The 2009 graduating class of Grafton High School in Yorktown, Va., was average size of 309 seniors, five of which were members of the Church. Although the ratio of LDS students in the senior class was average for that part of southeastern Virginia, the high schoolers were anything but ordinary.

Three of the five graduating seniors had a turn at the podium to speak to their fellow classmates on graduation day — as the senior class president, the valedictorian and the salutatorian.

Class president John Lyle "JJ" Gibbons said his classmates knew of his faith as well as that of valedictorian Julius Ha and salutatorian Chenghong "Jack" Wang.

JJ was visible in his class and well liked. His family moved to Yorktown with a U.S. Army assignment at the beginning of his junior year. His faith first came up when his classmates wanted to know why he wasn't drinking at parties. Abstinence didn't hurt his popularity, and when he ran for class president at the end of his junior year, he won handily. He is now attending his first year at BYU studying Middle Eastern politics, with plans to serve a full-time mission next year.

Jack, the class salutatorian, said his circle of friends was very accepting of his faith and noted JJ's visibility at the school probably helped that along. The Wang family was baptized in Taiwan and immigrated to Virginia when Jack was a child. He took all the same classes (physics and multi-variable calculus) as Julius. The friendly competition for valedictorian was very close, coming down to hundreths of a point. Jack is attending a semester at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., before his mission.

Valedictorian Julius was quietly excelling across the board. His extraordinary achievements were grounded and shaped by a strong faith he incorporated into his valedictory address. He eloquently urged his fellow students to know themselves and where they'd like to take their lives, declaring his faith as the major guidepost in his life. Like the Wangs, the Ha family converted to the Church in their native country. The family left South Korea for Virginia when Julius was 9. He excels in math and science and will focus his first year of study in those areas at the University of Virginia.

Standing out may bring attention and responsibility, but it also brings opportunity. They each believe growing up in an area with a sparse LDS population helped them discover who they are.

"Knowing my identity as a child of God, it's easier to make good choices," Julius said.

— Kathryn Wallace, Alexandria First Ward, Mount Vernon Virginia Stake