ARLINGTON — The stage was literally too small to hold all the students during Arlington High School’s senior scholarship and awards ceremony May 27, even though several students received multiple scholarships in recognition of their academic achievements.

AHS Principal Brian Beckley noted that the night’s total scholarships added up to $1.3 million, with 30 students receiving $788,654 from the colleges and universities that they’ll be attending, and more than $70,000 coming from organizations and individuals in the local community.

“This is the time to experience the rewards of hard work, dedication and commitment,” Buckley said. He praised the students’ families for contributing to their success with “love and support; hours spent being the taxicab from one activity to another; the many thumb drives, discs and printer ink cartridges purchased; the detailed calendars hanging on walls; the dozens of cookies baked; the igniting of enthusiasm for learning; the many packed lunches and more.”

AHS English teacher Marilee Herman recalled attending the original high school on French Avenue, back when news crews were doing stories about how overcrowded the building was and the water fountains were unsafe to drink from because of rust. As an ambitious student, she took one of her teachers seriously when he joked that he’d award extra credit to anyone who stole a sign saying to vote no on that year’s levy. She turned serious when she asserted that school is not about grades, but about lessons learned, and the ability to learn.

“It used to be that you would graduate high school with 70 percent of the knowledge you needed,” Herman said. “Now, that’s down to two percent. Every eighteen months, stuff in changing, and it’s all about the survival of the fittest learners.”

Herman identified humility, perseverance and innovation as the three traits of successful learners, and pointed out that they were receiving these scholarships because people trust them and expect great things of them, “just as you should expect great things of yourselves.”

Of the 1.6 million students who took the SATs in 2014, 39 Arlington students scored in the top 10 percent in math, reading and writing, all while maintaining a 4.0 grade point. The Arlington Dollars For Scholars Foundation then crowded the Byrnes Performing Arts Center stage even more, by serving as the umbrella for 61 scholarships.