Choctaw County High School was proud to host its annual Commencement Exercises for its senior Class of 2018 May 18 at the Amphitheater located in Tom Glasgow Park of Ackerman.
Parents, friends, and family gathered in hundreds to share in the experience of the students preparing to step towards their adult lives while closing a chapter of their lives that will never be forgotten.
In honor of former classmate Mo Hardin, who passed away in March 2018, the Class of 2018 wore special red ribbons in his memory.
The evening's exercises began with the processional with a performance of the traditional graduation melody "Pomp and Circumstance," followed by an invocation led by Shakeria Smith.
After the invocation, the audience enjoyed a rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” by the CCHS Choral members, followed with this year's welcome for the commencement by Tyler Smith.
CCHS Principal Amber Vowell was given the honor of presenting the graduating seniors with their recognitions and awards earned during their school years.
Recognitions and awards for this year include:
• Brice Utley – Valedictorian, High Honor Graduate, Star Student, Hall of Fame, Mr. Choctaw County High School, Mississippi High School Activities Association’s Lindy Callahan Scholar Athlete District Nominee, Dr. James R. Carpenter Scholarship, National Wild Turkey Federation Scholarship, Mississippi State University Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship, Mississippi State University Colvard Future Leader Scholarship, Mississippi State University STAR Student Scholarship, Mississippi State University E.H. Sumners Foundation Scholarship, Mississippi State University Study Abroad Scholarship, Mississippi State University Valedictorian Scholarship.
• Allison Brown – Salutatorian, High Honor Graduate, Miss Choctaw County High School, Hall of Fame, Mississippi High School Activities Association Lindy Callahan Scholar Athlete District Nominee, East Central Community College Athletic Scholarship, East Central Community College ACT President’s Award Scholarship, Distinguished Young Women 1st Alternate Scholarship, Distinguished Young Women Essay Award Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship,
• Tyler Smith - High Honor Graduate, East Mississippi Community College Academic Excellence Scholarship.
• Shakeria Smith - High Honor Graduate, Hall of Fame, James A. Keller Scholarship, 20th Century Club Living the Volunteer Spirit Scholarship, AHS Reunion Scholarship, Holmes Community College Cheer Scholarship and ACT Scholarship,
• Gibeau Fleming - High Honor Graduate, Hall of Fame, Itawamba Community College Academic Scholarship and Leadership Scholarship, AHS Reunion Scholarship, Ackerman Juniorettes Scholarship, Choctaw county Medical Center’s One of Us Nursing and Medical Scholarship.
• Sadie McKnight - High Honor Graduate, Itawamba Community College National Merit Semifinalist, Itawamba Community College ACT Achievement Incentive Scholarship, Leadership Scholarship, Concert Choir Scholarship, Chamber Choir Scholarship, and Center Stage Show Choir Scholarship, Cheryl Stacy Memorial Scholarship, Carol McAdams Memorial Scholarship.
• Tres Gammill - High Honor Graduate, Itawamba Community College ACT Special Incentive Scholarship and Golf Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Austin Fulgham - High Honor Graduate, Hall of Fame, Itawamba Community College ACT Achievement Incentive Scholarship and Leadership Scholarship, Keyone Docher Memorial Scholarship, AHS Reunion Scholarship, Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Laiana Cork - High Honor Graduate, Tarrance and Keisha Miller Scholarship, University of Mississippi Academic Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship, Choctaw County Medical Center’s One of Us McBride-Lilley Nursing and Medical Scholarship.
• Jack Miles - High Honor Graduate.
• Ayana Taylor - Honor Graduate, Mississippi Valley State University Softball Scholarship, Eva M. Cummings Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• William Evans - Honor Graduate, Mississippi State University Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship.
• Rylee Bowman - Honor Graduate, Choctaw County Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame, East Mississippi Community College Academic Achievement Scholarship, Distinguished Young Women Scholarship.
• Destiny Rutledge - Honor Graduate, East Mississippi Community College ACT Scholarship.
• Chloe Jenkins - Honor Graduate, East Mississippi Community College Opportunity Scholarship, Concert Choir Scholarship and Band Scholarship.
• Alundra Davenport - Honor Graduate, AHS Reunion Scholarship, East Mississippi Community College Band Scholarship and RA Scholarship, Zeta Phi Beta Scholarship, Sherry Moss Award.
• Nick Blake - Honor Graduate, Itawamba Community College ACT Special Incentive Scholarship, 2018 ITPA Billy D. Young Telephone Pioneer Memorial Scholarship, Ride for Carmen Scholarship.
• Eric Jones - Honor Graduate, AHS Reunion Scholarship, Nucor Foundation Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Steven Triplett - Honor Graduate, AHS Reunion Scholarship, East Mississippi Community College Choral Scholarship.
• Clancy Burdine - Honor Graduate, East Mississippi Community College Academic Opportunity Scholarship.
• Adam Threadgill - Honor Graduate, Millsaps College Legacy Scholarship, Millsaps College Athletic Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Elizabeth Thomas - Honor Graduate, Hall of Fame, Mississippi Distinguished Young Women Spirit Award, Charles Thomas All-Purpose Athletic Scholarship, East Mississippi Community College Athletic Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Braden Hines - Honor Graduate, East Mississippi Community College Academic Opportunity Scholarship.
• Tiundra Zollicoffer - Honor Graduate.
• Ben Carr - Honor Graduate.
• Isabella Weeks - Honor Graduate.
• Mackenzie Abbott - Honor Graduate.
• McKayla Winters - Honor Graduate, Choctaw County High School Alumni Association Student Assistance Scholarship, AHS Reunion Scholarship, Mississippi State University E.H. Sumners Foundation Scholarship.
• Laterrious Arterberry - Choctaw County Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame and Student of the Year.
• Amerious Brown - Holmes Community College Athletic Scholarship.
• Shi’Nell Davis - Culinary Institute of America FCCLA Scholarship.
• Macey Gammill - East Mississippi Community College Academic Opportunity Scholarship, Ride for Carmen Scholarship.
• Mason Harris - Choctaw County Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame, Holmes Community College Dean’s Scholarship, Skills USA Scholarship, Band Scholarship.
• Shimya Hearn - Choctaw County Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame and Student of the Year.
• Grace Holland - Itawamba Community College Band Scholarship, Concert Choir Scholarship, and Chamber Choir Scholarship.
• Akeem Kirkwood - Itawamba Community College Men’s Basketball Scholarship, Kay Gant Scholarship.
• Quinton Lane - Choctaw County Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame.
• Brysa Maxwell - Holmes Community College Basketball Scholarship, Earnestine Austin Shumaker Legacy Scholarship.
• Cameron Miller - AHS Reunion Scholarship, Holmes Community College Athletic Scholarship.
• Jeremy Miller - Itawamba Community College Basketball Scholarship.
• Lakyshia Mitchell - Suzanne Coleman Scholarship, Rogis Willis Clark Memorial Scholarship, Tarrance and Keisha Miller Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship
• Ashton Meyers - United State Marine Corps GI Bill Scholarship.
• Cole Odom - Choctaw Career and Technology Center Hall of Fame, Mississippi State University Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship.
• Naikia Price - Culinary Institute of America FCCLA Scholarship, Choctaw County Medical Center’s One of Us Scholarship.
• Madison Ray - Itawamba Community College Leadership Scholarship, The Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service’s 2018 Prudential Spirit of Community Distinguished Finalist, The Corporation for National and Community Service’s President’s Volunteer Service Award.
• Shayla Robinson - Holmes Community College Athletic Trainer Scholarship.
• Austin Telano - Holmes Community College Baseball Scholarship, Graham Moss Scholarship.
• Tanner Threadgill - Belhaven University Academic Achievement Scholarship, Blazers Scholarship, and Tartan Award.
This year's Salutatorian, Allison Brown, gave the annual Salutatory Address, while Valedictorian Brice Utley delivered the Valedictory Address. This was followed by the presentation of the senior class by CCHS Counselor Tina McLendon.
The commencement exercises concluded with senior class president Ayana Taylor performing the Declaration of Commencement and the benediction performed by Gibeau Fleming.
Choctaw County High School Class of 2018
Katherine Makenzie Abbott*, Laterrious Arterberry, Jacob M. Barksdale, Tammy Diane Berry, Nickolas Thomas Blake*, Rylee Bowman*, Katelin Breanna Nicole Bright, Allison Brown**, Amerious Demond Brown, Clancy Burdine*, Hannah Busby, Peyton Cade, Jessalyn Kate Callahan, Benjamin Foster Carr*, Peter Andrew Carr, Kelvin Dewayne Chapman, Laiana Shalia Cork**, Raven Antoinette Cork, Le’Quane Deverious Crawford, Hunter Bradley Crimm, Alundra Davenport, Shi’Nell K. Davis, Austin Zane Dinning*, Jalen Kiyon Esters, William Ray Evans*, Gibeau Kaudre Fleming**, Morgan Jayde Flippo, Caleb Anthony Fowler, Austin Fulgham**
Macey Gammill, Wilson Gammill**, Seth Conley Goins, Myeshia Danyette Graham, DaMarrius Antonio Hall, Isaiah Benjamin Hannah, Mason Douglas Harris, Shimya Marshell Hearn, Chasity Alexandrea Hickson, Braden Hines*, Grace Holland, Noah Wyatt Hunt, Chloe Jenkins*, Eric Tyler Jones*, Jerome Lamar Kirkwood, Jr., Zebadiah Akeem Kirkwood, Quinton Reide Lane, Allison Ashlie Liddell, Olivia Lovorn, Brysa Diane Maxwell, Ethan Wayne McCall, Mitchell Hampton McKnight, Sadie McKnight**, Ashton Taylor Meyers, Jack Miles**, Cameron De’Andra Miller, Cam’Ron Davonte Miller, Devonte Lemont Miller, Jeremy Ledell Miller, Lakysha Rymonni Mitchell
Kassidy Scott Nowell, Cole Odom, Naikia K. Price, Hunter Alan Pruitt, Madison Nicole Ray, Shayla Shania Robinson, Larry Jimmy Roland, Destiny Faith Rutledge*, Shakeria Smith**, Tyler Smith**, Curdarious Marquez Talley, Ayana Taylor*, Austin Telano, Cheyenne Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas*, Keith Thomas, Adam Threadgill*, Tanner Vaughan Threadgill, Fredrecka Triplett, Steven Keishun Triplett, Amyra Charde Turner, Brice Utley**, Bella Weeks*, Qenjada Rena Weeks, Victoria La’Na’ Reed Westmoreland, Ameila Belle Whittington, McKayla Cachet Winters*, Dezmond Tyrell Woods, Tiundra S. Zollicoffer*
*Denotes Honor Graduate
**Denotes High Honor Graduate
President – Ayana Taylor. Vice President – Elizabeth Thomas. Secretary – Gibeau Fleming
