Their first two years of high school were lived under the cloud of COVID but 32 members of the Wethersfield High School senior class made it to graduation, Sunday, in flying colors …. predominantly the school’s colors, green and white.
Their freshman year, the Class of ’24 were in school in person only two days a week, the other three were conducted through remote learning. Their sophomore year, restrictions were relaxed somewhat, but at least six feet of social distance was required between them to keep COVID from spreading. Junior and seniors were back to normal with in-person learning, no social distancing, sports, and other usual school activities.
Among the graduates were Traidan Hier, valedictorian, and Landon Sauer, salutatorian. Hier plans to attend Augusta College in Rock Island in the fall with a double major in pre-law and political science. She is the daughter of Dan and Traci Hier. Sauer plans to attend the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and major in Engineering. He is the son of Shelli and Layman Sauer.
Both have the distinction of graduating from community college a few hours before they graduated from high school, thanks to the dual credit program. Hier and Sauer each received their associates degree from Black Hawk College East Campus during commencement ceremonies Friday night which were also held in the WHS gym, since ongoing renovation has temporarily closed the Kewanee National Guard Armory.
The BHE ceremony has been held there since 1969 when the East Campus graduated its first class. Dr. Richard Bush, vice president for Economic and Workforce Development for Black Hawk College, attended Sunday’s ceremony at WHS and repeated the presentation of certificates to Hier and Sauer
The following awards were presented during Sunday’s commencement:
Abby Farther “Abbytude” Award — Kennady Anderson
American Legion Award — Isabella Krause
American Red Cross Scholarship — Dillon Horrie
Brian P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship — Landon Sauer
Chamber of Commerce Business Award — Dillon Horrie
Daughters of the American Revolution Award — Elleora Eastman
Dr. Carol Gleich Memorial Scholarship — Kennady Anderson and Marlie Lindstrom
Dr. Ronald Thompson Memorial Scholarship — Elleora Eastman
Emerit E. Baker Memorial Scholarship — Elleora Eastman
Floyd Blanks Memorial Award — Averey Rash
Frank Craig Scholarship/Lois Gleason Memorial — Vanessa Conway and Averey Rash
Gerald and Lynn Partridge Foundation Scholarship — Colin Hornback
Glidden Family Scholarship — Raquel Young
Gustafson Ford National FFA Organization Scholarship — Kennady Anderson
Laurence Horler Scholarship — Colin Hornback
John Philip Sousa Band Award — Elleora Eastman
Kathy Beck “A Challenge for Life” Award — Marlie Lindstrom
Kiwanis Foundation Scholarship — Kennady Anderson, Dillon Horrie and Landon Sauer
Linda K. Bialobreski Scholarship — Sophia Nimrick
Louis Tenney Little Memorial Scholarship — Landon Sauer
Margaret Palmer Memorial Scholarship — Averey Rash
Mike Plano’s Memorial Scholarship — Cora Hodge
National School Choral Award — Matthew Ponce
PATT Scholarship — Elleora Eastman
Renee Gillespie Scholarship — Kennady Anderson
Rotary Academic Scholarships — Traidan Hier and Landon Sauer
Rotary Vocational Scholarship — Caleb McGill
Sons of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Award — Ashton Potter
Wethersfield FFA Alumni Scholarships — Annalise Evans and Traidan Hier
Wethersfield Academic Foundation Scholarship — Grace VandeVoorde
Wilbert and Carol Kept Foundation Scholarship — Traidan Hier
Drew Haverback was recognized for enlisting in the U.S. Army in August.
The guest speaker was retired Superintendent Shane Kazubowski who recalled “firsts” he had experience with the class during his years at Wethersfield, including their pre-kindergarten “graduation,” which, he observed, was the first time they had worn green and white caps and gowns.
