Graduating West County seniors (left to right) Chelsey Carron,
Melanie Steel and Elisha Nicole Smith look forward to the future but will miss their friends.

West County graduates 71 seniors Friday
Seniors describe graduation as bittersweet

By P.BARR Daily Journal Staff Writer | Published Thursday, May 20, 2010

Elisha Nicole Smith is happy that she made it back to West County High School [at Leadwood, Missouri] in time to graduate with her friends.

Chelsey Carron and Melanie Steel, are looking forward to their future, but both cry when they think about leaving some friends behind.

The three seniors stopped to chat Wednesday morning after practice for that night’s baccalaureate service. Along with 71 other seniors in the West County High School Class of 2010, the young women will graduate at 7 p.m. Friday in the school’s gymnasium.

Elisha attended West County schools until her junior year, when she moved to Central and then Farmington school districts. She moved back to West County this semester.

“I really enjoy that I get to graduate with the class I started with,” she said. “I like West County the best of all schools. The teachers know who you are and if you ever have a problem, you can go to them. The kids here are more friendly.”

After graduation, Elisha plans to attend Mineral Area College (MAC) where she will major in radiology so she can give ultrasounds as a career.

Chelsey and Melanie have been West County students and best friends since second grade. Chelsey plans to attend Lindenwood University, then complete law school. She hopes for a career in the FBI.

“This is bittersweet. I’m excited about going to college and starting my future,” she said. “But everybody feels like family here and I am really going to miss everybody.”

Melanie, the class salutatorian, plans to attend MAC before moving to Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. She seeks a career as an actuarial scientist or an aerospace engineer.

“I haven’t cried today,” she said. “But I cry when I think about not seeing some of the people in my class.”

This year, 49 percent of the class qualified for the A + program, Principal Eric Moyers said.

“That’s the highest we’ve ever had,” he added. 

That means those students can have their first two years of college paid for by the program. Most of the West County A+ students plan to attend Mineral Area College or Jefferson Community College, he added.

Overall, 70 percent of the class plans to go on to post-secondary education, at two-year or four-year colleges or technical schools. Four students are headed to the military.

Graduation will follow the traditional format. Students will enter the gymnasium in pairs to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance.” Following a welcome by High School Principal Eric Moyers, the choir will sing “West County School Song” and “Until We Sing Again.” The band will play “Fantasy On An Early American Marching Tune.”

National Honor Society members will be recognized before Valedictorian Trevor Morgan and Salutatorian Melanie Steel give their speeches. Students who earned College Preparatory Certificates and scholarship winners will be recognized prior to the presentation of diplomas by Superintendent Stacy Stevens, Moyers and School Board President Clyde Briley. 

An annual highlight is the slide show of seniors as toddlers and as seniors. Chelsey helped put this year’s show together. A group of seniors suggest songs that touch the heart or seem to describe the class, then they suggest them to choir teacher Ryan Hassell.

The songs Hassell chooses to accompany the slide show will be a surprise to all the seniors, she added.

The following students are scheduled to graduate May 21 from West County High School:

Kelsi Breanne Abbott, Maynard Allen Abney, Sara Jane Abney, Zachary Charles Abney, Courtney Marie Aldridge, Anna Louise  Arrigal, Christopher Scott Asbury, Gavin Michael Baker, Brandy LeAnn Barton, Amanda Lynn Beckett, Lindsey Faye Beckman, Jordan Keith Britton, Derek Charles Buffington, Jamie Elizabeth Byers, Keila Rae Nichole  Byers, Rachel Olivia Carlyon, Chelsey Layne Dawn Carron, Lacey Marie Cassidy, Josh Lutin Cliff, Jereht Cole Coleman, Kenton Max Conway, Felicia Lee Crick, Crystal Ranae Cummings; 

Caleb Lynn Davis, Diane Marie Davis,Tayte Elizabeth Davis, Victoria Elizabeth Deason, Matthew Brian  De La Cruz, Tyler Levi Elders, Alexandra Marie Fitzpatrick, Kara Rachel Forrester, Tara Nicole Forrester, Harlie Danielle Glore, Michael Damon Harp, Allen Jessip Hodge,  Kayla Ann Johnston, Trevor Lee Kean, Krystal Dawn King, Jordan David LaChance, Rikki Lynn Lashley, Andrew John Lawson, Sarah Ann Lawson, Rachel Anne Lybarger;  

Coy Michael McKee, Trever Ethan Morgan, Kelleam Lynn Nations, Samantha Maria Neeley, Larry  Kyle Nettles, Jacob David Louis Nicholson, Kelly Carter O’Neal, Roger Linn Phillips, Alicia Renee Politte, Johnny Lee Politte, Zac Vaughn Priest, Racheal Danielle Radford, Danica Marie Renshaw, Tanner Lee Serini, Elisha Nicole Smith,  William Forrest Smith, Melanie  Marie Steel, Katie Lea Stokes, Brittany Nicole Tongay, Rebecca Ann Twilleger;

Andrea Faith Vogel, Sidney Frances Waite, Kolden Elisha Ward, Sabra Lee Ward, Kristen LeAnn Weiss, Janette Nicole Wells, Amanda Renae Wilkerson, Sara Louise Williams, Bradley Dean Williford, Brandon Michael Wisdom and Brian Alexander Wisdom.