Sierra Lutheran val and sal ready for the next step

Although Sierra Lutheran High School's top two students are planning to travel to different corners of the globe after graduation, both feel they are ready for the journey.

"I've been waiting for a while, but in some ways it still snuck up on me," said 18-year-old Aaron Sever, 2010 class valedictorian. "I'm prepared for it."

The 4.0 student, who has a deep affinity for Bible studies, is planning to travel to Europe this fall. He wants to spend his first semester of higher education at a Torchbearers Bible school in the Austrian Alps.

"After that, I'll head to college," he said. "I'm not sure where, but I'm thinking of Westmont or University of the Pacific."

Sever said he's still undecided what he wants to do as far as a career, although he's considering mechanical engineering. Right now, the Gardnerville Ranchos resident is focused on touring the Alps and the magnificent cities of Europe, from Paris to Prague.

When asked what sage wisdom he had to impart to his younger peers, Sever said, "It's pretty obvious."

"Work the best you can. Don't slack off and get lazy and complacent," he said. "Work the hardest you can in what you do."

Class salutatorian, 18-year-old Carson City resident Kelly Johnson, is staying in the states after graduation. This fall, she's planning to attend Whitworth University, a private religious school in Spokane, Wash.

"It really hasn't sunk in that I'm graduating," she said. "It seems the years have gone by so fast. But I'm excited to keep learning at the higher education level."

Besides her two horses, Johnson's favorite subject is physics, though she's still unsure where her interest in science will take her.

"I like how it shows how God shaped the natural world," she said, "how things go together - to see the beauty of everything."

Both students will be embarking on their separate paths solo.

"It's a little nerve-wracking," said Sever. "It's challenging in some ways. I'm sure I'm going to grow a lot and adapt."

"At the beginning of the year, I didn't want to leave home," Johnson said. "But now, at the end, I'm ready. I'm more than ready."

Johnson said she'll miss the closeness of the Sierra Lutheran community.

"I've enjoyed every single moment I've spent here," she said.

Sever agreed.

"There's a simplicity of life that came with high school," he said.

Although the students will miss starting class this fall in Sierra Lutheran's new campus in Sunridge, they said they'll be sure to visit.

The graduation ceremony for the 2010 Falcons is 6 p.m. May 28 at Grace Community Church in Minden.

Summary of Sierra Lutheran High School's 2010 Seniors

Zachariah Steven Borgman: Culinary Art Institute in Sacramento

Andrew Joseph Deterding: University of Central Florida; major - biology/pre-professional in order to become a cardiologist

Shelby Lynn Farney: WNC; English/journalism

Levi Walter Grabow: UNR (Nevada Millennium Scholarship, Pack Pride Scholarship, Alayne Casteel Memorial Scholarship, Jacks Valley Alumni Scholarship); major - physics, secondary education

Kelly Anne Johnson: Salutatorian; Whitworth University (Whitworth Academic Scholarships, National Science S.T.E.M., Home and Land Magazine Scholarship, South Tahoe Association of Realtors - Barbara Kelly Memorial Scholarship); major-science/journalism

Preston Tyler Lyons-UNR (Veteran Services/NANA awards); major-undecided

Wade Evert Meddles: Azusa Pacific University (full-ride athletic scholarship for cross-country (currently 1st in the state of NV and 3rd in the nation); major- sports medicine

Aaron Paul Sever: Valedictorian with an un-weighted cumulative gpa of 4.00; International Torchbearers

Jesse DeWitt Walser-Castro: Concordia University Portland (academic scholarship); major -biology

Nicholas Nave Winstead: University of Oregon; major- history

Highlights:

100% of graduating seniors have plans to attend college; 80% will be going to 4-year schools in the fall of 2010

50% have an un-weighted gpa of 3.5 or greater

80% took the SAT and scored over 100 points over the national average

To date these 10 students have been awarded over $120,000 per year (including athletic scholarships, academic scholarships, outside scholarships and grant money from their respective institutes of higher education); which totals almost half a million dollars over 4 years