×

WCCC recognizes Class of 2017

PEYTON NEELY The Marietta Times Will Delong, 18, of Warren High School, left, shares a laugh with Belpre senior Isaac Moller, 18, and Marietta senior Jacob Hooper, 18, during the 2017 awards ceremony for the Washington County Career Center on Marietta College’s campus Tuesday.

Parents, grandparents, friends and more family filled the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center early Tuesday morning to watch as Washington County seniors attending the career center were awarded scholarships and certification for their educational successes.

The awards ceremony kicked off with the career center’s Superintendent Dennis Blatt proudly speaking about the achievements the class of 2017 has had.

“Your achievements are remarkable. As a class, you have earned more industry credentials and more college credit than any classes before you,” he said.

The Washington County Career Center has students from all over the county. Students from Belpre, Frontier, Marietta, Fort Frye, Waterford and Warren high schools– 208 in total– were recognized Tuesday. There were five valedictorians and more than 50 students receiving Career Center Technical Excellence awards.

Brianna Elkins of Belpre was one of the valedictorians of her class. She received a career technical diploma with honors, was student of the month, received outstanding senior in medical college prep and was involved in student council, Interact Club and National Technical Honor Society. She also received the Career Center Adult Technical Training Scholarship that will cover 30 percent of tuition costs up to $2,000.

“I really can’t thank my mom and dad enough,” she said. “We all have worked long and hard for this moment and I congratulate each and every one of the seniors here.”

Elkins plans to attend Marshall University in the fall and major in physical therapy.

“I’m excited for college and what the future holds,” she said.

Marietta High School senior Elena Lawson plans to go to Bowling Green State University in the fall to continue her gymnastics career and to major in exercise physiology. She graduated with a career technical diploma with honors, was student of the month for sports medicine and exercise science and was also involved with student council, Interact Club and National Technical Honor Society.

“I’m both nervous and excited to graduate and go on to college,” she said. “I think it’s normal to be nervous but excited to move on.”

Jacob Hooper, 18, of Marietta, plans to utilize the skills he learned at the career center in the workforce after graduation. He was in the building technology and carpentry program at the career center and received the career center technical excellence award.

“I want to work for awhile and save up money to eventually go to school without having all that debt,” he said. “I think I’m more excited to graduate from the career center rather than Marietta because I feel like I learned more here and this is my school. I’ve spent more time here and that makes me feel like I’m graduating now.”

At a glance

About Washington County Career Center’s Class of 2017

¯Valedictorians: Alexis Burks, Brianna Elkins, Renee Ford, Nathan Lewis and Ciara Sims.

¯ Number of graduates: 208.

¯ The Career Center Most Outstanding Senior from Home Schools: Brianna Elkins of Belpre, Justin Anderson of Fort Frye, Carly Stickler of Frontier, Ciara Sims of Marietta, Alexis Burks of Warren and Cassie Cowan of Waterford.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.15/week.

Subscribe Today