The class of 2005 arrived at Clark four years ago. You came innocently enough, but within days of your arrival our country was changed forever. Even before we got to know you, we were all subjected to images of devastation beyond our imagination. Like it or not, right or wrong, two wars framed your high school years. It was not since the sixties and seventies, my own time in high school, that images of foreign war so dominated the mass media. During this time of upheaval and transition you continued to grow and experience life in high school. The paradox of the Clark Magnet Class of 2005 is you defined yourselves as a group who took the greatest challenges and the biggest shortcuts. While some of you disappointed us because you had so much more to give, most of you have taken what we have offered and will apply it in important and creative ways. High school was a significant time of your life, but in case you haven’t already noticed, it was a beginning and not an end. The skills and knowledge you have gained over the past four years will serve you well. No experience is ever wasted and as you move through your lives, your past experiences at Clark Magnet will seep into your present and influence your future. As you travel forward, take the time to ask your classmates, colleagues, friends and associates about their high school lives. What you will most likely discover is that you had a singularly unique experience, and that you are a better person for it. And by the way, don’t ever forget to measure twice. Principal Doug Dall To all the Clark seniors in the Class of 2005 who took Algebra 1 or otherwise crossed paths with Ms. Karnik over the last 4 years: J Congratulations on your high school graduation! May you pursue many more years of higher education with great success and may the doors to fulfilling and lucrative careers always be wide open to you! It became obvious to me the night of your Senior Prom that saying goodbye to my first Clark class would be difficult. As I watched you arrive one couple at a time, I was so proud to see Clark’s distinguished young men escorting the beautiful Clark young ladies as though you’ve been life-long friends. It brings tears to my eyes when I recall how some of you first became acquainted with each other in my classroom-discussing math. Whether or not you remember that the slope of a horizontal line is always zero, don’t ever forget the teachers and classmates who became your allies at Clark. After all, you contributed to making everyone’s experience at Clark memorable; you will always be welcome at 4747 New York Avenue. Despite the fact that you’ve outgrown me and I have to look up several inches to make eye contact with many of you these days, don’t ever outgrow the love of learning and improving yourselves. Thank you for the opportunity to know each and everyone of you. Hope to see you again real soon. Virjinia Karnik Dear Senior Class of 2005, Now that you’re not in K-12 schooling you are free to go out and play as much as you want. Stay active so you can enjoy a long life. Walk, run, ride a bike, hike. Take time to enjoy a sunset and watch the leaves turn colors in the fall. Show appreciation to those who have sacrificed something so you could have what you have at this very moment and then…turn around and “pay it forward.” “Be careful of your thoughts for they become your words, Be careful of your words for they become your actions, Be careful of your actions for they become your habits Be careful of your habits For they become your character Be careful of your character For it becomes your destiny.” I’ll miss some of you…JUST KIDDING! Miss Thomsen Dear Class of 2005, I want to send you a message of appreciation for all that you have accomplished in your lives thus far. It is hard to capture in words the joy, spirit and determination of the Class of 2005. It can not be reduced to Illya’s energy, Rene’s diligence, Siranush’s style, Arin’s goals, Sandra’s spirit, Tigran’s eye, Annie’s talent, Sheila’s sensibility, Mark’s calm, Dustin’s friendship, Edwin’s humor, Ann’s seriousness, Sareen’s strength, Jenny’s warmth, Gegine’s cool, Josh’s shy confidence, Kevin’s athletic grace, Roseanne’s poise, Jimmy’s certainty, Jae’s doubt. The whole class of 2005 sort of defies verbal description. You are a collective force to be reckoned with. I have deeply enjoyed this year with you with a love and respect that has no bottom. I wish you satisfaction in the next cycle of your lives. With much love, Ms. Carlson Dear Class of 2005, How things have changed since we had so many of you in our humanities class. Our son Alex, whom many of you saw grow (and grow!) as Mrs. Davis grew larger and larger that year, is over two now. That year was a challenging one for us in that it was hard to leave you to care for our baby, but we knew we were leaving you in the capable hands of Mrs. Dickie and Mrs. Sheridan. We remember the warm welcome we received when we came back to hear Helie Lee speak to you about her book Still Life with Rice and when we walked over with you to read children’s books at the elementary school. We continued to read some of your essays and create some of the assignments you did, but we missed being with you in class the last few months of that year. Now, we have seen so many of you in the halls, and we marvel at how you’ve grown. It’s especially impressive when we have caught some of you dressed up for senior project presentations or one of the many other presentations your Clark teachers have assigned you. We think back to the first oral presentation you did for us where you had to pretend you were arguing before the United Nations to receive funding for the African nation you had been assigned. (Remember, Africa is a continent, not a country!) Many of you expressed fear at having to stand up in our large classroom and use the microphone to talk to the whole room, but you handled it with grace and style then. We can only imagine that you are even far more capable speakers now. We wish all of you much happiness as you leave Clark. It was our good fortune to have you in our classes that year. We hope that whenever you hear the words concrete detail or commentary words which one hears often in the “real world” that you will think of us with some fondness. Best wishes, The Davises To the seniors of 2005 Once again, I feel old. It seems like you were sophomores only yesterday. Maybe, that’s because I was MIA (back at college) for most of your junior year. I feel a little bit gypped! Remember the projects? The War Project – “How much are you selling that for?”, the country projects, create an island society, the genocides of the second half of the twentieth century – “you mean there were others after World War II?” My classroom desks were in that “double U” and we had all those discussions/arguments – especially in third period with Erna and Vardan? Sometimes I would go from laughing hysterically to pulling my hair out in a matter of two minutes. It was always interesting. As you all leave here and make your way in the world, I think it’s safe to say that the world will not be the same. One of the rewards of teaching is following former students in their endeavors as adults. You may think that as individuals, your lives are insignificant, but together, you can change the world. Always remember, we here at Clark (especially Mrs. Nash) are proud of you all. Cynthia Nash DEAR CLASS OF 2005 To each and every graduate, I wish you extreme success in your college and professional lives. What defines success? Is it having the most money, best car, and high paying job? NO! I would like to argue finding satisfaction and joy in what you’re doing or working toward defines success. The attitude you have about yourself and your future is vital. What you think about and how you feel about yourself are two important factors. Spending time worrying about what others think could have a very negative effect on your goals. Yes, concern for others is necessary, but not to the point of driving yourself crazy. Choose all your friendships wisely and be willing to seek guidance from more than one trusted source. If you run with fools, you stand a good chance of becoming one. Respect and thank your parent(s), remember to smell the roses along the way…don’t just work…don’t just party…but have balance. Be salt and light! God Bless You All!! Rebecca A. Bondy Counseling Clerk For the Class of 2005: I have known many of you for four years now (okay, Harish, seven years), and am now faced with coping with your departure. Here are a few of things I will miss about the Class of ‘05: -Your promptness to period 2. -The sound of Sandra B’s laughter. -Emin and his crew trying to win their 15 th straight intramurals championship. -All my slackers (Austin, Eric, Ken, Josh and Michael) in bronze dragon form. -Ann Jun, Michelle B, Shirley (“You can’t be serious, and don’t call me Shirley”) K, and the rest of last year’s “Junior Mafia.” -Areg A’s “deep” thoughts. -Talking baseball with Vito. -Warning people about Samuel Kim’s plans to take over the world. Make the most of the time you have. If you think your years at Clark were challenging (fun, too), wait till you see what comes next! We will miss you. Fred Blattner Congratulations to the Class of 2005. Welcome to life in the Real World. Now, everything counts. In consideration of this momentous occasion I am happy to bequeath to you some profound words of advice I constantly heard from my grandfather, Henry Doom. He always told me, “You never had it so good!” The same can be said of you. What do I mean by that? Let me explain. First, almost all of you have led a pampered life with your every care someone else’s burden. Now the day is fast approaching when you will have to do your own shopping, cooking, cleaning, and, heaven forbid, laundry. Don’t worry, I believe you’re up to the task. Second, you are about to embark on some life-making decisions. And they can be pretty tough. It took me awhile to understand my grandfather’s wisdom and you will too. Henry Doom was six years old when World War I began in Belgium. As a child he knew hunger. When he arrived in this country he knew no English and there was no ESL program. He dropped out of school in the 7th grade and went to work in a factory. He married just in time for the Great Depression and again as an adult, knew hunger. He had no job and no income for long periods of time. During World War II he served stateside building army bases, while his five brothers-in-law all joined the Marines and saw combat in the Pacific. His first son died in infancy. My dad was their only child. May you never go for days without a meal. May you find a stable job. May you find happiness in family. I have read numerous inspiring quotes over the years and many explain my grandfather, life in general and how to survive. One is by Allen Drury who said, “Do not be afraid of what life may bring, for men of character find that they have the strength to do what must be done.” I discovered that my grandparents sacrificed much in life and you will have to one day as well. Don’t panic. You too will find the strength to do the right thing. Nick Doom