El Dorado High School
Graduating Class of 2020
Salutatorian Jessica
Seymore, daughter of David and Anita Seymore of El Dorado, has been awarded the Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship ($40,000), the El Dorado Promise Scholarship (full tuition), the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Scholarship ($32,000), the Rickey Sewell Memorial Scholarship ($4,000), Kelly Elizabeth Thomas Memorial Scholarship for Camp Fire Girls ($1,000) and the Ms. Marchella Champion-Modica Memorial Scholarship ($100). She is Vice President of the National Honor Society and Vice President and Treasurer of the Steering Committee. She is a member of Student Council, Beta Club, Key Club, Teenage Republicans, Camp Fire Club #91 and First United Methodist Church. She is an AP Scholar with Honor, an Academic Lettermen and an Arkansas Girls’ State Representative. She plans to attend the University of Arkansas to study biology with an emphasis on premed.
Top 10 graduate Autumn Parker, daughter of Suzanne and Daryl Parker of Arkansas has been awarded an Alumni Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship ($1,540), the Bagley College of Engineering Excellence Scholarship ($2,000), the Colvard Future Leader Scholarship($2,500), a Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship ($4,500), a Non-resident Tuition Scholarship ($13,500), and the William Thomas Lyell Rumph Memorial Scholarship ($500). She is the Secretary of Student Council and the
Teenage Republicans and a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and the Senior Steering Committee. She is a member of the Lady Cat soccer team and Co-Captain of the Wildcat cheerleading squad. She is graduating in the top 5% of her class as an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. She was an Arkansas Girls State Delegate in 2019 and an El Dorado High School representative at the Hugh O’Biran Youth State Leadership Seminar. She co-captain of the Varsity Cheer and played Varsity soccer. She plans to attend Mississippi State University to study engineering.
Top 10 graduate Hafsa Ali, daughter of Sabiha Kamal, and has been awarded a University
of Arkansas scholarship ($4,000/year). She is President of the Young Democrats, and a member of the Arkansas Student Leadership Initiative, the National Honor Society and the Union County Democratic Committee. She is graduating in the top 5% of her class and has received multiple Murphy awards for passing Advanced Placement exams. She plans to attend the University of Arkansas to study political science and will eventually pursue a law degree.
Top 10 graduate John
David Halstead, son of Kelly and Robert Halstead has been awarded the University of Arkansas Chancellor’s Community Scholarship ($5,000) and the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship ($1,000).He is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council and Steering Committee and is President of the Arkansas Conference Council of Youth Ministries for the Arkansas Methodist Church and President of the Southwest District Council of Youth Ministries for the Arkansas Methodist Church. He is also an Academic Letterman and a three-year Letterman in cross country and soccer. He is graduating in the top 5% of his class. He plans to attend the University of Arkansas to study biomedical engineering.
Top 10 graduate Nathanael Aaron Marino, son of Dominick and Joanne Marino of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Bulldog scholarship (~$7,200/academic quarter) and the Outstanding
Student scholarship (~$6,500/academic quarter). He is a member of Student Council, National Honor Society, Steering Committee and the Varsity swim team, for which he made State Swim three times, won fourth place in the 2019 5A State swim meet for the 400 meter free relay, won sixth place in the 2020 5A State swim meet for the 400 meter relay and is a four-year Varsity Letterman. He made a 31 on his ACT and said he has kept straight A’s through his entire academic career up to this point. He also attended the 2019 Boys State and the 2019 Arkansas Governor’s School. He has served as a library helper as well. He plans to attend Louisiana Tech University to study mechanical engineering.
Top 10 graduate Scott Ratchford, son of Derek and Tressa Ratchford of El Dorado, has been awarded a National Merit Finalist scholarship ($196,250). He is the Vice Chairman of the Teenage Republicans. He was a 2019 Boys State Delegate. He plans to attend the University of Alabama to study computer science.
Marshana Smith,
daughter of Martin Smith of El Dorado, has been awarded the Mary Carols scholarship ($500). She is a member of choir and Upward Bound. She was a tutor in the Algebra College Bridge program and has earned her certificate in CCGMS. She has also worked at Applebee’s and Stage. She plans to attend the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to study nursing and become a labor and delivery nurse.