Purdy High School graduates celebrate commencement
Purdy 2020 graduates celebrate.
June 10, 2020
Sheila Harris
Saturday night, June 6, marked the formal commencement ceremony for the 2020 graduates at Purdy High School, a long-awaited event which for some time had been in limbo due to COVID-19 concerns. It was cause for great celebration for the 30 graduates and a source of great nostalgia for this writer, who graduated from Purdy High School in 1979, back when the Bee Gees were pumping out disco music and there was no air conditioning in the school.
Although the ticketed ceremony limited attendance to 15 family members and/or friends of each graduate, the gym was filled almost to capacity with well-wishers for the 2020 graduating class of COVID-19, as they will ever be known.
In one of three commencement addresses, graduate Haylie Harris shared wisdom gained from her school year.
“Choir taught me to work hard to achieve my dreams,” she said, “and track taught me to push past my limits and to prove to myself that I can do anything as long as I work hard.”
Graduate Shana Whisman reminded fellow students to “write your story and make it one you are proud to tell.”
Graduate Shelby Haskins reminded all of us “be where you are, and be all there,” to live in the moment, because the future is uncertain.
In a break with the high school tradition of naming a valedictorian and salutatorian, Purdy High School has moved to a Cum Laude Latin system of recognizing academic excellence. The achievements of the following students were notable:
Cum Laude honors (meaning, literally, “With honor”), for students with a grade point average of 3.5 - 3.74, went to: Ximena Aldava, daughter of Rufino and Patricia Aldava; Kimberly Coyoy, daughter of Rosa Lopez and Angel Flores; Soledad Salas, daugther of Jose and Tomasa Salas; Shana Whisman, daughter of Shane Whisman and Denise Hembree; and Kylie Wood, daughter of Darrin Wood and Lenni Jeffers.
Graduating Magna Cum Laude (“With Great Honor”), with a grade point average of 3.75-3.99 were: Heather Greenway, daughter of Chris and Rebecca Greenway; Haylie Harris, daughter of Phillip Harris and Crystal Erter; and
Sean Thomas, son of James and Susan Thomas.
Graduating Summa Cum Laude (“With Highest Honor”), with a grade point average of 4.0 and higher, were: Shelby Haskins, daughter of David and Karen Haskins; Elizabeth Hoffman, daughter of Joe and Lisa Hoffman, and Randy Schad, son of Gary and Sara Schad.
The following scholarships, totalling $281,146, were awarded to the following students:
• Ximena Aldava, A+ $10,515. Aldava plans to attend Crowder College toward a degree in Business Administration;
• Haylie Madison Harris, College of the Ozarks, Pre-Med: Blessings Forward, $500; CTA $400; Purdy Alumni Association, $500;
A+, $10,515; Cost of Education Scholarship from C of O, $54,928
• Shelby Diane Haskins, Crowder College: MFA $2,000; First State Bank $500;
Purdy Alumni Association, $500; Board of Education, $250; CTA(Charles Bowman), $1,000; A+, $10,515; Crowder Trustee Scholarship, $1,300; Purdy FFA Alumni, $1,250
• Scotty Russell Henry, Lineman School: A+ $10,515
• Elizabeth Rose Hoffman, College of the Ozarks / Nursing: Purdy Alumni Association Gary Kathryn Horton Scholarship, $1,000; Security Bank of Cassville, $500; Board of Education, $250; Bright Flight, $3,000; CTA(Superintendent), $750; Arnhart Baptist Church Scholarship, $1,000; Cost of Education Scholarship from C of O, $54,928
• Ashlie Marcelis Johnson, Navy: A+, $10,515
• Andrew Gabriel Martinez, College of the Ozarks: Purdy Alumni-Leroy Howard, $500; Alan Rhea Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Board of Education, $250; CTA, $400; A+, $10,515; Purdy FFA Alumni, $800; C of O cost of education, $27,464
• Shadyn Laray Minton, Crowder College / Criminal Justice: Purdy Alumni Assoc $500, Kevin Propps Memorial Scholarship $500, Ozark Electric $500
• Soledad Antonia Salas, Crowder College / Nursing: Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, $500; A+, $10,515
• Randy Joseph Schad Crowder College / Animal Science: CTA, $400; A+, $10,515; Crowder Trustee Scholarship, $1,300; Purdy FFA Alumni, $1,500
• Sean Michael Thomas Crowder College / Computer Science: A+, $10,515; Jack Henry Computer Science Scholarship, $4,000
• Shana Michelle Whisman, State Fair Community College / Music Education: Americorps, $1,311.11; A+, $10,515
• Kylie Mae - Ann Wood, Labette Community College / Radiology: A+ $10,515
Sheila Harris
Saturday night, June 6, marked the formal commencement ceremony for the 2020 graduates at Purdy High School, a long-awaited event which for some time had been in limbo due to COVID-19 concerns. It was cause for great celebration for the 30 graduates and a source of great nostalgia for this writer, who graduated from Purdy High School in 1979, back when the Bee Gees were pumping out disco music and there was no air conditioning in the school.
Although the ticketed ceremony limited attendance to 15 family members and/or friends of each graduate, the gym was filled almost to capacity with well-wishers for the 2020 graduating class of COVID-19, as they will ever be known.
In one of three commencement addresses, graduate Haylie Harris shared wisdom gained from her school year.
“Choir taught me to work hard to achieve my dreams,” she said, “and track taught me to push past my limits and to prove to myself that I can do anything as long as I work hard.”
Graduate Shana Whisman reminded fellow students to “write your story and make it one you are proud to tell.”
Graduate Shelby Haskins reminded all of us “be where you are, and be all there,” to live in the moment, because the future is uncertain.
In a break with the high school tradition of naming a valedictorian and salutatorian, Purdy High School has moved to a Cum Laude Latin system of recognizing academic excellence. The achievements of the following students were notable:
Cum Laude honors (meaning, literally, “With honor”), for students with a grade point average of 3.5 - 3.74, went to: Ximena Aldava, daughter of Rufino and Patricia Aldava; Kimberly Coyoy, daughter of Rosa Lopez and Angel Flores; Soledad Salas, daugther of Jose and Tomasa Salas; Shana Whisman, daughter of Shane Whisman and Denise Hembree; and Kylie Wood, daughter of Darrin Wood and Lenni Jeffers.
Graduating Magna Cum Laude (“With Great Honor”), with a grade point average of 3.75-3.99 were: Heather Greenway, daughter of Chris and Rebecca Greenway; Haylie Harris, daughter of Phillip Harris and Crystal Erter; and
Sean Thomas, son of James and Susan Thomas.
Graduating Summa Cum Laude (“With Highest Honor”), with a grade point average of 4.0 and higher, were: Shelby Haskins, daughter of David and Karen Haskins; Elizabeth Hoffman, daughter of Joe and Lisa Hoffman, and Randy Schad, son of Gary and Sara Schad.
The following scholarships, totalling $281,146, were awarded to the following students:
• Ximena Aldava, A+ $10,515. Aldava plans to attend Crowder College toward a degree in Business Administration;
• Haylie Madison Harris, College of the Ozarks, Pre-Med: Blessings Forward, $500; CTA $400; Purdy Alumni Association, $500;
A+, $10,515; Cost of Education Scholarship from C of O, $54,928
• Shelby Diane Haskins, Crowder College: MFA $2,000; First State Bank $500;
Purdy Alumni Association, $500; Board of Education, $250; CTA(Charles Bowman), $1,000; A+, $10,515; Crowder Trustee Scholarship, $1,300; Purdy FFA Alumni, $1,250
• Scotty Russell Henry, Lineman School: A+ $10,515
• Elizabeth Rose Hoffman, College of the Ozarks / Nursing: Purdy Alumni Association Gary Kathryn Horton Scholarship, $1,000; Security Bank of Cassville, $500; Board of Education, $250; Bright Flight, $3,000; CTA(Superintendent), $750; Arnhart Baptist Church Scholarship, $1,000; Cost of Education Scholarship from C of O, $54,928
• Ashlie Marcelis Johnson, Navy: A+, $10,515
• Andrew Gabriel Martinez, College of the Ozarks: Purdy Alumni-Leroy Howard, $500; Alan Rhea Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Board of Education, $250; CTA, $400; A+, $10,515; Purdy FFA Alumni, $800; C of O cost of education, $27,464
• Shadyn Laray Minton, Crowder College / Criminal Justice: Purdy Alumni Assoc $500, Kevin Propps Memorial Scholarship $500, Ozark Electric $500
• Soledad Antonia Salas, Crowder College / Nursing: Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, $500; A+, $10,515
• Randy Joseph Schad Crowder College / Animal Science: CTA, $400; A+, $10,515; Crowder Trustee Scholarship, $1,300; Purdy FFA Alumni, $1,500
• Sean Michael Thomas Crowder College / Computer Science: A+, $10,515; Jack Henry Computer Science Scholarship, $4,000
• Shana Michelle Whisman, State Fair Community College / Music Education: Americorps, $1,311.11; A+, $10,515
• Kylie Mae - Ann Wood, Labette Community College / Radiology: A+ $10,515
