MCHS Graduation Set
CLASS OF NEARLY 250 BIGGEST IN SCHOOL HISTORY
For the casual observer, graduation ceremonies at McDonald County High School might seem a repeat from the previous year — same day and time; graduates sitting on the track dressed in caps and gowns; standing room only crowds; parking places in short supply; a speech from a distinguished alumni; either too much sun, rain or wind (take your pick) — except to the graduates themselves.
But 2015 will be an unique year for McDonald County High School.
Not only are the day and time different, the stage will be in the middle of the football field facing north and south ( not east and west as before).
Some things will remain the same — there will be standing room only crowds, fewer parking spaces and there will be too much sun, rain or wind.
Graduation ceremonies for the class of 2015 will be held on Saturday, May 9 at McDonald County High School. Baccalaureate services begin at 6 p.m. with commencement at 7:30 p.m.
Dennis Bergen, a 1975 graduate of MCHS and longtime art teacher at the high school, will be the guest speaker,
Greg Leach, high school principal, said the day and time change were made for a couple of different reasons.
“We never wanted to have it on Mother’s Day so we moved to the Saturday before,” Leach said.
The rearranging of the stage is being done in order to use both sets of bleachers (home and visitor) because of the size of this year’s graduating class.
“Last year we graduated 214 and this year it looks like we are going to graduate somewhere in the mid 240s,” Leach said. “We are adding 30 kids and we want people to be able to watch from both sets of bleachers. Honestly, that’s also preparation for next year when we graduate about 290. We will have to break tradition one year and from now on it will become a new tradition — if every thing goes well.”
Leach said there will be a sound system that directs the sound to both sets of bleachers. He said you will be able to hear equally well on either side of the field.
With the beginning of construction of a new FEMA safe room/performing arts center on the former student parking lot at the high school, some parking has been lost. But Leach said, parking will be available on the west side of the visitor’s stands with a gate open on that side for guests to enter.
Sheriff Mike Hall said with the construction of the new facility taking up most of the student parking lot, all parking will need to be accessed from Mustang Lane (north of the football stadium by New Mac Electric). Only those parking at the high school should use the entrance off of Cedar Street (old Highway 76).
Hall said there will people directing traffic on both sides of the field. He said to access the parking lot on the east side of the stadium, people will need to use the new driveway off of Mustang Lane. When leav- ing, both exits will be used.
The handicapped parking area on the east side on the front row by the ticket booth will be extended to include the whole front row.
Of course, all those plans are meaningless if the weather doesn’t cooperate. If inclement weather makes it necessary, the ceremonies will be moved to the gym with sound piped to the cafeteria.
Leach said if forced inside, graduates will receive about 10 tickets each for family and friends.
Class Achievements
Leach said the class of 2015 is a group of strong leaders and students who have excelled in the classroom, both as a class and as individuals.
“We had a Missouri Top 100 Scholar (Connor Underwood) for the first time in the history of the school,” Leach said. “This is the first time we had two students receive Joplin Globe All-Area Academic honors (Underwood and Courtney Driver). This group’s test scores has come up every year that have been in high school. They are a big part of why we had a 97.4 score this year on our state test- ing. They are pretty smart.”
Athletically, the class was led by the girls basketball team winning the first district tile for MCHS in several years. The team had two 1000 point scorers in Preslea Reece and Coley Ickes.
The class has selected the following as class favorites:
Song — “Time Of Your Life,” by Green Day
Flower — Red and white roses
Colors — Red, black and silver
Motto — “Chase your dreams, but always know the road that’ll lead home again.”