Plains seniors on their way

Graduating from high school usually means facing the real world, but 43% of the Plains High School graduates are planning to attend secondary schools, including seven that plan to attend four-year institutions.

Twenty-three Plains High School seniors received their diplomas Sunday afternoon in a graduation ceremony in the high school gymnasium. An estimated more than 300 people attended the hour-long ceremony, led by Superintendent Thom Chisholm, his final graduation before retiring in June. Though none of the graduates plan to enter the military, Chisholm asked active duty military members and veterans in the crowd to stand up and be recognized in honor of Memorial Day weekend. About 30 stood up, including a woman in a Navy uniform. Following the Pledge of Allegiance led by Faith McGonagle, Principal Ryon Noland announced the C.L.A.S.S. Awards of $500 apiece to Lillian McDonald and Brady Schrenk. He said the award was based on a student's citizenship, leadership, activity involvement, service to school, and scholastics.

The ceremony's guest speaker was George Sherwood, a former Plains School teacher requested by the senior class. Sherwood, who taught at Plains for three years and now teaches at Ronan, said that even though he's nervous about public speaking, he felt he owed it to the class. He added that failure can sometimes be the best way to figure out which way to go. He spoke of initially failing in college football, but kept trying and succeeded, and referred to Abraham Lincoln, who failed in several elections before becoming president. "If you don't fail, you're not trying," said Sherwood.

The valedictorian this year was Kaylie Peele, who thanked several people and wished her classmates luck in the future. Izibelle Crabb, who spoke for a few minutes, served as the salutatorian. The class presented a short video of themselves, followed by the handing out of diplomas by Ellen Childress, who taught at Plains School for 15 years and is presently the most senior member of the Plains School board. Childress's son, Robert, and daughter, Jenny, both graduated from Plains.

Eight students were awarded 41 scholarships totaling $52,366 with Destiny Cheuvront receiving $14,250 in eight scholarships, including the Nep and Mary Ellen Lynch Scholarship for $7,000, Ben Granderson Memorial Scholarship for $2,000, Town Pump for $2,000, VFW for $1,000, Montana State Society Daughters of the American Revolution for $750, Wagoner Family Memorial Scholarship/W.W. Scott Memorial for $500, Class of 1983 Gone Too Soon Scholarship for $500, and the Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, Inc. Scholarship for $500.

Carlie Wagoner received seven scholarships from the following entities: Kenny Marjerrison Memorial for $1,000, Plains Drug Store for $1,000, Kim Duane McNeil (Kimo) Memorial Scholarship for $500, Gary's Glass and Auto Body for $500, Lindsey Harris Montana State Premier for ($1,500 x 4)$6,000, VFW for $1,000, and Clark Fork Elks Most Valuable Student for $400, totaling $10,400.

Izibelle Crabb received 10 scholarships for a total of $8,816 from the following entities: Northwest Montana Attendance Area Waiver-FVCC for $3,316, Kenny Marjerrison Memorial for $1,000, VFW for $1,000, Rocky Mountain Bank Scholarship for $500, Plains Teacher's Organization for $500, Mildred Hearst for $500, Class of 1983 Gone Too Soon Scholarship for $500, Plains Woman's Club for $500, Ponemah Masonic Lodge for $500, and the Mary Gertrude Leavy-LaPointe Scholarship for $500.

In addition to the C.L.A.S.S. Awards, Brady Schrenk received seven scholarships, including the University of Montana Academic Achievement for $2,000, Class of 1983 Gone Too Soon Scholarship for $1,000, Kenny Marjerrison Memorial for $1,000, VFW for $1,000, Kim Duane McNeil (Kimo) Memorial Scholarship for $500, and the Willa Montana Gingery for $500, for a total of $6,500.

Lillian MacDonald, also a C.L.A.S.S. Award recipient, received two other scholarships - the Nep and Mary Ellen Lynch Scholarship for $5,000, and the Kenny Marjerrison Memorial for $1,000.

Kallen Burrows received the George Wurm Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 and the PHS Citizenship Award for $1,000. Mason Elliott received the Kenny Marjerrison Memorial for $1,000, the Plains Booster Club Scholarship for $500, and the Clark Fork Elks Most Valuable for $400. Kassidy O'Keefe received $4,000 in scholarships from the Nep and Mary Ellen Lynch Scholarship for $3,000 and the Cabinet Ridge Riders for $1,000.

The remaining graduates included: Piper Bergstrom, Levi Blood, Kaedance Ciferri, Shylah Flynn, Gunnar Gannarelli, Lindsey Harris, Ocean Hyde, Montana Killgore, Felicia Loehner, Kaylie Peele, Aaron Pfister, Joseph Pullen, Jayden Weeks, and Lillian Wells.