Meeker High School graduates 54 in Class of 2017 with nine valedictorians

MEEKER | Meadowlarks announced Meeker Commencement exercises Saturday at Starbuck Stadium, making the unsettled spring weather worthwhile.
Directed by instructor Jeff Hemingson, the band played “Pomp and Circumstance” as the graduating seniors marched onto the field led by faculty, administration, the board of education, and the Daisy Chain of junior class female academic leaders. Principal Amy Chinn welcomed the friends and families of the Class of 2017 and the high school choir sang the National Anthem.
Salutatorian Reese Pertile urged her fellow graduates, “Strive not to prove others wrong, but to prove ourselves right. Be grateful. Be kind. The future will be controlled by work ethic and attitude. Work hard. Be proud, but be humble.”
The seniors’ chosen speaker, Mandi Etheridge, head high school secretary and former Meeker mayor, was introduced by graduate Maggie Phelan as the students’ second mom, their scholarship editor and mailer, counselor and teacher of manners with a loud laugh that reverberated down the halls. Etheridge credited current American society with cleverness in making the noun “adult” into a verb.
“Adulting,” she said, “is hard and it can be amazing. Work is hard—you can’t just ‘ditch’ work. You can’t have your mom just call in an excuse for you. Helping others is a big thing, too.”
Etheridge offered that her “favorite part of adulting is falling in love—the hardest task ever, but most rewarding, balancing your happiness with someone else’s. Choose wisely. Joys can be discrete, fleeting, hidden—choose happiness.”
High school counselor Trina K. Smith introduced the graduates scholarship awards and their post-graduate plans. Smith credited the Class of 2017 with having a strong commitment to academic pursuit and scholarship saying, “For 12 years, they have thoroughly embraced the character, qualities, activities and achievements exemplified by scholars in their pursuit of excellence.” (See list of graduates, scholarships and college or work plans on page 10A, graduation photos on page 8A.)
Smith reported that this year’s scholarship commitment over the next four years to the Class of 2017 is likely a MHS record, totaling more than $843,000. Meeker community contributions were $181,115 while colleges, universities, and non-local foundations have promised more than $672,000. Smith also indicated that the concurrent enrollment partnership between MHS and Colorado Northwestern Community College will save this year’s graduates and their families more than $173,000.
“Every dollar is appreciated,” Smith said, thanking everyone for their participation. The biggest local donors this year were Rio Blanco County Stockgrowers, the W.C. Striegel Company, Rio Blanco County Abstract, Colorado Mason’s Benevolent Fund and RBC Lodge #80, White River Electric and their associates and the Freeman Fairfield Trust.
The nine Class of 2017 co-valedictorians gave a collective presentation of “advice.” Lori Ann Kinglesmith, who chose to rodeo in Wyoming in preparation for what she hoped would be national competition rather than her graduation ceremony, was covered by her fellow honorees. The nine points of advice they offered were: be independent and pull your own weight; never underestimate yourself or those around you; keep your expectations low so life will be a happy surprise; follow your dreams; set goals—athletic, extra-curricular, academic; do what’s right, no matter how hard; don’t let criticism stop you, walk a mile in your critic’s shoes—you’ll then be a mile away and have a new pair of shoes; treat others as you would like to be treated; and be grateful. The valedictorians were Madeline Amack, Cole Brown, Sheridan Harvey, Delenn Mobley, Kendra Nelson, Maggie Phelan, Meghan Smith, Casey Turner and, in absentia, Lori Ann Klinglesmith.
Principal Chinn described the passing of the mantle(s) as a MHS tradition that began in 1918 when the highest academically ranked senior at then Rio Blanco County High School, Colin Smith, recognized the highest ranked junior, Charlene Critchlow. This symbol of transition—now in place for 99 years—shows the trust outgoing academic class leaders have in their successors to carry on the honored tradition of academic excellence. The junior academic leaders who were awarded the mantles were all members of the Daisy Chain—Josie Drussell, Sember Leatham, Alicia Mobley, Mariela Rosas, Natalie Simonsen and Sierra Williams.
Co-valedictorian Meghan Smith led the turning of the tassels, and the graduates collectively threw their mortarboards into the air.