Valedictorians, salutatorians gear up for graduation

Crystal R. Albers
Posted 5/18/18

After years of hard work, Goshen County’s three sets of valedictorians and salutatorians will accept their diplomas Sunday with top honors.

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Valedictorians, salutatorians gear up for graduation

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GOSHEN COUNTY – After years of hard work, Goshen County’s three sets of valedictorians and salutatorians will accept their diplomas Sunday with top honors. The Telegram recently sat down with all six individuals to confirm plans after graduation, as well as look back on their high school careers.

Torrington High School

Valedictorian: Megan Baker

Extracurricular activities: Student Council president; National Honor Society; Leadership; Blazing Sun editor-in-chief; Speech and Debate; choir; FFA; quiz bowl; golf; and basketball.

Future plans: Attend University of Wyoming’s Honors College with the UW’s Trustees Scholars’ Award – a full-ride academic scholarship – potentially majoring in education, psychology, history or anthropology.

“It always was (a goal of mine),” Baker said of earning valedictorian honors. “I’ve always been near the top of my class. It was personal goal I wanted to pursue.

“I was very relieved and happy,” she continued. “It was nice to see so many years of hard work paid off. I am just really grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had to help me get to this point.”

Salutatorian: Jade Palmer-Miller

Extracurricular activities: Soccer; Future Business Leaders of America; Student Council; and National Honor Society.

Future plans: Go to University of Wyoming and major in accounting.

“I was really excited about being named salutatorian,” Palmer-Miller said. “Actually Adia (Sherbeyn), Megan, (and I) have been pretty close for the last few years, so that last semester kind of determined everything.”

Lingle High School

Valedictorian: Kelly Peterson

Extracurricular activities: Tennis; indoor track; outdoor track; Student Council; National Honor Society; FCCLA; and FBLA (state vice president in 2017-18).

Future plans: Attend the University of Southern California.

“I was a junior escort last year at graduation, so I knew I was in the top two, but I didn’t know which,” Peterson said. “I think just building a family with my friends (is my favorite memory of high school).”

Salutatorian: Regan Walford

Extracurricular activities: FBLA and National Honor Society.

Future plans: Attend Eastern Wyoming College.

Walford agreed she enjoyed making connections throughout her time at L-FL High.

“Building relationships with the teachers and everybody,” she said.

Southeast High School

Valedictorian: Kaden Malm

Extracurricular activities: Football; basketball; track; FFA; National Honor Society; 4-H; and Student Council.

Future plans: Attend Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. Judge livestock at the collegiate level while majoring in animal science to continue to a career in beef embryo transplant.

“We were competing as friends,” Malm said of the battle to become top of the class. He added both he and William Fluckiger (salutatorian) were selected as attendants for graduation last year – although Fluckiger was unable to attend – so the pair knew they were in the top two.

Salutatorian: William Fluckiger

Extracurricular activities: Cross country, soccer, all-state music, “Sister Act”.

Future plans: Go to Brigham Young University for a year. Go on a mission for two years, and then finish schooling.

“It was a friendly competition,” Fluckiger said. “At the beginning of the semester, we were only separated by .05 (grade-point average).”