Grads hang on to their hats

Monday, May 15, 2006

Despite the frequent gusts of wind, graduating seniors from McCook Senior High held their heads high -- and hung on to their caps -- as they accepted their diplomas at Weiland Field on Sunday.

Senior speaker Danielle Pettera spoke in a voice choked with emotion of the changes the class experienced in their 13 years of school, from the "new friends" at Central, "new freedoms" at the junior high, and finally high school.

Far from being over, Pettera told her class, "Our journey is just beginning."

Rebecca Rawlings and Brandon Kotschwar were presented with the 2006 Bison Awards. They were chosen by their peers as students who best exemplified the traits of school citizenship, loyalty, service and the ability to promote a positive rapport within the school setting.

Trophies for special distinctions were given to Jeff Klug, Allison Smith and Stephen Grove, who earned straight A's throughout their high school careers.

Students who maintained an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher wore gold tassels and honor medallions. They include: Ryan Ankersen, Joel Arterburn, Danielle Bales, Brittany Bauer, Jillian Bryant, Lindsay Carfield, Courtney Carter, Jennifer Chmiel, Courtney Clapp, Tyler Cobb, Alyssa Cooke, Brandon Crick, Meghan Ecker, Colby Eisenhart, Hailey Eskew, Whitney Fagot, Brian Friehe, Jessica Fritsch, Matthew Fritz, Matthew Fulton, David Garretson, Stephen Grove, Melinda Haas, Brittney Hagan, Courtney Hampton, Mitchell Hazlitt, Alissa Herron, Julie Howard, Forrest Kain, Micah Kamla, Jeffrey Klug, Evan Koetter, Brandon Kotschwar, Angela Lichtenwaldt, Julia Lyons, Sydney McLaren, Kayla Meixner, Kimberly Miller, Lesley Nelson, Jared Olson, Danielle Pettera, Anthony Purvis, Joel Putz, Eric Ramsay, Rebecca Rawlings, Garrett Rippen, Danielle Ruppert, Joanna Sawyer Allyx Shields, Kala Smalley, Allison Smith, Andrea Soden, Brianna Ward, Angelyn Weiss, Kayla Wilson, Alyssa Yeager.

Those students with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher graduated with distinction, which included Jennifer Chmiel, Courtney Clapp, Alyssa Cook, Meghan Ecker, Colby Eisenhart, Whitney Fagot, Jessica Fritsch, Matthew Fritz, David Garretson, Stephen Grove, Melinda Haas, Brittney Hagen, Mitchell Hazlett, Julie Howard, Jeffrey Klug, Evan Koetter, Brandon Kotschwar, Julia Lyons, Sydney McLaren, Jared Olson, Danielle Pettera, Anthony Purvis, Rebecca Rawlings, Garrett Rippen, Danielle Ruppert, Allyx Shields, Allison Smith, Andrea Soden, Brianna Ward, Angelyn Weiss.

2006 Class Officers included Julia Lyons, president, Jessica Fritsch, vice president, and Meghan Ecker, secretary.

The class flower was a red rose tipped in silver, with class colors being red, black and silver. "Photograph" by Nickelback was the class song.

The class motto for 2006 was "Live one day at a time. Let yesterday go and leave tomorrow until it arrives."

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