Southeast gaining two more top graduates this fall

Woodland's top senior Cassidy Sawyer has been rodeoing since she was 10 years old. Her specialty is barrel racing.

She wears the cowgirl get-up: long-sleeve, button-up shirts, a cowgirl hat, a buckle, jeans and boots. But not just any boots.

"My boots I always wear -- I'm obsessed with them," she said. "I wear them, like, everyday. They have shark teeth on them and say ‘Maneater.'"

Sawyer hopes to start a rodeo club at Southeast Missouri State University, where she'll be heading this fall.

Most of the rodeos in which she participates are local, and she hopes to travel farther by doing college rodeo independently through the university.

"It's just like an adrenaline rush, and everything about it is enjoyable for me," she said.

Sawyer's family always has owned horses.

"I made my parents take me to the rodeo, and I'm like, ‘I have to do that,'" she said.

Her parents found a horse nearby from some folks who were part of a 4H rodeo club. For Sawyer, it just started from there. She's now been through a few horses.

"With each one, you have to start slower and as you get faster, you learn to progress with each horse you have, and the better you get, the next horse you get," she said.

Her latest, Kita, is a sorrel American Quarter Horse, a breed that excels at sprinting short distances. Sawyer bought her in March.

"She's a once-in-a-lifetime horse," she said. "I'm actually hoping to pro rodeo on her soon. She's amazing."

Sawyer said she's looking forward to the college life, to be able to study what she wants, meet new people and expand her rodeo experiences.

Sawyer wants to become a physician's assistant.

"I like working with people, and I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn't want to go through years of school and have all the stress and pressure of a doctor," she said. "This is about as close as I can get."

She was a cross country runner, a member of FFA, Beta Club, FCCLA and Wasted, a club to stop smoking.

Ethan Barr

Advance High School 2013 Valedictorian - Ethan Barr (Adam Vogler)

Advance's valedictorian Ethan Barr will attend Southeast Missouri State University. It's close to home, and he was awarded the Regents' Scholarship, which will pay for his tuition.

He doesn't yet know what he wants to do after school, but he's OK with that.

Barr was active in high school, playing both basketball and baseball, holding the position of class vice president, along with being a member of the history club, pep club and Beta Club.

"I loved playing sports," he said. "That was my main thing. It was just the relationship you have with all the guys you played with."

Barr enjoyed basketball more than other sports. All four years he played as No. 51 in orange and black.

Barr credits his competitive streak as motivation for both his love of sports and his valedictorian status. Sibling rivalry played into it as well. His sister graduated salutatorian of her class, and Barr said he had to beat her.

Along with sports and clubs, Barr also held down a job at Town and Country Supermarket for almost two years, working weekends.

"I just had to stay on top of stuff," he said. "I couldn't procrastinate. Just get it done, whenever it was due."

Barr said he will miss seeing his friends everyday.

"You knew everybody, and everybody knew you," he said. Several of his buddies also are attending Southeast, which will make the transition easier.

Barr said he wants to continue with sports in college. He plans to play intramural basketball this year.

"I'm just ready for something new, a new chapter in my life," he said.

botto@semissourian.com