Senior Signing Day

Graduation season moves fast, and the real pressure isn’t just finals and ceremonies, it’s the question every senior hears on repeat: “So what’s next?” We bring you three Chesapeake Public Schools students who answer that question with clarity, pride, and very different plans, all tied together by one big idea: the best next step is the one you prepare for on purpose.

We start with the district’s college and career readiness focus and the “three E’s” that guide planning after high school: enroll, enlist, or employment. Then you’ll hear from Myah Evans (Deep Creek High School) as she signs on to enlist in the U.S. Navy and breaks down what people often misunderstand about military service, including how education and career training can fit into the long game. She also shares how ROTC shaped her confidence and leadership.Next, Parker Sylvia (Western Branch High School) explains why he chose the Chesapeake Career Center, what it takes to earn an AWS welding certification, and how he turned hands-on learning into a job offer and a full-time career path with Collins Machine Works right after graduation. Finally, Sophie Rambo (Grassfield High School) talks through the recruiting journey, choosing the University of Georgia on an athletic scholarship for track, and what it means to give back through her New Balance partnership and a donation to her former middle school.

If you’re a student, parent, or educator looking for practical guidance on life after high school, this conversation is packed with real-world perspective on sacrifice, mentorship, and momentum. Subscribe, share this with a senior in your life, and leave a review with the path you think more people should understand better.

The Stories Behind Our Story

Transcript

Welcome And The Maycember Rush

Matt Graham 0:01

You're listening to Amplified, the Chesapeake Public Schools podcast. Your front row seat to the stories behind our story.

Jay Lewter 0:17

Hi everyone and welcome back to Amplified. This is Jay Lewter here with Matt Graham. Matt, how you been?

Matt Graham 0:24

Fantastic. How are you doing, Jay?

Jay Lewter 0:27

I'm good, and I'm so glad to see you during May Cemmber. Have you ever heard of MayCember, Matt?

Matt Graham 0:32

That is the first time I've actually heard of MayCember.

Jay Lewter 0:35

Come on, you've never heard of May cember. Well, May cember, you know how busy the holiday season is in December with all of the get togethers, family events, school events. Well, Maycember is the same as that holiday season in December, but it's during the month of May. So, you know, we've got all those end of the year activities, spring concerts, awards ceremonies, field trips, field days, spring.

Matt Graham 0:59

You name it. Keep going. It's coming.

Jay Lewter 1:01

I'm tired just thinking about it. But yeah, it is Maycember, and a big part of getting ready for the end of the school year, Matt, celebrating graduation.

Graduation Dates Plus Livestream Details

Matt Graham 1:10

That's right. We have our upcoming graduation ceremonies happening June 15th, 16th, and 17th. Hickory and Grassfield will be on the 15th. Right. The 16th will have our Great Bridge and Western Branch graduates. And then on the 17th, we'll have Deep Creek, Oscar Smith, and Indian River, all at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk. Great venue. Yeah. And we'll have live streaming options and all the information for families here listening is located on our website, cpschools.com forward slash graduation. We have a whole page. Parking, you name it. Frequently asked questions. Yep, it's all there.

Jay Lewter 1:45

Very nice. Very nice. And Matt, we have a special friend of the podcast with us here today. You know, in just a few minutes, we're going to hear from three incredible Chesapeake Public Schools students that are all heading in a different path after graduation. And so with us today to tell us a little bit more about that is Dr. Shonda Wyndham. Dr. Windham, how are you?

Shonda Windham 2:05

I am doing

The Three E’s After High School

Shonda Windham 2:06

great.

Jay Lewter 2:06

Thanks for joining us today. Dr. Wyndham, you are the director of college and career readiness. Is that right? That is correct. Fantastic. And one thing that I know is really important at Chesapeake schools is that all of our students have a path after graduation. And if I remember correctly, you call that the three E's. Is that right? That is accurate. Nice. Will you tell us a little bit more about that?

Shonda Windham 2:26

Yes, for sure. So within the college and career readiness department, it is our goal to make sure that every Chesapeake student leaves us prepared to do one of the three E's. Enroll in college, a university, a trade school, enlist in a branch of the U.S. military, or go directly into the workforce in a lucrative career, not just a job, but a career.

Jay Lewter 2:53

Dr. Windham, will you tell us about the students that our our listeners are going to hear from in just a minute?

Shonda Windham 2:58

Absolutely. We have three amazing students who will represent each of the pathways, each of the three E's. We have Myah Evans, who is enlisting in the military. Myah is a Deep Creek High School student enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Myah is actually military connected through her dad, who is also in the Army. And Myah is one of our ROTC students. We also have Sophie Rambo, who is our student who is enrolling in college. She is representing those students who are following that pathway. She's a Grassville High School student who has a full athletic scholarship to the University of Georgia for track. She is hopeful to someday make it to the Olympics, and she supports local schools with her sponsorship with New Balance. And last but not least, we have Parker Sylvia, who is a Western Branch High School student, an athlete, both a swimmer and a soccer player. Parker is in the welding program at Chesapeake Career Center, and his plan is to work with Collins Machine Works, where he is already currently working part-time. He will start to work with them full-time right after graduation.

Jay Lewter 4:17

Fantastic. Matt, I can't wait for our listeners to hear our chat with these three amazing future graduates. Friends,

What Signing Day Means To Seniors

Jay Lewter 4:48

why don't you introduce yourself, tell us your high school, and share a little bit about what signing day represents to you?

Sophie Rambo 4:54

I'm Sophie Rambo. I got a grassroot high school. And signing day is really special to me because as I was growing up through high school, watching everyone sign and go to college or wherever they were going after high school, it was really like inspiring and just getting to watch them do what they love to do and go on to the next level is just really amazing to see.

Myah Evans 5:11

I'm Myah Evans from Duke Creek High School, and signing day to me, as being someone who enlisted in the military, is signing their your contract before leaving for boot camp. So definitely something important to me.

Parker Sylvia 5:23

My name is Parker Sylvia. I go to Western Ranch High School. And to me, I've always loved sports and watching people sign is awesome. So I think while it's not signing for like a sports team or anything, it's still a big, big day.

Matt Graham 5:36

So why don't you go ahead and tell us a little bit more about this big day since you are now going through it and experiencing it for yourselves?

Sophie Rambo 5:43

It means everything to me, knowing that my hard work and like all the stuff that I put in at practice and everything, all the meets I had to travel for and all the things that my parents have done for me. It's all like coming into place now and getting to sign to my dream school is just amazing, just knowing that all my hard work is finally worth something and paying off.

Myah Evans 6:02

To me, it felt like I had finally accomplished what I wanted to do. Like all of senior year, I finally accomplished it. I passed the ASVAP, I got my medical stuff passed. So it was definitely like I won't say endgame for me, but like the beginning. The beginning of the career that I chose for my life.

Parker Sylvia 6:21

I think that really covered it. I mean, it's showing how much your progress has paid off and just the start of a new era in your life.

Jay Lewter 6:30

So,

Why Maya Chooses The Navy

Jay Lewter 6:31

Myah, tell us a little bit about you. What motivated you to decide to go into the military?

Myah Evans 6:36

What motivated me to join the military was definitely the aspect of serving your country and traveling, like seeing around different parts of the world while like getting paid for it. So Yeah.

Jay Lewter 6:50

Fantastic. I know we have lots of in this area, all of us have lots of friends in the military, and they talk to us about well, you know, we spent two years in Italy, or we spent 18 months in Guam, or we had we were stationed in Hawaii. So I really get that that gives you it gives you a chance to to see so much and travel around the world. Tell me, what do people misunderstand about you choosing military service? I know in in high school lots of your friends are choosing other paths. So are there misconceptions? And what do you think those misconceptions are?

Myah Evans 7:22

The main misconception that I hear about is people think that just because you're joining the military straight out of high school, they're sure not going to get a degree, they should never go to college. Well, that's not true because you get college credits for the schooling that you do in the military. And after that your college will be paid for.

Jay Lewter 7:41

Yeah, that's fantastic. Yeah, that's that's really cool. You know, uh even I don't even think about that sometimes, but I know lots of men and women who enlist end up with those college degrees. So that's definitely a misconception about that.

Matt Graham 7:55

What is something that you're really looking forward to in your time with the military and in the Navy?

Myah Evans 8:00

I'm looking forward to like the friendships and the bonds that I'll make in the military, like meeting new people from different parts of the world. Really exciting for me because I do like having diversity in my friendships.

Jay Lewter 8:10

I know that you're in the ROTC. So can you tell us how that path in high school has helped prepare you for a career in the military?

Myah Evans 8:17

While people think that ROTC in high school is a military class and you have to join the military afterwards, it's not. For me and our class at Deep Creek High School, we it's more so a leadership class. So it's setting up to be a leader in any field you choose, helping you be able to speak out publicly and carry on conversations with people you may not be familiar with. So it definitely set us up for being leaders, but also having our instructors with their military background, they give us the wisdom and the stuff that they learned back when they were in the branches. And if it's something that they don't know because they weren't in that branch, they do reach out to people to try to help us with the questions we

Parker’s Welding Path Into Full-Time Work

Myah Evans 8:58

have.

Jay Lewter 8:58

Very cool. So we're also here with Parker Sylvia.

Matt Graham 9:01

That's right.

Jay Lewter 9:01

And we're excited to chat with Parker a little bit. He is also a senior. Parker's headed to Collins Machine Works after graduation. Parker, what drew you into the workforce uh right away, right out of high school?

Parker Sylvia 9:13

Just from my freshman year, I knew college wasn't for me. So once I heard about the career center, I instantly enrolled. And when I got accepted, it really helped me to get my foot through the door and get into the workforce.

Jay Lewter 9:28

Very nice. And I've been to the career center once or twice, Matt, and they do such cool stuff there. Each and each and every one of those programs is so unique and so special, and it's so great to see our students that are engaging in these hands-on career opportunities, and many of those students are coming right out of their career center and finding lucrative careers right out of high school.

Matt Graham 9:48

Right.

Jay Lewter 9:48

Uh, what skills and certifications are you going to have when you finish up at their career center? I know lots of our students that are there, they they leave with credentials, not just with their career, but they also have these credentials they can take right into the workforce.

Parker Sylvia 10:01

So I was in the welding program, so I'm leaving with my AWS certification. So that's gonna be like huge to help me get a better job right out of high school.

Jay Lewter 10:12

And is that sort of the industry standard in welding?

Parker Sylvia 10:14

Yeah, just like the starter's point.

Matt Graham 10:16

Very nice. And then there's paths to move up from there. There's different ones, too.

Parker Sylvia 10:20

What are you most excited about with your new career? Definitely the opportunities, because the shop that I'm going to, they have multiple shops around the world. So I can travel while getting paid and all that.

Matt Graham 10:34

And with your career path, are you looking forward to maybe starting your own company at some point?

Parker Sylvia 10:42

I think later down the line that would be a good goal to have. I definitely want to be able to start up a company of my own.

Jay Lewter 10:50

Tell me a little bit about signing day, Parker. I know that's coming up soon, and I know there's a pretty rigorous interview process for you guys at the Career Center as well, right?

Parker Sylvia 10:58

Yeah. Tell me about that. Well, we have Miss Spielman, and she is next level. I mean, she'll she can get you almost any job you need. Like, at least the interview. Yeah. Past the interview, that's all up to you. That's right. That's right.

Jay Lewter 11:11

She can she can get you in the door, but you've still got to do the work, right?

Parker Sylvia 11:14

Went up to Miss Spielman, I was like, hey, I'm looking for a job. And she showed me Collins, talked with their human resources lady, and got me an interview. They so I went there during the career center one day and just did the whole interview process. They show toured the shop with me. What was that experience like? And how did you know that this is the place where I want to be? I was actually a little like nervous at first because when I was toured that shop, I knew none of that stuff. Because machining and welding are two like close but separate different fields. So I it was very different, so I was a little nervous, but I put like a challenge in front of me that I want to be able to learn this stuff as well.

Matt Graham 11:56

Nice. And you're already working, I believe, part-time for them, is that right?

Parker Sylvia 12:01

Yes, sir.

Matt Graham 12:01

So after graduation, you are full-time. Yes, sir. Full time, ready to rock and roll.

Sophie Picks Georgia And Gives Back

Matt Graham 12:08

Now Sophie, you previously had mentioned a a year ago that you wanted to commit to the place that felt like home. Can you tell us about that?

Sophie Rambo 12:18

Yeah, so when I was going on my visits, I started at in California at Southern Cal. And all my visits were great. So I went from California, then Tennessee, then I had Georgia and then Florida. So all of all my visits were great. I loved the team and everything, but Georgia just like sit out because like everything there was perfect. Like there were no other school, everything was like straight on and what I wanted. But at Georgia, there was when I was listing out the pros and cons, there were no cons at all. And I just felt like that was definitely the place for me. Everyone on the team got along. They were all so nice. The coaching staff was amazing. So I just couldn't say no.

Jay Lewter 12:56

In part of that previous conversation, you also talked about finding the balance, right? Finding a balance in your in your school life and in your athletics and all that. And speaking of balance, we've got something else to talk about today. You've come into a new opportunity to work with New Balance, isn't that right? Yes. Can you tell us about that?

Sophie Rambo 13:14

So I think my contract started around this time. No, like April of last year. And I've just been, I have to wear all their gear and stuff, and they pay me to do that. I go to their meets, and it's just like a really great opportunity. Coming up here in a few weeks, I'm doing a donation to Hugo, which was my middle school, donating them a bunch of shoes for the middle schoolers that might not have any when they're coming through to run track. So it's definitely like a great opportunity for me, and I just love giving back.

Matt Graham 13:42

So that's amazing. That's awesome.

Jay Lewter 13:44

Very cool. Yeah, very cool. Excited for the kids that you go. They're gonna for sure. It's gonna be a special day for them.

Matt Graham 13:49

Sophie, what are you most excited about with the next level with college and beyond?

Sophie Rambo 13:54

I'm really excited to see that, to see what more I can do on the track because I know that there my whole training will be a lot different and adjusting to it. And I'm still pretty new to track, so just being able to get there and like just accomplish everything that I have in my mind and working with new coaches and everything. I just think it's a really good opportunity, and I'm so excited to be there to be able to do

Sacrifices Behind Big Goals

Sophie Rambo 14:16

it.

Matt Graham 14:16

This is for each of you, if you don't mind sharing. What did you do in high school to prepare for your specific path that maybe others might not realize or not know about?

Sophie Rambo 14:27

I think making sacrifices, like every high school kid, like they want to like do all this stuff, and I still I still have like lots of fun stuff with my friends, but there's just definitely a lot of sacrifices that I have to be okay with not doing and not being a part of because I'm like at a track meet or something like that, or I've practiced. So definitely lots of sacrifices that come with it, but at the end of the day, it's it's worth it.

Myah Evans 14:50

So pretty much to piggyback off what Sophie said, sacrifices, because I did play sports in high school, like my freshman and sophomore year. And then when I started becoming a leader in ROTC, there's some stuff you did have to give up so you could give your time to ROTC to strengthen your unit and make sure you're there for all the important things and being there for your cadets. So there's definitely things that I had to give up.

Parker Sylvia 15:15

I think just enrolling it, like if because I had no clue what I wanted to do for work for a short period of time and just enrolling in the career center really opened my eyes to all the fields that there are. Right.

Jay Lewter 15:27

So many opportunities, but I am hearing a common theme, Matt, and that is one of sacrifice, isn't it? Yes. That when we have these goals, there are some things that we have to give up to try to strive to get to that goal.

Matt Graham 15:37

Were there any other paths that y'all

How Teachers And Mentors Shape Plans

Matt Graham 15:40

considered before you chose the one that you're currently on?

Myah Evans 15:43

I definitely considered going to college. I got into every college that I applied to, but I didn't have the motivation for college anymore, and I didn't want to go and not do well in it because I didn't have motivation for it. So I just thought to do military and then get my degree after that.

Parker Sylvia 16:02

I've always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but uh the schooling is just so much, and I'm not a big school guy, so I knew that wasn't gonna work out for me.

Sophie Rambo 16:13

I did always want to go to college, but originally it was gonna be for softball instead of track, and I just happened to switch my freshman year.

Matt Graham 16:20

How has Chesapeake Public Schools helped prepare you for your next endeavor?

Sophie Rambo 16:25

I think that they do a good job of whatever they're doing with the teachers. The teachers are like they're also kind, and mainly the ones that I've had, they just are really inspirational and they make sure that you get your work done, you're doing what you're supposed to do in the classroom and out of the classroom.

Myah Evans 16:39

I think Chesapeake Public Schools did a good job at preparing us and definitely giving us the classes that we're able to take. And because some I know some school districts don't have the same stuff that we do, so definitely preparing us for the careers that we chose.

Parker Sylvia 16:54

They do a really good job at the environment that they create. The teachers and staff at Western Branch and the Career Center are just next level. They're always there to help.

Jay Lewter 17:04

And is there a person who has helped to shape your path? Maybe a teacher, a parent, or a mentor that has helped to guide you through this process and in choosing your next step after high school?

Parker Sylvia 17:15

Definitely my mom. She's always been there to help me and get me through any challenging moments.

Myah Evans 17:21

For me, it was definitely my instructors, and no, I used one person, but there's two of them.

Matt Graham 17:25

You can say, you could say as many as you want to.

Myah Evans 17:29

They've definitely shaped me and molded me and taught me how to be a leader in different things. Really appreciative of them.

Sophie Rambo 17:37

My parents as well. They just laid the whole like foundation for me to be able to be successful, and they just make sure that I'm doing everything that I need to do. And my coach as well, because he's we laid out the training plan for me and everything. So without that, I don't think I'd be running as fast as I am now.

Advice For Younger Students

Matt Graham 17:55

We've now learned so much about what you have done to get here and the opportunities that you've had, the teachers that help guide you. But now it's your turn. What is that advice that you would give to freshmen, sophomores, even the middle school kids?

Sophie Rambo 18:11

I would say that the transition from middle school to high school is really important. Like going into your freshman year, you want to be doing all of your work and just make sure that you have good grades in that because that's really gonna like start off your GPA and set you up for the rest of your high school career. So just taking freshman year really serious, taking your grades seriously.

Myah Evans 18:29

I would say definitely ask questions if there's something that you want to do, but you don't think it's you don't think it's out there, ask questions because it might be out there, and also don't let anyone hold you back from something that you want to do. Like don't let other people's opinions hold you back from, for example, joining the military or going to college or joining the workforce or anything that you want to do.

Parker Sylvia 18:50

Definitely stay out of your comfort zone. I feel like when you're out of your comfort zone, you're a lot better at growing as a person. Well, why?

Congrats And How To Follow Amplified

Jay Lewter 18:59

I was gonna say one great wisdom from these 18-year-olds. That's incredible. Well, Myah Evans headed to the U.S. Navy. Congratulations to you and Sophie Rambo off to the University of Georgia, and Parker Sylvia headed from Western Branch High School to Collins Machine Works. Congratulations to you guys, congratulations on the successful high school career, and all the best to you in your next steps on this journey. Congratulations, guys.

Matt Graham 19:28

Thank you.com forward slash amplified, and be sure to subscribe or follow us wherever you get your podcasts.