June 5. 2008

Emotions rise at graduation
By Angela Stepp, CV&T Staff Writer

Mixtures of joy and sorrow may have been the theme of the 2008 Estill County High School graduation as students, family and staff shed a few tears.
The class of 2008 outdid themselves with a touching outdoor ceremony on the track beside the school. The Estill High Band played the processional directed by Jason Bowles as the students filed in to take their seats as seniors for the last time.
Alesia Freeman, class vice-president gave opening remarks before the senior band members joined the other band members to play “A Song For Friends” for the crowd. The senior chorus members took the stage singing “Whenever You Remember.”
Director of Pupil Personnel, Skip Johnson, presented attendance awards to seniors who had not missed a day in 11, 13 and 14 years of school. Blake Christopher was presented a certificate for 11 years of perfect attendance, Kenra Henry had 13 years perfect attendance while Chelsea Berryman had 14 years. Each student received a $500 savings bond from Citizens Guaranty Bank.
The presentation of the salutatorian was given by Assistant Principal, Arthur Ballard, to Jordyn Honchell who came forward to address her classmates, recalling great memories as they move forward to make new ones.
Principal Blain Click had the honor of introducing the two students who tied for valedictorian, Teia Brandenburg and Blake Christopher.They have been competing since grade school.
Teia was the first to take the stage thanking Blake for pushing her through life.
“You are like a brother to me and I don’t know what I am going to do next year without you there,” she said with a tearful voice.
As Blake came forward for his recognition of valedictorian the two shared an emotional hug. He spoke of the history made at ECHS in the last four years and ended by telling the class they should be proud of their history. “You can hear the train a comin’,” he said in his closing remarks.
Andrew Hatton and other members of the class held a touching ceremony in memory of Tara Bonny, who passed away earlier this year. They released balloons in her honor and presented her parents Tom and Francine Bonny with her diploma.
Estill County Superintendent, Bert Hensley presented each student with their diplomas. Each student signed a wagon wheel as they came off stage, continuing in a tradition that was started a few years ago of giving a unique gift to the principal.
Tedra Hunt gave the charge to the class as the president of the class of 2008 and Tess Arvin gave closing remarks as their secretary.
The moment they had all been waiting for finally came as Principal,Blain Click presented them as the class of 2008 to the many friends and family in attendance. They moved their tassels over and joyfully tossed their hats in the air with a sigh of relief.
Many hugs and even more tears followed as the song “Wagon Wheel” by the Old Crowe Medicine Show played in the distance, explaining the significance of principal Click’s gift from the graduating class of 2008.

A time to remember
By Angela Stepp, CV&T News Reporter

Lisa Reece’s 1999-2000 fourth grade class who are graduating seniors this year returned to West Irvine Elementary School last Thursday to re-open a time capsule they buried nine years ago.
The area where the capsule was buried had recently been black topped requiring the capsules removal just shy of the end of school. Reece saved the unopened bucket of items until the class could reunite to open it together.
“The only thing I can remember being put in there was a beanie baby,” Reece said as she sat in a circle with several of her former students who attended the event.
With screw driver in hand one of the students pried open the container as everyone gathered in close anxiously awaiting the special moment.
As they shared each memory pulled from the container there were laughs and giggles of days gone by. Among the items were reminders of how prices have risen in the last few years with a grocery store ad selling a dozen eggs for only 39 cents, while gas prices were only $1.39.
College brochures, teen magazines and other memorabilia were enclosed, but one of the most popular items may have been a notebook full of memories and pictures of the students as well as a class picture reminding them how quickly time goes by.
Graduating seniors who helped bury the capsule in their fourth grade class were Dustin Arvin, Tessla Arvin, Teia Brandenburg, Blake Christopher, Ben Cobble, A.J. Conrad, Chesney Dawes, Shane Eversole, Brooke Garrett, Brandon Hall, Zachary Harris, Jordyn Honchell, Charcee Lakes, Matthew Plowman, Courtney Turpin, Brett Vance, Danielle West and Ashley Wilson.