Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Summer No Vacation for Local Student
Tappahannock (September 15, 2000) - When St. Margaret's School junior Kelly Proctor returned to class last week, she had no problem answering the traditional "what-did-you-do-last-summer" question. Like many of her classmates, she may have had difficulty choosing which of her activities to describe.
St. Margaret's School junior Kelly Proctor of Urbanna has no plans to slow down. She holds a student leadership post as a day prefect, is a member of the cross-country team and plays soccer.
That's because this summer, St. Margaret's students participated in a wide variety of activities that allowed them to enjoy hobbies, explore future careers, contribute to causes they support - and have fun.
"We teach girls how to manage their time well so they can do the things they want to do," explained Headmistress Margaret R. Broad.
In Proctor's case, the 16-year-old researched and planned a full schedule for herself that included participation in a literary essay contest, Japanese Academy, the National Leadership Academy, and a three-week trip to the Philippines.
"I like to keep busy," said Proctor, the daughter of Martha Heric of Urbanna and Daniel Proctor of Smithfield. "St. Margaret's has made me realize the many opportunities for growth that exist all around the world."
In fact, she was at Longwood College's Japanese Academy when a letter arrived from the Ayn Rand Institute, notifying her that she had been selected as a semi-finalist in the Anthem Essay Contest. More than 4,300 high school students from across the country entered the contest based on the novel of the same name. Proctor's winning essay, which explored the influence of Rand's Russian upbringing on the author's anti-socialist views, placed her in the top 6% of all competitors.
Proctor brought the same interest in other cultures to her three-week stay with the family of Bing Martinez in Cebu, Philippines. Martinez is a professional colleague of Proctor's mother.
Kelly designed an exciting summer for herself. Here, she and host brother Gabriel Martinez visit an historic temple on a side trip to Bali.
"Things are different from the U.S., but that doesn't mean that (people there think) they're worse," she observed, noting that another visitor highly offended some Filipinos by expressing sympathy for what Americans might consider substandard living conditions.
"You have to be diplomatic," Proctor said. "I tried a lot of food we think is funny - fish brains, fish eyes and chicken feet, because it wouldn't be polite to refuse it."
She also experienced what it's like to be a minority. Proctor often was stared at because of her pale skin and red hair. In fact, when she and her host family were visiting a Taoist temple, a local tourist ran up five flights of stairs to take her photograph.
Proctor rounded out the summer by attending the National Leadership Academy at American University in Washington, D.C. While at the academy, Proctor won another essay contest, this one for the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Arlington National Cemetery.
Now that she's back in school, Proctor has no plans to slow down. She holds a student leadership post as a day prefect, is a member of the cross-country team and plays soccer.
