From Stafford County Public Schools
STAFFORD, VA – Seniors from Stafford County Public Schools will soon kick off graduation season.
This year SCPS students will graduate from five high schools on Saturday, June 17, 2017, and one
alternative education high school on Sunday, June 11, 2017.
Highlights of the 2015 graduation season include:
• Megan Martin, nearly a graduate at Brooke Point, attended Stafford Elementary and Stafford Middle
School. She loves school and according to her, “I’m good at it. I really loved my younger years in
school.” She received a $2,000 scholarship from the Stafford Education Foundation. Megan is
attending James Madison University in the fall and plans to major in elementary education. For two
years, Megan has left Brooke Point each day and traveled to Stafford Elementary to help in the
classroom. Megan helps Ms. Judd, who ironically was her student teacher in Kindergarten. Megan’s
students all signed the apple decorating her graduation cap.
• Julia Weaver is a senior at Colonial Forge High School and preparing for graduation. She currently
owns a business. Julia is a diabetic and recently lost one of her half-brothers. Despite life’s
challenges, Julia remains positive and very involved at Colonial Forge High School. She has a story
of dedication, encouragement, and overcoming obstacles.
• Brandy Trevino is a senior at Mountain View High School. She has been a foster child since 5th
grade. She has had to endure many life challenges including: five foster homes before finding a
permanent home during the summer after her sophomore year of high school. Brandy’s mother is
deaf and she has signed her whole life. She is excited to pursue an education at Gallaudet University
this fall where she will major in English Literature Education with a Focus of Deaf Studies and minor
in Interpretation. She hopes to become a college professor at Gallaudet University.
• Mazzen Shalaby, a senior at North Stafford High School, was awarded one of the most highly
selective merit scholarships in the nation. The Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of
Virginia selected Mazzen as one of 36 recipients of the Jefferson Scholarship. He will commence his
studies in the fall at the University of Virginia.
In order to be named a Scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage
selection process. This year, more than 2,000 students were nominated for the Scholarship, 120
finalists took part in a four-day competition at U.Va, which included seminar discussions, essay and
mathematics examinations, as well as interviews conducted by university alumni and faculty.
The 36 selected recipients of the 2017 Jefferson Scholarship boast a number of significant
achievements and Mazzen is no exception. He is a member of the Commonwealth Governor’s School
at North Stafford High School, where he has maintained an impressive cumulative GPA of 4.798
while achieving AP Scholar with Honor and National AP Scholar awards. Mazzen is the Vice
President of Service for the National Honor Society and serves as captain for the Academic Team,
Debate Team, and Quiz Bowl. A talented athlete, he has served as Captain for the Varsity Golf team
and was the 2016 Conference 15 Individual Champion. Mazzen recently received a $10,000
scholarship from the United States Senate Youth Program, a unique educational experience for
outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service.
In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Jefferson Scholars
benefit from a number of enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad,
career networking activities, an outdoor challenge program and a leadership speaker series.
• Josephine Gresko is a senior at Stafford Senior High School. She is a remarkable young woman
who has been enrolled in the Commonwealth Governor’s School for the last four years. Her
academic rigor has been extremely challenging, and her curriculum has included advanced, honors,
AP and DE courses all four years. Josephine has been extremely successful in this program, and is
on track to graduate in the top one percent of her class.
Her story of resiliency revolves around how family circumstances have impacted her perspective of
life. Josephine’s mother has Type 1 Diabetes, and her brother had cancer as an infant, and was
later diagnosed with autism. Both experiences have had a profound impact on the way she views
the world. Over the course of her life, she has been able to participate in a lot of charity (through the
Leukemia and Lymphoma societies) and volunteer opportunities (through Team In Training) in an
effort to support her family, and she believes that these experiences have made her more mature,
caring, and supportive of others. These are life lessons that will follow her always.
Josephine likes chemistry, Psychology and anatomy courses the most. She is currently interested
in majoring in chemistry, and pursuing a doctorate in Pharmacy.
The complete graduation schedule includes:
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Alternative Education 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Brooke Point High School 8:00 a.m.
Colonial Forge High School 8:00 a.m.
Mountain View High School 8:30 a.m.
North Stafford High School 8:00 a.m.
Stafford High School 8:30 a.m.
