Wewahitchka celebrates the Class of 2021
The 45 members of the Wewahitchka High School Class of 2021 graduated
Friday evening, May 21 in an outdoor ceremony at the high school.
Following a processional to “Pomp and Circumstance,” Jala
Moulds, the senior class secretary, offered the invocation, with Matthew Suit
leading the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Senior Class President Mariah Baker offered a welcome
address, followed by remarks from Superintendent Jim Norton. Principal Jay Bidwell
recognized the distinguished honor graduates, and Karen Shiver, who shared
senior sponsor duties with Micah Peak, recognized the diploma designations.
Graduating Summa Cum Laude, with highest honors, were
Santana Causey and Dominica Dennis, with Causey delivering the graduation
address and Dennis the farewell address.
Magna Cum Laude graduates, those with high honors, were Baker,
Stephanie Bronson, Landin Johnson, Aeidyn Jones, Tamiah Rouse, Suit and
Christian Ward.
Cum Laude graduates, with honors, were Mario Cole Jr.,
Keegan Calhoun, Kieara Desrosier, Lee Holton, Kaylee Jones, Brandon Paul,
Autumn Minchew, Cynthia Taylor, and Lydia Swigart.
Receiving Scholar diplomas, for having earned credit for
additional advanced coursework, were Minchew, Suit and Swigart,
Receiving a Merit diploma, for having earned an industry certification,
were Baker, Bronson, Calhoun, Causey, Robert Coxwell, Desrosier, Robert Fowler,
Jacob Jensen, Johnson, Aeidyn Jones, Kaylee Jones, Madison McDaniel, Minchew, Madilyn
Morgan, Moulds, Paul, Rouse, Andrew Simmons, Swigart, Ward, Deandria Williams
and Kelli Wolinski.
Rounding out the 45-member class are Nicholas Carr, Haley
Endres, Avery Fisher , Jennifer Fuller,
Brady Gainous, Emrys Grider, Bailey Hurst, Zachary Kemp, Jayla Kist, Garrett
Miller, Brasean Murray, Harley Redd, Jamie Salerno, Kyler Stoker, Zachary
Sullivan, Brittany Tuttle, McKayla Vizenor, and Kaylee Wessel.
Following the presentation of scholarships (see related story), the graduation and farewell addresses, and the awarding of diplomas, the class sang the alma mater, Tamiah Rouse delivered the benediction and the recessional was conducted to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Meet the Editor
Wendy Weitzel, The Star’s digital editor, joined the news outlet in August 2021, as a reporter covering primarily Gulf County.
Prior to then, she interned for Oklahoma-based news wire service Gaylord News and for Oklahoma City-based online newspaper NonDoc.com during her four years at the University of Oklahoma, from which she graduated in May with degrees in online journalism and political science.
While at OU, Weitzel was selected as Carnegie-Knight News21 Investigative Fellow among 30 top journalism students from around the country. She also was senior editor managing a 12-person newsroom in coordination with Oklahoma Watch, a non-profit news organization in eastern Oklahoma.