A Silver Spring author of popular crime novels, three members of Congress and the lead guitarist from the band Hootie & the Blowfish highlight this year’s crop of commencement speakers for Montgomery County public high schools.
George Pelecanos, the Washington, D.C., native behind a series of locally based crime stories, will address graduates of Montgomery Blair High School on June 3.
Pelecanos is also known for his writing and producing work on HBO’s The Wire and Treme. His daughter, Rosa, is graduating from Blair.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin D-Maryland, will speak at Walt Whitman High School’s graduation June 3. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, will speak at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School’s May 28 graduation.
Mark William Bryan, lead guitarist for Hootie & the Blowfish, will speak at the May 29 graduation ceremony for Seneca Valley High School. Bryan graduated from the Germantown school.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat, will speak at Richard Montgomery High School’s graduation on June 4.
And a couple of sports writers will take the stage at the graduation ceremonies for Quince Orchard and James Hubert Blake high schools.
ESPN baseball analyst and Bethesda native Tim Kurkjian will speak at Quince Orchard’s May 27 ceremony. Robert Klemko, a football writer for Sports Illustrated, will speak at his alma mater’s commencement when Blake seniors graduate June 10.
Michael Williams, a Fulbright Scholar and local soccer coach, will speak at Walter Johnson High School’s May 29 graduation. Williams taught social studies at the school.
The full list of commencement speakers, graduation dates and locations follows:
May 22:
Alternative programs – 10:30 a.m. at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville with speaker Elijah Wheeler, disproportionate minority contact reduction coordinator for Montgomery County
May 26:
Rockville High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall in the District with Gregg Gochnour, a science teacher at the high school
May 27:
Quince Orchard High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Kurkjian
Thomas S. Wootton High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Timothy Hwang, founder and CEO of FiscalNote
May 28:
Bethesda-Chevy High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Durbin
Poolesville High School – 10 a.m. at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg with James Etheridge, leader of the high school’s security team
Paint Branch High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Charles Smith II, an English teacher and football coach at the high school
May 29:
Damascus High School – 9:30 a.m. at Damascus High School with motivational speaker and 2016 Paralympics hopeful Greg Wagner
Clarksburg High School – 10 a.m. at Mt. St. Mary’s University with James Koutsos, president of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals
Seneca Valley High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Bryan
Walter Johnson High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Williams
June 1:
Springbrook High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Gary Frace, a retired law teacher who used to teach at the high school
Sherwood High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Silver Spring’s Mary Amato, musician and author of books for children and young adults
June 2:
Col. Zadok Magruder High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Paul Burden, senior vice president at XAPPmedia in Washington, D.C.
Winston Churchill High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Kelen Coleman, an alumnus and TV and film actress
June 3:
Montgomery Blair High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Pelecanos
Walt Whitman High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Cardin
June 4:
Richard Montgomery High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Clyburn
Rock Terrace School – 10 a.m. at the school with Joette James, assistant pediatrics and psychiatry professor at George Washington University
Stephen Knolls School – 1 p.m. at the school with Philip Lynch, supervisor of Montgomery County Public Schools special education services
June 5:
Model Learning Center – 1:30 p.m. at the Clarksburg Correctional Facility with County Council member Craig Rice
Gaithersburg High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Freeman Hrabowski III, president of University of Maryland Baltimore County
June 8:
John F. Kennedy High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard
Wheaton High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Jennifer Fay, director of White House personnel
June 9:
Watkins Mill High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with physical education and health teacher Jody Tyler
Northwest High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with social studies teacher Joseph Vukovich
June 10:
James Hubert Blake High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with Klemko
Longview School – 10 a.m. at the school with special education teachers Tara Johnson and Adriana Friedman
Northwood High School – 2:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with student speakers
June 11:
Albert Einstein High School – 10 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall with student speakers
