The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE – Alleghany High School said goodbye to 190 seniors Saturday morning during its 26th annual commencement exercise.
The ceremony was held inside the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Armory.
“Remember, you will always be a Mountaineer,” Principal Fred Vaughan Jr. said to the Class of 2010.
Vaughan is completing his first years as AHS principal. He was transferred to the school from the central office in August.
“After a year, I’ve made it and I am still the proud principal of Alleghany High School,” he said.
Both honor graduate speaker for commencement, Emily Ratliff and Anna Wilson, are bound for Virginia Tech in the fall.
Ratliff and Wilson were chosen to speak by their fellow honor graduates.
Ratliff referred to Saturday’s graduation ceremony as one of numerous defining moments that the Class of 2010 experienced together. Her scholastic accomplishments were outlined by AHS Assistant Principal Dwayne Ross prior to her remarks.
“My four years at Alleghany High School have been filled with countless defining moments,” Ratliff said. “We are who we are today as the result of a defining moment we spent together.”
Calling friends, family, loved ones and teachers “anchors” in the class’ four-year journey, Ratliff wrapped up her speech by offering her classmates congratulations and good-luck wishes.
“We finally made it,” she said.
Wilson challenged her fellow graduates to look toward the future and embrace change.
“Change is inevitable,” she said while reflecting back to the class’ first day in high school. “Don’t look at who you are right now, but who you can grow up into being.”
“Focus on becoming a better person in your next stage of life,” Wilson added. “I have faith that the only direction we know how to go is up.”
Wilson was introduced by AHS Assistant Principal April Easton. Easton lauded Wilson for her academic work, but she said that Wilson is most proud of the fact that she served as a 4-H counselor while in high school.
Cassidy Burns, president of the senior class, announced that a plasma television will be presented to the school as a farewell gift, along with remaining funds from the class treasury. The money will be used to extend pavement outside the school cafeteria and add benches.
Randy Tucker offered congratulatory remarks from the Alleghany County School Board. Tucker, the board’s chairman, will complete his term at the end of the month. He is not seeking reappointment.
Tucker said the Class of 2010 will go down as the most tested students in AHS history.
“You have the distinction of being the most tested students in the history of education,” Tucker said to the graduates, in reference to required state and federal standardized tests students must pass before receiving a diploma.
“You have succeeded and made it look so easy,” Tucker said. “Congratulations, we wish you a prosperous and blessed future.”
The senior class also began the school year with a new superintendent, Dr. Sarah Campbell.
Campbell advised the Class of 2010 to savor and celebrate Saturday’s graduation ceremony.
“We are all here to celebrate you,” Campbell said as she stood before a standing-room only crowd inside the armory. “It’s all about you.”
“No one can take from you the knowledge you gained through your years of education or the fact that you have earned a high school diploma. You need to take pride in the fact that you are not among the uneducated,” she added.
Saturday morning’s ceremony began with the presentation of colors by members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts 1033 in Covington and 4299 in Clifton Forge. Eagle Scouts in the Class of 2010 led the audience in the pledge of allegiance.
The National Anthem followed, sung by Kate Ballou, Nikki Bittman, Harlie Curry, Lawrence Halsey, Kate Mason, Amanda Millhollin and Vicki Tremblay.
The AHS Concert Choir also participated in the ceremony by singing, “How Can I Keep from Singing?” The senior concert choir sang, “Set Me as a Seal.”
Alleghany High School
Class of 2010
Kenneth DeVante Adams, Dakota Chase Anderson, Christopher Hamilton Baker, Wesley Allen Baker, Katherine Krick Ballou, Eric Daniel Bartocci, Megan Alexandra Bennett, George Brett Benoit, Lyndsay Grace Bethel, Ariana Deontri Beverly, Nikki Lynn Bittman, Molly Kate Blankenship, Matthew Carl Bocook, Paul Preston Booze, Jerimiah Christian Bradshaw, Cody Thomas Brantley, James Talmadge Broughman III, Victor Maurice Brown Jr., Jonathan Andrew Brumit, Cassidy Ryan Burns, Ashley Elizabeth Byer.
Stephen Curtis Caldwell, Hayley Star Campbell, Brandi Nicole Carper, DeVaughn Clifton Carroll, Zachary Ty Carroll, Caitlyn Lee Cauvel, Steffi Chan, Matthew Jared Chittum, Alexandra Lera-Elese Chrisco, Anthony Brent Church II, Brian Raymond Cody, Joseph Daniel Coffman, Nathan Alexander Cole, Loren Danielle Conner, Troy Kyle Cottrell, Megan Nicole Covington, Cody Allen Craft, Lindsay Faye Crance, Harlie Marie Curry, Elizabeth Hannah Cvizic, Ivan Tebusske Damulira, Thomas James Deisher Jr., Emily Brook Dimon, Roman Jordan Downey, Hannah Maye Dressler, Jonathan Christian Dressler, Conner Edwin Duff, Dawn Marie Dulaney, Xzavier William Edwards, Aaron Matthew Eggleston, Conner McKowen Fagan, Robert Tyler Farrar, Jonathan Thomas Fitch, Meghan Nicole Forbes, Travis William Fridley, John Tanner Fury.
Shaelee Dawn Gibson, Jacob Lewis Givens, Jessica Leigh Givens, Anthony Charles Green, Corrie Ann Green, Aaron Wayne Gregg, James Aaron Gregg, Aloura Kaye Griffith, Zachary Tyler Gunter, Justin Levi Guzman, Lawrence Hudson Halsey, Isaac Arthur Ham, Wesley Lynn Harmon, Caleb Allen Harrison, Unequa Janae Helton, Andrea Marie Higgins, Zachary Ryan Higgins, Sean Patrick Hoffman, Laura Olivia Hoke, Brittany Rena Holestin, Samuel Franklin Horton, Amanda Renee Howard, Greg Alan Hoylman Jr., Benjamin Lanier Hubbard, Chasity Nicole Humphries, Jon Patrick Humphries, Kayla Renee Hyler.
Dylan Edward Jack, Brandon Michael Jackson, Alyssa Jade Jarratt, Adrienne Lynn Jennings, Brittany Marie Jones, Sabrina Shelby Jones, Mariana Leigh Keener, April Dawn Keyser, Miranda Jamison Keyser, Rebecca Faith Kimberlin, Meghan Elizabeth Kinkead, Allen Michael Kirby, Finja Koester, Sarah Beth Kornhiser, Rhawny Larhae Lhang Leach, Cassidy Bernice Lee, Joshuah Ryan Lee, Julia Ruth Lee, Carl Anthony Legg, Emily Catherine Lewis, Lychelle Deon Lewis, Lysha Devahn Lewis, George Daniel Lewis Jr., Joshua Wayne Lindsay, Emma Lee Loan, Justin Mitchell Lowen, Jami Elizabeth Lyons.
Tabatha Renae Mace, Paige Lynn Martin, Kristen Paige Martin, Kathryn Ann Mason, Kasey Suzanne McAllister, Arieanna Dawn McDorman, Morgan Taylor McFarland, Douglas Wayne McLaughlin, Kenneth Elijah McLeod, Amanda Marie Milhollin, Abigale Lynn Moody, Michael Sentron Morris, Tyler Franklin Morris, Benjamin Andrew Nicely, Dalton Scott Nicely, Lindsay Hannah Nicely, Matthew Chase Nicely, Mary Catherine Audrey Nicely, William Blake Oliver, Benjamin Thomas Paxton, Kathryn Elizabeth Pazdera. Thomas Edward Perkins, Rebecca Susan Persinger, Thomas Stuart Persinger, Jessica Nicole Perkins, Whitney Danielle Pleasant, George Andrew Putnam, Emily Beth Ratliff, Jessica Heather Richards, Dana Stefone’ Richmond, Lauryn Nicole Richmond, Brittany Nicole Rickett, Brandon Charles Ridgewell, Tyler Scott Roark, Joseph Caileb Ryder, Caitlen Marie Ryder.
Miguel Angel Manzo Salinas, Logan Lee Sartain, Lindsay Renee Saville, Jonathan Wayne Schooler, Daniel Wayne Shifflett, Haley Anne Shreve, Courtney Nicole Simpson, Corey Aaron Smith, Courtney Leah Smith, Nikki Eugenia Smith, Stepanie Lynn Smith, Zachary Chase Sorrels, Jimi Anthony Soto, Darin Reid Spangler, Alisabeth Della-Onva Stanley, Joseph Allen Stanley, Lindsay Nicole Statler, Kevin John Stec.
Clayton William Talkington, Daniel Bryant Taylor, Tiffany Marie Thompson, Jared Adam Thrasher, Jessica Dawn Tingler, Tonya Renee Tingler, Vicki Joy Tremblay, Greta Gaylynn Tucker, Justin Mitchell Tucker, Jacob Cherrington Vaughan, Creigh Darrell Via, Juonne Calynn Waddy, Brandon Wayne Walton, Courtney Danielle Walton, Caleb Dakota Ward, D’Kota N’Cole Webb, Lindsey Marie Whitehead, Travis Alexander Whiting, Kayla Rose Williamson, Anna Elzabeth Wilson, Dennis Scott Wolfe, Marie Elizabeth Wolfe, Ashley Renea Wolfe, Khalil Ishag Yacoub, Heather Dawn Young.
