Staff writer
Commencement exercises for the 17 members of this year’s Peabody-Burns High School graduating class began at 4 p.m. Sunday with the staff processional followed by the student processional to “Fanfare and Processional” played by the PBHS band under the direction of Steven Wilson.
PBHS Principal Tim Robertson welcomed the students and visitors. A special music selection, “Psalm 42,” was performed by the band.
Sean Clay and Jordan Gibson were recipients of the Kansas State High School Activities Association Citizenship Awards. Lily Harris was presented with the Dale Dennis Excellence Award.
Salutatorian Gibson and valedictorian Cierra Foth each addressed the crowd that filled the Brown Gymnasium.
Robertson introduced the Kansas Scholars: Foth, Lily Harris, and Garret Schroeder.
Vernon Klingenberg presented five students with the Peabody Alumni Association Awards. The George E. Trimble award was presented to Gibson, the Alumni Association Award to Harris, the Eberle Award to Schroeder, the Ewert Award to Alyssa Brooks, and the Vernon and Laura Slocombe Award to Alec Balke.
Klingenberg also presented the Josephine McCreary Award to Foth.
Robertson presented the PHS Class of 1955 Award to Brandon Woodruff.
Peggy Phillips presented the Robert E. Phillips Jr. Award to Gibson.
Preston Hodges presented the Alumni Dance Award to Foth and the George Holm Memorial Award to Harris.
Karen Larsen presented Harris and Schroeder with the Peabody EMS Scholarship.
Board of education member Shayla Clark presented five awards to students selected by the board of education: the Barrett/Burdorf/Masonic Award to Harris, the Farr/Fitch Award to Schroeder, the Hart/Jenson Award to Brooks, and the Litton/Kliewer Award to Brody Kyle and Ashley Weems.
Class member Xavier Jabary sang a special selection, “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney, and the Voices group performed “Roots before Branches” by Anders and Astrom.
Superintendent Ron Traxson accepted the class of 2014 and school board members Clark and Travis Foth presented class members with their diplomas.
The high school band performed “Fanfare and Recessional” as the new graduates exited the building.