Staff writer
Graduation exercises for the 29 members of the Peabody-Burns High School class of 2015 took place Sunday afternoon in the Brown Gymnasium.
Valedictorians Tracy Henry, Braxton Kyle, and Nick Preheim and salutatorian Christa Elliott presented their addresses to classmates, families, and friends.
PBHS Principal Ken Parry presented awards and scholarships to class members and alumni.
PBHS staff members selected Preheim and Rylie McDowell the 2015 Kansas State High School Activities Association Citizenship award winners.
The Dale Dennis Kansas State Department of Education Excellence Award, also voted on by PBHS staff members, went to Mackenzie Young.
The Peabody-Burns Alumni Association award from the George Trimble Estate went to Preheim; the PBAA award from the Letha Eberle Scholarship Fund went to McDowell and Christa Elliott; the Edna Mae Ewert Estate award also went to Elliott; four students received P-B Alumni Awards — Austin Hiebert and Brooks Hodges and alumni Brody Kyle and Austin Savage; the Vernon and Laura Slocombe award went to Emma Charles.
Memorial awards and scholarships also were presented. The Mary Josephine McCreary Memorial awards went to Henry and Braxton Kyle; Marilyn Harsh award went to Hiebert; the PHS Class of 1955 award went to Kaden Gibson; the FFA Alumni award went to Christopher Terronez; Elliott won the Mid-Kansas Coop Scholarship Program award; and Gibson won the Robert E. Phillips, Jr. award. The Alumni Dance awards went to Hodges, Braxton Kyle, and McDowell and the Sons of the American Legion George Holm Memorial award was given to McDowell.
Several USD 398 Board of Education awards were combined and presented to class members and recent graduates. The Barrett Memorial/Fred and Teresa Burdorff award/Peabody Masonic award was presented to Elliott; the Randy Farr Memorial/Fitch Memorial went to Preheim; the Gladys Heart Memorial/Mabel Jensen award went to Henry; and the Litton/Kliewer award went to Hodges and alumnus Brody Kyle.
The Peabody-Burns High School band and Voices presented special music and board of education members Travis Foth and Shayla Clark presented class members with their diplomas.