In March 2020, James River High School junior Irelyn Rogan didn’t know if she should sign up for the SAT as schools abruptly closed because of the pandemic and classes shifted to being online and from home.
Having taken the PSAT and not received a score that reflected her grades, Rogan decided not to sit for the standardized exam widely used in college admissions. Between the cost, stress and test anxiety, Rogan decided the best thing was to apply to colleges without a test score.
Now a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University studying elementary education, Rogan stands by her decision in opting out of college entrance exams.
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“I was in a very high-skill-levels center in high school so we [students] were really feeling the pressure from teachers, society and each other, honestly, to take the SAT,” Rogan said. “But for myself I’ve never been good at standardized testing. It’s never been my strong suit.”
“Looking back now as a sophomore [in college], everyone whether they took the SAT or didn’t take the SAT, we all got into college,” Rogan said. “We’re all doing fine.”
While some colleges and universities had waived SAT and ACT requirements before the coronavirus pandemic, a growing number of institutions have followed suit during the pandemic.
In Virginia, 52 colleges and universities currently offer test-optional admissions, according to the nonprofit National Center for Fair & Open Testing. That number includes all 15 of the state’s four-year public institutions, as well as the University of Richmond and Virginia Union University.
Virginia from Above: An aerial view of Scott's Addition
Ever since I received my drone license in May, I wanted to see what Richmond looks like from the West End of our city.
A couple of weeks back, as autumn crept in, I flew over Scott’s Addition for a chance to peek at the changing colors.
Unlike the cinematic view in the East End, the cityscape is not visible at eye level. Only from about 300 feet high does Richmond turn into uniform rows of homes — some new and some old — and you get a hint of the city’s grid pattern.
I’ve been flying drones for six months now. And as time and seasons change, I am lucky I get to see it from a bird’s-eye view.
Virginia from above: Family traditions
Last week, I spent some time on a farm with Lynwood Broaddus, his son, Bates, and his brother, John.
The Broaddus family has lived on this farm all their lives.
Bates remembers getting off the school bus when he was younger and immediately setting aside all his school work as he ran toward his father to prepare for the life he has now: as a farmer.
It was all Bates knew.
When it came time for Bates to get married, he didn’t have to go very far. He was married on the same land as his grandparents, and for the after-party, they built a barn.
It stands to this day. Bates said his wife jokes that the barn was built just for her.
Virginia from above: Historic Polegreen Church
Leslie Luck, shown in a drone photo taken Tuesday, is director of operations for the Historic Polegreen Church Foundation. “Historic Polegreen Church is known as the cradle of religious freedom,” Luck said of the Hanover County site. Samuel Davies, who inspired a young Patrick Henry, was Virginia’s first licensed non-Anglican minister there from 1748 to 1759. The original church structure was burned down during the Civil War, and the current white steel beam structure, designed by Carlton Abbott, was erected at the site. Other than the historical importance and symbolism for religious freedom, Historic Polegreen Church is a popular wedding venue and was made even more popular since guitarist Jason Mraz, a Mechanicsville native, was married here in 2015.
Virginia from above: Afton scenic overlook
Visitors took in the views of the valley, about 1,000 feet below, and the mountains beyond at a scenic spot on Rockfish Gap Turnpike near Afton on July 31.
This drone photo was taken from the scenic overlook on Interstate 64.
Flying the drone is not allowed at nearby Shenandoah National Park; however, there are scenic overlooks, including McCormick Gap, Calf Mountain and Sawmill Run.
Visitors can also find three historical markers at the I-64 overlook: the Greenwood-Afton Rural Historic District, the Flight of Richard C. duPont and the Rockfish Gap Meeting.
Virginia from above: Gloucester Point
There are many beautiful spots in the Hampton Roads area for photographers, such as beaches, rivers and state and national parks. But there are not many places available for drone photography because of the many restricted airspaces due to military bases, airports, and state and national parks.
Gloucester Point in Gloucester County is one of the exceptions, with a popular public fishing pier, a small beach and views of the Coleman Memorial Bridge and Yorktown. With the right timing and cooperation from Mother Nature, visitors are rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the bridge and a view of Yorktown’s waterfront.
Virginia from above: Sunflower farm in Goochland County
The Times-Dispatch covered Alvis Farms a few years ago when the Goochland County farm started the Sunflower Festival.
The imagery stayed with me, and I thought it would be a cool place to fly a drone and capture images of a 50-acre sunflower field. I learned that timing is crucial, as the flowers fully bloom for only a few weeks in the middle of summer.
I coordinated with Rachel Henley of Alvis Farms to find the best time to photograph them. Once I visited the field with a drone, showing perspective of the sunflower farm became the challenge, as again it is 50 acres brimming with sunflowers.
Hannah Molnar of Alvis Farms had a cow, Memphis, at the field as she and others were preparing for the opening of the festival.
I was able to capture Hannah and Memphis with the flowers in full bloom, with the drone showing the scale of the farm.