Senior Signing Day: Cloudland hosts event to honor students planning to continue their education
Published 5:41 pm Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Cloudland High School sponsored a special ceremony to honor seniors who will be continuing their education in some way after graduation.
The school hosted “Senior Signing Day” on Wednesday afternoon. During a school assembly, the seniors who will be going to college, technical school, or the military after graduation were called forward and signed a pledge to themselves to do their best and “Reach Higher.” East Tennessee State University, Northeast State Community College, and Milligan College all had representatives on hand for the celebration who presented the students coming to their schools with special gifts.
Cloudland High School Counselor Shellie McKinney, the Counselor at Cloudland High School, and college and career advisor Lucas Hitechew with NiswongerCARE, coordinated the Senior Signing Day event.
“It’s a statewide initiative to celebrate our students and the college-going culture,” Hitechew said. “One, it gives the seniors a celebration, and two, it is a positive influence on the younger kids.”
McKinney said she believes it is not only important to recognize the achievements of the seniors, but it is equally important for the underclassmen to see the seniors’ excitement to continue their educations.
“We just wanted to create a college-going culture for our students, all the way from our 7th graders all the way up to our 12th graders,” McKinney said. “I have 71 seniors, and 61 of them signed today that they are going on to something.”
The following seniors were recognized for their plans after graduation. They are listed below under the college, school, or career of their choice:
East Tennessee State University: Riley Barnett, Emily Benfield, John Philip Buchanan, Lexi Fleming, Jessi Friesland, Jennifer Gibbs, Timothy Guinn, Chris Hughes, Andrew Julian, Erin Julian, Victoria Perkins, Ashley Putman, Carley Russell, Jordyn Singleton, DonRae Taylor, Mariah Thorne, Alex Trivette, Chloe VanDyke, and Summer Webb.
Northeast State Community College: Sage Arnett, James Arwood, Preston Benfield, Lora Cardwell, Mallory Church, Garrett Freeman, Dawson Haynes, Emily Heaton, Andrew Jarrett, Dakota Johnson, Johanna Johnson, Shian Strickland, Joseph Trivette, Marley Turbyfill, and Noah Whitehead.
Wingate University: Noah Arnett.
Mayland Community College: Bryanna Oakes.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Elizabethton: Chris Baker, Ethen Cable, Dillan Clawson, Lucas Coffey, Josh Estes, R.T. Fields, David Floyd, Jon Forbes, Taylor Hart, Ethan Howell, Mattea Jennings, Noah Blair, Jason Potter, Luke Putman, Makaylah Shell, Dylan Teaster, Dalton Vines, and Titus Guinn.
Milligan College: Hayden Davis.
Lees-McRae: Tanner Dyer.
Austin Peay: Lisa Ellis.
Wake Forest: Lorraine Hayes.
Serving in the U.S. military: Jonah Roberts, Ethan Holtsclaw, and Caleb Scercy.
