YODER – A handful of excited, teary-eyed parents, siblings and family members filled the Southeast gym Tuesday morning as the senior class of 2025 held their signing and awards day.

Elementary teachers filed in with their students to fill the rest of the bleachers as they themselves looked on with memories of the soon to be graduates running through their minds.

Folding tables draped with college logos sat front and center, manned by 21 beaming students greeted the crowd. 

School guidance counselor, Amanda Fogle gave a welcome address to the guests and then passed the microphone to the first senior.

Jami Garson said she is planning on attending Gillette College to rodeo, she will major in business and in five years she sees herself out on the rodeo circuit. 

Taylar Hansen said she is planning on attending either Eastern Wyoming College or Sheridan College and get her pre-vet classes completed. After she finishes up there, she hopes to attend Colorado State University and become a vet. In five years, she said she will still be completing vet school.

Angie Logsdon plans on attending Chadron State College to run track and major in athletic training. In five years, she sees herself working as a physical therapist helping athletes. 

Vanessa Shepherd said she plans on continuing to work at the Longbranch in Hawk Springs as she really enjoys cooking and providing service to people. In five years, she said she will still be working or possibly opening her own art business. 

Kaden Horton said he plans on joining with Great Western Cattle Co. in Torrington and will be learning about Dairy Development. In five years, he sees himself still working with the company. 

Anna Hartman will be attending the University of Wyoming and majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She chose this school because of the scholarship opportunities offered to her. In five years, she sees herself working in her chosen industry.

Brett Gara will be attending University of Wyoming and majoring in Farm and Ranch Management. After graduation, he will continue to use his degree on the farm. 

Kay Read will be attending the University of Wyoming and majoring in Special Education. She said she chose this path because she knows the struggle and wants to be a support system for students. In five years, she sees herself running her own classroom.

Ty Fogle will be attending Eastern Wyoming College and majoring in Cosmetology. She said she has always had a passion for hair, especially dying it and gained this love through theater. In five years, she said she will be working towards getting an art education degree or working in a salon. 

Drew Boche will be attending Eastern Wyoming College and majoring in computer science. He said in five years he will most likely be continuing his higher education at a university.

Brooklyn Leithead will be attending Eastern Wyoming College and majoring in sports phycology. She said she has always had a passion for helping people. In five years, she sees herself working with athletes. 

Emmett Coxbill will be attending Eastern Wyoming College and majoring in gunsmithing. He said he has always enjoyed firearms and is interested in making a career out of building them. In five years, he said he sees himself building guns. 

Ayden Shimic will be attending Laramie County Community College and majoring in precision agriculture. He said he is interested in learning about the evolving technology in agriculture and in five years he will be working in the ag industry.

Emilee Moates is attending Laramie County Community College and majoring in ultrasound technology. She looks forward to a career where she can help people. In five years, she said she sees herself working as an ultrasound tech somewhere far away from Wyoming. 

Carter Blevins will be attending Laramie County Community College and majoring in radiology. He said he is interested in this field because he has always enjoyed learning about anatomy and wants to help people. In five years, he sees himself working in Oregon in radiology.

Ayden Desmond will be attending Peru State College and playing baseball. He said he will be majoring in business and in five years he sees himself joining the workforce. 

Kannon Tippits is undecided on where he will go to college but has plans of majoring in sports management. In five years, he sees himself helping athletes.

William Knowlton will be attending MIT and majoring in mechanical engineering. He said he wanted to attend MIT because it is one of the best in the world for engineering and he has always enjoyed building things. He said in five years he will still be in school as he plans to get his masters degree. 

Alec DeMarc will be enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. He has a lot of family who has served over the years and he has always wanted to follow in their footsteps. In five years, he said he sees himself still serving his country and hopefully 30 pounds lighter and much stronger. 

Sebastian Brumley said he plans to attend Casper College to start his degree in the medical field. He said he has friends and family who are in the medical field and it is a calling to him as well. In five years, he said he will still be in school pursuing his medical degree.

Calvin David will be attending WyoTech and majoring in diesel technology. He said he has always loved diesel trucks and enjoys working on them. In five years, he sees himself owning his own shop and working on trucks. 

Each student was given a raucous round of applause after telling their plans to the crowd. 

After each student told the crowd their plans, they all took up their pens and signed their letters of intent to each of their chosen colleges, again receiving a round of applause from the crowd. 

Southeast faculty members then came forward to present awards. 

Principal Tim Williams called forward six students who had maintained a 3.75 GPA or above for at least seven semesters. Those students were Drew Boche, Ayden Desmond, Anna Hartman, William Knowlton, Brooklyn Leithead and Jami Garson. 

Principal Tim Williams announced this class would have two valedictorians, and as such there would be no salutatorian this year. 

Brooklyn Lethead and William Knowlton will be sharing this honor at graduation on Sunday.

Woods teacher, Todd Weber came to the podium to present the “Golden Hammer” Award as the student who is the “jack of all trades” in the wood shop. Ayden Desmond was the presented with this award. 

Heilbrun was excited to announce Vanessa Shepherd and Taylar Hansen as the National Spanish Honor Society Award winners. They were each presented with a red satin stole to wear at graduation for this honor. 

Lonna Schmick stepped forward to announce the physics, engineering and anatomy award winners. 

William Knowlton was presented with the physics award, Angie Logston with the engineering award and Ty Fogle with the anatomy award. She shared a funny story about Ty not being able to make it through their first dissection, but later embracing the class. 

She also thanked her class assistants, Brooklyn Leithead and Aydan Shimic for all their help this year. 

The creative writing “Top Hat” awards were presented by Mrs. LeeAnn Sedman and were presented to Kay Read and Vanessa Shepherd. 

Brian McGuire recognized Kay Read, Taylar Hansen and Ty Fogle as outstanding art students this year, all bringing home awards from art shows. 

Jeff Fullmer presented an award to students showing exemplary effort in weights class with a protein bar. Anna Hartman and William Knowlton received this edible award. 

Fogle recognized members of student council and presented them with purple and white cords to wear at graduation. Those students recognized were William Knowlton, Anna Hartman, Brooklyn Leithead, Angie Logston, Ty Fogle, Kay Read and Alec Demarc.

She then moved into presenting some of the scholarships won by the senior class. 

Fogle said in her 19 years of teaching she had never had a student be named a National Merit Program Finalist but this year William Knowlton earned the honor. Less than 1% of student’s nationwide who take the PSAT earn this honor. 

The University of Wyoming Trustees Scholarship was presented to Anna Hartman. Students must have a 3.95 GPA and a cumulative ACT score of 32 to be eligible for this scholarship. It is a four-year renewable scholarship including tuition, fees and housing. 

To wrap up the ceremony, Fogle presented three students with scholarships for their dedication to the theater.

Kay Read received the International Thespian Society award. 

Vanessa Shepherd was named Honor Thespian and Ty Fogle received the highest honor with the International Thespian Model award. 

One last round of applause ended the ceremony.