The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
West Central High School held its 20th commencement ceremony last Sunday as the Class of 2025 celebrated earning their high school diplomas.
During the ceremony, the top ten graduating students were recognized. Those finishing in the top ten of the class, listed in alphabetical order, are: Kevin DeMent, Harlee Hainds, Alexia Hall, Rozella Liggett, Reagan Long, Kailee McGraw, McKenna McGraw, August Morris, Abby “Ashar” Prenatt, and Addison Seitz.
Three students were awarded the 2024-2025 Academic Excellence Award for completing the year with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. The recipients were Kevin DeMent, son of Josh DeMent and Ashley and Noelle Hahn; Rozella Liggett, daughter of Gabe and Amanda Wood; and Addison Seitz, daughter of Michael Seitz and Amanda VanArsdale.
Two students were recognized for logging over 250 hours of volunteer service in the community over their four years of high school. Those graduates were Alexia Hall, daughter of Timothy Hall and Rebecca Stephson, and Galilaia Sutton, daughter of Henry Sutton and Alana Dennis.
This year’s Salutatorian was Kevin DeMent, and the Valedictorian was Rozella Liggett. Both of their addresses can be found on page 5.
In his address to the class, Principal Jason Kirby referenced Semisonic’s 1998 hit “Closing Time,” a song traditionally played at the end of Homecoming and Prom.
“The lyrics that are said in the that song for those dances are ‘I don’t care where you go but you can’t stay here.’ Today those words mean, it’s your time to go out into the world and make your mark,” Mr. Kirby told the graduates.
Taking Principal Kirby’s reference one step further, the final line in the last verse says, “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” The community looks forward to the bright new beginnings the Class of 2025 is about to embark on!