Mountain Home High to graduate 223 Friday

Graduation begins Friday at 7 p.m. at Tiger Field.

by Michael Nowotny

Mountain Home News

Mountain Home High School will hold commencement ceremonies for the 223 students of its 105th graduating class at Tiger Field on Friday, May 22, at 7 p.m.

The students in the class of 2009 have earned a total of $314,466 in scholarships ($232,857 state/national and $81,609 local).

Mountain Home Principal Jeff Johnson, Student Body President TJ Billinger, and three of the four students chosen as valedictorians will serve as speakers for the ceremony.

Johnson will introduce the graduating class and recognize the honor students for the 2008-09 class.

Diplomas will be handed out to the students by the school district's board of trustees.

"It's been an awesome class and a successful year. Ten out of 13 programs qualified for state, which is indicative of the class and the progress they have made," said Johnson.

For the 2008-09 class, the senior class officers were president Daniel Katsules, vice president/secretary Ashley Heckathorn, treasurer Chris Oswald and representative Ashly Wright.

The valedictorians for the 2008-09 school year are Alexis Howe, Lindsay Kellerman, April Kerbyson and Alycia Crandall.

Crandall will be graduating as a junior this year will not be giving a speech during the ceremony.

The MHHS Jazz Choir will perform "Fields of Gold," by Sting, and the MHHS a capella choir will perform the school's alma mater and "In My Life," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The Mountain Home High School Concert Band will perform the processional, "Pomp and Circumstance."

As selected by students of the graduating class, the 2008-09 class colors are black and silver, the class song is "Time After Time" by the band Quiet Drive and the class motto is "Time is not measured by the passing of hours, but by what one does, what one feels and what one achieves."

Following Friday's ceremony, the parents of the graduating seniors will sponsor the annual Senior Celebration. The Senior Celebration is an all-night, alcohol-free party in a safe and supervised atmosphere.

This year's Senior Celebration will take place at Wahooz Family Fun Zone (formerly Boondock's), located at 1385 S. Blue Marlin Lane in Meridian.

Seniors must be at the high school at 9:45 p.m. to board the buses that will leave at 10 p.m. The school will provide an early bus, but seniors must prearrange a seat for that when purchasing their tickets for the celebration.

From 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., Wahooz will open its doors for the seniors only, as they take part in the various activities that Wahooz offers, including laser tag, bumper boats, go-karts and miniature golf. The seniors also will be treated to a one-hour all-you-can-eat lasagna buffet.

Buses will leave Wahooz at 4 a.m. and return to Mountain Home High School between 5-5:30 a.m.

Tickets for the Senior Celebration are still available for purchase before school, during lunch and after school. Senior celebration tickets will be $30 for graduating seniors and $30 for their guest.

Persons who would like to volunteer or give monetary or gift donations for the celebration should call Joanne Henrick at 599-2745 or 587-8125.