Seniors finish career at RHS
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RONAN — On Sunday afternoon, Ronan’s graduating class lived up to the class motto — “Stop worrying. Start living.”
The graduation marked the end of their high school careers and the beginning of a new life outside of school. Not one student was preoccupied with exams, homework or extracurricular activities on Sunday, and almost every senior wore an anxious smile of excitement in anticipation of the next stage of their young lives.
Guest speaker Dan Salomon reminded the students that the next morning, they would wake up in the “real world” without a staff of devoted teachers and parents dictating their lives. He encouraged the graduates to give back to whichever community they found themselves in, by volunteering or donating their time in some fashion.
“Go forth and remember where you come from, while looking forward to where you’re going,” Salomon said.
Friends and family members of Ronan’s graduating class packed the events center on Sunday afternoon to watch their beloved Ronan senior receive their diploma and cross the makeshift stage. The gymnasium was decked out in orange and black and some of the seniors even attached the decorative balloons to their wrists.
The Post Creek Singers honored the graduating seniors with an honor song that rocked the gymnasium, while the Ronan High School Choir led by Cathy Gillhouse sang the National Anthem a capella and “I’ll Be There” with a pianist and drum accompaniment.
Salutatorian Lyndsie Conklin and Valedictorian Cameron Neiss both addressed their classmates and the audience.
Neiss joked that after all his hard work in school, he was rewarded by being forced to give another speech.
Many of the graduating seniors were the happy recipients of scholarships. Neiss received a $21,000 scholarship to Montana State University-Northern. Other notable scholarship winners included Kyle Roessler, who was awarded $20,000 from Montana University System and Westyn Kiehn who received $16,000 from Western Virginia University.
After the 2010 graduates received their diplomas, the 58 former Ronan students threw their graduation caps up in the air in an act of exuberant celebration. Following the recessional song played by the RHS band, families and friends gathered with their beloved senior to snap a few photos and congratulate the graduates on a job well done.
RHS graduates:
Wes Barr; Parents: Wes & Tammy Barr
Chris Bigcrane; Parents: Elis Howard/Loresa Howard; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Jeff Blixt-Leo; Parents: Ken & Dureen Leo; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500; Honors Graduate
Chelsey Bourdon; Parents: William & Lorraine Bourdon
Damian Bourdon; Parents: Shawn Schlensker/Angelic Schlensker; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
John Buckendahl; Parents: Alice Buckendahl
Levi Burland; Parents: Russel & Jacqueline Aimsback Burland; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Will Burland; Parents: Mary Rogers; Honors Graduate
Austin Butler; Parents: Joe Butler/Juanita Butler; Honors Diploma graduate; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500; Ronan Alumni Award — $500; Ronan/Pablo Education Association — $500
Micky Cheff; Parents: Jane Bick/Mick Cheff; MSU/Northern –wrestling award — $21,000; Little Guy Wrestling Award — $700
Colten Cheff; Parents: Anita Skane; UM/College of Technology William J. Gallagher Scholarship — $2100; Brian James Memorial — $500; Wright Real Estate Award — $500; Golden Hammer / Art Aylesworth Memorial Scholarship — $150; Wheels on the Bus/Pete Jensen Memorial Scholarship —$1000; Ronan Lions Club/Charles Moody Memorial — $250; Mission Valley Masonic Lodge — $1000
Sophia Cheff; Parents: Jim & Donna Cheff
Brittani Clairmont; Parents: Jeff & Patricia Clairmont; Honors Diploma graduate; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Daniel Clairmont; Parents: Travis & Genean Clairmont
Clint Coffman; Parents: Don & Donna Coffman
Lyndsie Conklin/Salutatorian; Parents: Gene & Joell Conklin; Honors Diploma graduate; Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program Essay Award — $150 Mission Valley Power Award — $100; Western State College of Colorado — $6000; George & Faye Harris Scholarship — $1500
Zachary Craft; Parents: Tim & Linda Craft
Matt Detwiler; Parents: Kevin & Debbie Detwiler; Honors Diploma graduate; Mission Valley Power — $500; UM/Western Montana College Award — $7500; Ronan Dodge/Jim Pierce Recognition — $600
Rita Edmo; Parents: Del Edmo/Stephanie Moss; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Alexandra Famisaran; Parents: Garibaldo & Mary Famisaran/Hank & Marilyn Dolezal; Art Alliance Award — $600; High Honors Graduate
Shelby Fisher; Parents: Ed & Lynette Fisher; Honors Diploma graduate; Tim Ryan Mission Valley Scholarship — $500; Richard Rate Music Memorial — $300; Karen Schalk Memorial Woman’s Education Scholarship — $1000; Kenny Sagmiller ALS Foundation Scholarship — $750
Brian Gifford; Parents: Bobbie Brooks; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Tyler Gorrie; Parents: Neal Gorrie Pepsi Award — $500
Cory Hardy; Parents: Cal & Corena Hardy; Honors Graduate
Roslyn Hardy; Parents: Ron & Robin Hardy
Keith Hawkaluk; Parents: Michael & Virginia Hawkaluk
Jeanna Helton; Parents: Jason Helton & Christie LaRocque; Honors Diploma graduate; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Dylan Ivins; Parents: Jodi Hunter; Salish Kootenai College tuition waiver — $7500
Lauralie Jackson; Parents: Curtis Jackson/Bobbie Folden
Westyn Kiehn; Parents: Rick & Stacy Kiehn; Honors Diploma graduate; Outstanding Academic Performance on ACT ; Pepsi Award — $500; West Virginia University/Blue & Gold Award — $16,000
Brittnee Lake; Parents: Jan & Dan Lake; 4-H Scholarship — $500
Sarah Leafty; Parents: Tom & AnnaMarie Leafty; Honors Graduate
Chelsea Lipscomb; Parents: Dan & Alicia Lipscomb; Honors Diploma graduate; Mission Valley Power — $500; Eloise Sagmiller Memorial — $1000 ;Northwest College of Art — $1000; Sandpiper Gallery — $1000
Abby Luke; Parents: Ken Luke/Gay Luke; Honors Diploma Graduate; K. W. Harvey Memorial — $1000; Alison Crenshaw Memorial — $500; MSU/Bozeman-Premier Scholarship — $500; Shad Burland Memorial — $100; Allen Rogers Memorial — $500
Justine Allie Maestas; Parents: Pamela Blagg/Tom Maestas; Honors Graduate
Cole Meeks; Parents: Tom Meeks/Judy Meeks; Honors Graduate; Dorrene Darlington Memorial — $2000; Muralts Family Foundation — $1000; Ebba Webb Memorial — $1000
Makenzie Middleton; Parents: Carey Middleton/Dona Whiting; Honors Diploma graduate; Anna Eckley Education Fund — $1000; Healthcare Excellence Scholarship — $250
Theo Alex Miller; Parents: Herman Miller/Patsy Orr-Miller
Anzhela Movsisyan; Host parents: Darrell & Danna Clairmont; Honors graduate
Cameron Neiss; Valedictorian
