To the editor:

An article in a recent edition of the Times, (“”This is where I want to be,'” January 7, 2009) contained a quote that said, “Most 25-year-olds want to be out buying fashion or decorating an apartment.”  Surely I’m not the first 25-year-old to admit that this is absolutely true. I can’t deny it. I confess! I too love shopping for shoes and clothes. And my apartment is carefully decorated with warm colors, quilts, rugs, framed photos and wacky African art. But this is only one layer among many layers of us 20-somethings. 

I grew up in Alexandria and every time I come home, I find myself energized and refreshed by the career paths, accomplishments and dreams of my fellow 20-somethings. We are full of ideas about how to save the world, full of that 20-something optimism and the 20-something willingness to try new things.

So here is a sample of one of our many layers the trying to make the world a better place layer. And not only are we all 20-somethings, we are all 2002 graduates of T.C. Williams High School.
Alaric Bobby gave up life as an engineer in Europe to go to Mali, where he has designed, created and implemented affordable toilet and sewage systems. Meghan Shapiro recently graduated from law school, has worked closely with death row clients and is interested in a career exploring the humaneness of the death penalty. Jamie Trowbridge is a researcher for Greenpeace, tagging and investigating corporations who choose to ignore environmental issues like climate change. 

Sarah Fulwiler, Catherine Ahern, Elisa Mitchell and Elyse Post are all teachers.

Maija Garnas works as a research technician for the National Institute of Health. Stephanie Drachsler is a social worker in Fairfax, helping both old and young people who have been left behind and forgotten. Ami Watkin works for a firm in New York City that consults exclusively for progressive minded nonprofit organizations. Liz Norwood is an architect. Alison Corcoran is an interior designer for an architecture firm. 

Evan Allgood will soon hold a master of fine arts in creative writing. Trevor Wells is in medical school, focusing on psychiatry. Colleen Clark recently earned a masters in nonprofit management. Inspired by his hiking of the entire Appalachian Trail, Bryce Johnson is now considering a second degree … in botany of course. And last but not least, David Sachs is the editor of this very newspaper!

So you see, we have our layers. Yes, we like to shop and decorate. But many of us 20-somethings are also trying to make the world a better place. Or maybe there’s something simply exceptional about the T.C. Williams Class of 2002?!

I just can’t hide 
that Titan Pride!
“Ooohhhh TWO”