Karl Kerns was named valedictorian and AlexWallace was named salutatorian of the class of 2010 from Mount Ayr Community high school at graduation ceremonies held Sunday, May 23 at the Mount Ayr Community high school gymnasium.A total of 41 Mount Ayr Community seniors were graduated, academic honors were announced and speeches given by the valedictorian and salutatorian.
Kerns, the son of Steve and Becky Kerns of Clearfield, had a 4.0 grade point average and Wallace, the son of Kurt and Lynne Wallace of Mount Ayr, had a grade point average of 3.99.
Kerns plans to attend Iowa State University to earn a degree in molecular reproductive physiology and then earn a doctorate in biomolecular engineering from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
Wallace plans to attend the Universitiy of Iowa at Iowa City to major in psychology and then go on to get a medical degree to become a psychiatrist.
Joining the class leaders as academic honorees in the class were Erin Budach, Mayumi Fernandez, Kelsey Glendenning, Tom Hosfield, Erica Kemery, Maci Sickels, Ashley Wickhizer and Tiffany Wimer.
Other aspects of ceremony
In making the introduction, superintendent Russ Reiter shared some thoughts on failure and how experiencing it could be used to be successful if lessons are taken to heart in those times.
Students graduating included Amelia Becker, Brandon Bishop, Erin Budach, Rodney Burton Jr., Michael Camacho, Courtnie Cox, Forest Cropper, Alicia Daniels, Tasha Drake, Sarah Dredge, Holly England, Mayumi Fernandez, Kelsey Glendenning, Ty Han, Tyler Hinz, Thomas Hosfield, Ariel Johnson, Matthew Jones, Karissa Karr, Erica Kemery, Karl Kerns, Dylan Lame, Katie McVey, Malcom Mercer, Matt Mercer, Jamie Novak, Jennifer Overholser, Samantha Paxson, Weston Pierschbacher, Russell Reynolds, Devin Richards, Adam Sickels, Maci Sickels, Maddilyn Stark, Brian Still, Brandon Thompson, Virginia Vasquez, Alex Wallace, Ashley Wickizer, Tiffany Wimer and Devin Winemiller.
The class colors are black, silver and red, the class flowers are red and white roses and the class motto is “Only as high as we reach can we grow, only as far as we seek we can go, only as deep as we look we can see, only as much as we dream we can be.”
The Mount Ayr Community high school band played the processional and recessional music. The Mount Ayr Community high school choir sang “I’ll Remember You” and “You Raise Me Up.”
High school principal Ken Harrison announced the graduates and school board president Rod Shields presented diplomas.
Seniors took red and white roses to special people in the audience as part of the ceremony as well.