Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 117, No. 23	June 10, 2009

Perfect weather allows Meade County seniors to graduate in style June 5

By VICKEY CARWILE and LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

A backdrop that is usually only seen in movies greeted the Meade County High School Class of 2009 June 5.

As the class members, numbering 302 strong, marched for the last time onto Hamilton Field, packed bleachers full of family and friends bid them farewell from high school and into a world of unknown opportunities.

Senior band and chorus students were given their last opportunities to play with their counterparts, under the direction of Bruce Soderstrom and Bryan Nichols, respectively.

Superintendent Mitch Crump, assisted by Board of Education President Dr. John Inman, presented the diplomas, after which MCHS Principal Bill Adams certified the class had met the requirements set forth by the county and the commonwealth of Kentucky.

A special mid-field memorial was in place for the event, featuring rememberances of two classmates who died earlier this year – Chelsea Stinnett and Tyler Mattingly.

The event concluded with the traditional candlelight march and Adams’ comments regarding the Bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth, which Kentucky is in the process of recognizing.
Following are interviews with the class Valedictorian, Taylor Smith and Salutatorian, Clay Mills.
Taylor Raye Smith, Brandenburg, was chosen as the Meade County High School Class of 2009 Valedictorian. Her reaction to being chosen was one of total surprise.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “They called me to the office and my dad was there. When they told me I had been chosen to be Valedictorian, I was really surprised. The first person I called was my mom.” She continued, “I was first at the beginning of the year, but I didn’t think my GPA would hold up.”

Taylor accomplished a lot during her high school career. She played varsity softball from the 9th- to the 12th-grade, was a Pep Club officer, a member of the National Honor Society, Lincoln Trail Youth Salute and a straight A student all four years. After her junior year, Taylor was awarded the Rotary Award for having the highest GPA for a female student. She received the Foreign Language Award on Honors Night and is also the recipient of the University of Kentucky’s Provost Scholarship. Taylor also attended UK’s Merit Weekend in which she was able to tour the university and choose her college classes before other students. On graduation night, Taylor was the recipient of the Allen Honorary Award and the L.H. Powell Award.

Taylor’s future goals are to attend UK for two years as an undergraduate and then Pharmacy College for four years. She hopes to become a pharmacist and practice in Brandenburg.

As for her high school legacy, Taylor says, “Hopefully, I will be remembered for my hard work and that I was a good person. I also want to be remembered as someone who treated everyone fairly.”

Her life philosophy is to “learn from your mistakes and don’t regret anything.”

The most influential person in Taylor’s life is her mother, Sandra. “Definitely, my mom. She is a really strong lady. I tend to stress out a lot and she helps me. She’s just a really good lady and I love her.”

English teacher Laura Miller has also made a positive impact in Taylor’s life. “She’s awesome!” Taylor said of Miller. “She has her beliefs and she sticks to them. She is a really good teacher and I have a lot of respect for her.” Miller introduced Taylor as the class Valedictorian on graduation night.

Taylor is the daughter of Kenton and Sandra Smith, Brandenburg. She has two sisters, Sidney, 21, and Kendell, 14. Kendall will be a freshman at MCHS next year.

Taylor is a member of St. John Catholic Church. Her hobbies and interests include playing softball, boating, jet skiing and hanging out with her friends.

Her speech on graduation night included these lines: “This is a sad day. This will be the last time that the senior class will be on Hamilton Field wearing the green and white.”

The Salutatorian of the Meade County High School Class of 2009 was Landon Clay Mills, Guston.
Clay – as his friends and family call him – grew up in Benton in Marshall County. He and his family moved to Meade County when he reached the 3rd-grade.

When asked about his reaction to being named Salutatorian, Clay said, “I was really hoping for Valedictorian. I worked really hard for it. There was a little bit of disappointment but a lot of happiness overall. I was glad I got chosen as Salutatorian.”

Clay’s high school accomplishments include three years on the varsity swim team, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) – Regional parliamentarian, 10th-11th-grade; Region 2 president, 11th-12th-grade, National Honor Society, Student YMCA Club, Chief Justice of KyA and a member of Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD).

Clay plans on attending the University of Kentucky College of Engineering where he hopes to attain a bio-engineering certificate. His goal is to become a chemical engineer.

Clay is a nonpretentious young man – what you see is what you get. When asked how he hopes to be remembered in high school, he jokingly explains, “Mr. (Jason) Newton, my calculus teacher, will probably check homework more often after me. I was notorious for not doing my homework in his
class.” He added, “I also hope I’ve left my mark in FBLA.”

The most influential person in Clay’s life is his mother, Kelly. “She’s always pushing me to be my best. She’s a teacher at Ekron Elementary. I know that she loves me and works hard for me. She’s always there for me.”

One of Clay’s favorite teachers was adviser Roxanne Sydnor, his introductory computor applications teacher. Sydnor was the moving force who got Clay involved in FBLA. She also presented him as class Salutatorian on graduation night.

Clay is the son of Andy and Kelly Mills, Guston. His sister, Kenzie, 14, is a freshman at MCHS.
He is a member of St. John Catholic Church in Brandenburg, where he assisted in building a Habitat for Humanity home while involved in St. John’s Youth Ministry.

Clay enjoys playing video games (Halo 3, in particular), strategical board games, swimming and hanging out with his friends. He is in his third year of employment as head lifeguard at the Doe Valley swimming pool.

Clay’s philosophy of life is “Don’t stress out. Enjoy it – enjoy life.”

Clay’s speech on graduation night included these lines: “We can now look back in the world and see the good times and the bad, but this is one of the most exciting days of our lives. Today we begin the new level of being an individual.”

See this week's edition for more graduation pictures.

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