whose quotes on heart, inspiration and going the extra 10 percent in a race to win are on my wall … TARIQ OMARTariq Omar, son of Jeannette and Osman Omar, says the best of high school for him was Playing football for four years and all the memories that I’ll keep from that experience.What would he change? I would have spent less time worrying about grades and spent more time with my friends, having fun.Which ties in with his long-term goal: I want to have fun, make a difference in the lives of the people I love and be happy. He’s still undecided about a career, but he’s thinking about something in corporate finance or investment banking. He’d like to live in the south and work as an executive for a corporation. He’ll continue his studies at Claremont McKenna College in the fall.The biggest challenge facing him and his classmates, he says, is going to be retaining our individuality in a world that is becoming one big corporate conglomerate.But he thinks his economic prospects are brighter than they were for his parents. But other than economically, our futures are up to us to decide, just like our parents. As for school honors, he says There are a lot of awards that are important to me, but the ones that mean the most are all my football awards, being nominated to go to the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C. and being the salutarian of our class.What inspires him? There isn’t one person or one thing that has inspired me the most, but it all just boils down to a desire to always be improving. MATT FROSTFor Matt Frost, a talented musician and athlete, the highlights of high school have been taking part in cross-country and track, and the awards he values most have come from both fields. He was chosen to be a member of the Allstate and Northwest bands, and to take part in the state solo competition. He also took part in state cross-country and track meets, and broke the school record in the 800 meters. So it follows that the people who inspire him most are a mix of athletes and musicians – Steve Prefontaine, Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Maynard Ferguson and Eye of the Tiger. It’s music that will be his career, Frost says. He plans to teach music at the university of high school level, and perform. He’ll be studying at the University of Idaho in the fall. Frost says there isn’t anything he’d change about his high school years, and that his long-term goal is to enjoy my life.The biggest challenge facing him and his classmates is Getting an education without getting into too much debt. Staying on top financially, he says. But he feels that his prospects for the future are not much different from those of his parents. Frost is the son of Mary and Michael Frost.COLLEEN MCGINNESSI wouldn’t change anything about my high school experience, Colleen McGinness says. I have participated as a running start student at Skagit Valley College full time. I have fully enjoyed my experience and feel prepared for the future.She’s planning to take a double major in political science and speech when she goes to Hillsdale College in Michigan in September. Then she intends to continue on to law school, probably at Pepperdine University in California. I would like to become involved in public service, she says, of her life goals. And ultimately, I would love to travel around the globe.On the future, she says I think there are a lot more opportunities available to us than when our parents graduated. Discrimination between genders is hardly a factor today.The honors she values most include membership of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, being on the honor roll at Skagit Valley College, and maintaining a high grade point average at high school while doing full-time college work.McGinness also found time for five years of dressage competition, and won a reserve regional championship in 1998. She’s a member of Youth Dynamics and went on two mission trips with her church. Who inspires her most? Jesus Christ as my savior has been the most inspiring and uplifting influence in my life, she says. My parents and family are also an inspiration and motivation. She is the daughter of Collin and Kathleen McGinness.RICHARD HARTSHORNRichard Hartshorn, son of Mark and Aida Hartshorn, is aiming for a career in satellite communications. He’s enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for the next six years, and intends to get both his bachelors and masters degrees during that time, studying at universities near where ever he is stationed. After my enlistment term has ended, I plan on getting a high paying job and starting a family, he says.The award he values most is the Lamp of Knowledge, which he says shows my dedication to consistently get the job done.Track and field were the sports he enjoyed most.His father is his main inspiration, he says. He has taught me so much about life and he has always supported me in every decision I’ve made. I love him very much and, to me, he is the perfect father. MICHELLE MARTINMichelle Martin plans to be an elementary school teacher, hopefully second or third grade in a small town school, she says. She will pursue her studies at the University of Portland.Taking part in volleyball and softball has been the highlight of her high school years. My team mates have made high school so amazing, she says.Going into the unknown is the biggest challenge she faces, Martin says. For the past 12 years we’ve had a place to be, a certainty. Now there’s going to be new challenges – scary challenges.The high school honors she values most are her varsity letters in volleyball, including the most inspirational award and being among the Academic State Champions for volleyball. As for her life goals, she says I just want to be happy. I really want a family. I want to feel successful.Who inspires her most? There are so many people, I can’t even list them all. I have been blessed with friends and family that encourage me and inspire me.She is the daughter of Jacques and Kimberly Martin.SUZY ZUSTIAKSoftball has been the highlight of high school for Suzy Zustiak, especially killing ATM and Concrete in the round-robin games, and earning first team honors.Zustiak is headed for a career as a doctor of veterinary medicine and will begin her studies at Washington State University. Besides becoming a vet, her goals include Being happy all throughout life, and developing a healthy retirement for me and my 50 cats.As for the biggest challenges ahead for her and her classmates, she says, Not having each other around will be hard. But other than that, I think we’ll be ready for anything.She thinks her future prospects are better than her parents were. My future profession is in a high demand, I’ve heard. I’m also looking forward to a richer life (economically and educationally), and a more advanced education than my parents would’ve received. Zustiak is one of the few who hopes to live in Coupeville, or a place like it, with lots of animals around. No big cities, she says. I can’t stand all the people I don’t know. traffic, no parking, and lack of dirt and trees. The honors that mean the most to her include first team outfielder awards for softball, the National Science Merit award and Lamp of Knowledge. She is the daughter of Ron and Karen Zustiak.KATHERINE MCGEEKatherine McGee, daughter of Carol and John McGee, is aiming for a career in theater set design. She’ll study at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle this fall and aims to live and work in Vancouver, B.C., after college. The highlight of her high school career were raising upwards of $2,000 for the drama department, nearly single-handed, and her participation in the school’s theatrical performances.Her life goal is to be happy and educated. For herself, the biggest challenges ahead are financial stability.Among the many things that inspire her she lists The Matthew Good Band. Barbara Ballard. My mother’s endless and unfaltering support. “