More than 100 students graduated on June 17, 2004, from James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The school is named for James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president (1817-1825), who practiced law in Fredericksburg, a town founded in 1728 in colonial America.

Graduation week brings with it a mix of feelings and emotions for those who are about to depart school. Nervousness over final exam results, elation that the pressure of studies is just about over, sadness at pending separations from close friends, and excitement about what is coming next—whether it be university studies, technical training, a job, military service, or some other pursuit.