Each year, Lampeter-Strasburg School District recognizes a graduate for his or her service to humanity as the L-S Distinguished Alumni. This year, the honor went to 2006 graduate Jocelyn Fox. Dr. Michele Westphal, L-S assistant superintendent, presented the award to Ms. Fox, who accepted the award with her mother and husband in attendance. 

Nominated by retired high school English teacher, Mrs. Janice Harrington, Fox was the absolute definition of an involved student at L-S. She was an all-league academic standout, played varsity field hockey and track, and was a part of the concert band as a flute player. Her favorite high school memory wasn't an individual honor, but delivering a powerful field hockey slap shot that allowed a teammate to deflect the ball in, propelling the team to its first-ever state championship game.

During her acceptance speech, Fox fondly recalled her roots in the high school's "Writers.com" club in 2004, where Mrs. Harrington encouraged her to enter the Scholastic Art & Writing competition. This sparked Fox’s literary trajectory, as her short stories gained national recognition, earning Gold Key awards and her work in Scholastic magazine as a high school student.

Following graduation, Fox attended the United States Naval Academy. Embracing Joseph Campbell’s philosophy on the hero's journey, Fox candidly shared that her path included both grand fulfillments and true fiascos. Fox’s life reads less like a standard resume and more like an epic adventure novel which makes perfect sense, considering she is also a successful fantasy author.

After facing an early setback in flight school, she pivoted and served four years as a Surface Warfare Officer on a guided-missile destroyer, undertaking grueling physical training to become a Navy rescue swimmer. Fox ultimately made history as the first female class leader to graduate as a rescue swimmer in the school's history. Today, she continues her high-level public service with the US Department of Justice. 

Alongside her intense military and federal law enforcement careers, Fox made time to channel her love for J.R.R. Tolkien into a prolific writing career. She is the author of 14 fantasy novels, including the acclaimed Fae War Chronicles, with a 15th book on the way.

"The stories I have told in my novels speak to everyone differently," Fox noted, drawing parallels between her main character entering the Fae world and her own experience slinging a rescue swimmer's gear bag over her shoulder in the Atlantic fleet.

Photo caption: Jocelyn Fox (second from left) with her husband, mother, and nominator Janis Harrington (right)