2018 Valedictorians

1)

What is your name? Nate Hartmann

What school did you graduate from? Saxony Lutheran High School

What is your hometown? Jackson

Who are your parents? Dennis and Deidre Hartmann

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? Nana

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? A desire for excellence

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Band, National Honor Society, BETA Club, Small Group Ministry, Spanish Club, and Academic Team

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Challenging, Enjoyable, Faith-Strengthening

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Be serious about school - every year matters.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

The band tours to Branson/Springfield, Nebraska, and Chicago

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Go to Murray State University to major in liberal arts and minor in music

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Living life to the fullest and following God's plan for my life

2)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Jacob Borders

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Zalma High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Zalma, Mo

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Jody and April Borders

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? My father.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I'm motivated by trying to be the best at everything I do.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES? Beta and FCCLA

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE? I had fun.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

My advice to younger class men is that you never need to be afraid to ask for help.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

I will always remember when I was first awarded valedictorian because it was one of the happiest moments in my life.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

To go to SEMO and major in Biomedical Sciences.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

In ten years I see myself as an endodontist.

3)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Sofia Voss

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Saxony Lutheran High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Cape Girardeau

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS?

Kristi Bengoa-Voss and Chuck Voss

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

Director Greta Gerwig and my brother Elwood Voss

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

The idea of creating something that matters

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

National Honor Society, Beta Club, Spanish Club, Art Club, Scholar Bowl, Tennis, Pep Band, Praise Band, Drama

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Full of Growth, Exciting, Challenging

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Find a way to balance social life, academics, and extracurriculars. Also, don't be afraid to speak your mind, you won't be rejected, you'll be respected.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

A theme would definitely be "The show must go on"

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

To major in film studies at the University of Missouri and hopefully attend graduate school at UCLA or NYU and not drown in student loans.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Living in a small apartment in some big city somewhere creating films that I'm proud of.

4)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Benjamin Krewson

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Jackson High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Altenburg, MO

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS?

James Krewson and Shirlene Hecht

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

My mother. She has shown me how to see the best in people and to actively seek out the potential in everyone, rather than just scorn at their flaws. She's given me a reason to work hard and aspire to greatness, and she has never given up on me.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I have a fear of being ordinary and not being remembered. One of my flaws is that I'm not satisfied with being okay at whatever I'm interested in. I'm also motivated to make my mother proud.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Scholar Bowl Captain and All-District Scholar Bowl Junior and Senior Year, Missouri Scholars Academy, Missouri Scholars 100, Physics of Atomic Nuclei Program at the University of Notre Dame (funded by NSF), SOS Trainer at McDonald's

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE? Don't take it too seriously.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

If you ever have an excuse for why you're not succeeding, you're lying to yourself. Stay focused on your goals, whatever they may be and you go farther than you think.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

I'm always going to remember when Mr. Miller, our AP Physics teacher, exposed power companies for selling consumers kilowatt*hours, a unit of energy, not power. "The man ain't selling you power, he's selling you energy."

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

I'm going to do a double major in Physics and Pure Mathematics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. After my four years there, I'll be going to graduate school to get my Ph.D in Mathematics focusing on the subject of Topology.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

I'm hoping that I'll have a Ph.D by the time I'm 27. I see myself doing research at a university on the coast and traveling to Europe, specifically Switzerland to see the Large Hadron Collider.

5)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Mollie Welker

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Meadow Heights

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Patton

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Beverly and Shane Welker

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

My parents. They always stand up for what they believe, even if they are standing alone.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Helping others and bettering myself

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Basketball, softball, beta club, class offices, pep club, FBLA, SADD

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Stressful, hilarious, unique, lazy, memorable

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Do your best every single day, but never take yourself too seriously.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

Roaming the hallways with my friends every day

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS? Semo for nursing degree

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Working in the medical field and starting a family

6)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Kayla Meier

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Perryville High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Perryville, Missouri

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS?

Karen Hayden (Mother), Pete Meier (Father)

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

My role model is my older sister, Janel Erzfeld, as she has influenced me by providing substantial advice and guidance in both my academic and personal life.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I am motivated by the desire to better myself, along with the desire to help others better themselves.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Member of the PHS drum line in marching band for 4 years, Member of the PHS concert and jazz bands for 4 years, Member of the drama club for 4 years (participating in a total of 6 play productions), Member of the National Honor Society

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Eye-opening, Exciting, Stressful, Social, and above all, Fun

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

My advice to underclassmen would be the same advice that my mother always gave to me, "Always strive to do your best. That's all that you can do."

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

I will always remember performing the half-time show with the marching band at home football games. It was an incredible feeling to being able to see something that everybody worked so hard on come together into a beautiful show for others.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

I plan to attend Southeast Missouri State University studying either social work or environmental science.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

In 10 years, I hope to be successful in my desires to change people's lives for the better.

7)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Makayla Job

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Scott City High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Scott City

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Gary and Marsha Job

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? My mom

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

The idea that there's always something more to do and learn.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Robotics, Guidance Advisory Students, Member of Guidance Advisory Student's Leadership Team, Science Club member, Future Teachers of America , National Honors Society, and Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America member.

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

stress, naps, and standardized tests.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Work hard, but don't let yourself get overwhelmed trying to make things perfect.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

Laughing and making dumb jokes with my friends in class and at lunch.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

After graduation, I plan to study biomedical science at Southeast Missouri State University.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

In ten years, see myself starting a career in pharmaceutical research, hopefully helping to find new ways to treat diseases.

8)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Ireland Smith

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Saxony Lutheran High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Cape Girardeau

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Carla and Chris Smith

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? My Mother

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Knowing that I can do anything I set my mind to, if I trust in God and the abilities he's given me.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Beta Club, National Honor Society, Small Group Ministry, and Dance (At the Dance Center).

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Strengthening, Enlightening, Knowledgeable, Purposeful, and Fun.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Work hard, trust in God, and have fun--with those three things you can accomplish anything.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

A moment I will always remember is going to the movie theater to watch the Goonies with my two best-friends.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

I plan to attend SIUE and pursue a doctorate in pharmacy.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

I see myself working as a pharmacist at a hospital near or in St. Louis. Hopefully, I am still motivated by learning new things and continually putting my trust in Christ despite my attained knowledge.

9)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Jessie Gartman

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Eagle Ridge Christian School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Delta, MO

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Denise Gartman

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? My mother and my coaches.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Succeeding. In all things that I do, I'm determined to come out on top of whatever task I tackle

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

I played volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track. I was on the student council. I was a part of the homecoming and prom committees, and I won both homecoming and prom queen.

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE? Live life to the fullest

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Do not be afraid to try new things or to dive into new tasks. You will discover how much you learn and how much you will enjoy taking the risk.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

Taking home the state title in volleyball for 3 years.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Attend Columbia College and play on their volleyball team. The summer after my freshman year, I will be interning with the CIA and the DEA in Indonesia. I will study International Business and Psychology.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Traveling the world while employed by the CIA

10)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Leah Ballin

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Advance High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Advance, Missouri

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Thad and Janine Ballin

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?

My Aunt Verrell Marchbanks, she is a strong and intelligent woman who has had many experiences in her life. She gives the best advice and can always make me feel better!

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Being better than I've been in the past is my motivation. Though grades are important, I have learned that it is about improving yourself more than being perfect. I use my failures to motivate me to do better.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Beta Club, Team Spirit President, FFA President, FBLA, Cheerleading, Cross Country

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Determination, Perseverance, Laughter, Excitement, Growth

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Challenge yourself, don't procrastinate, and don't forget to have fun because the years will fly by.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

Every day in my English class senior year. I will cherish all the memories we made, and all the life talks we shared.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Attend Arkansas State University and major in International Business.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

In 10 years I see myself working my dream job in Paris with an apartment overlooking the skyline and the Eiffel Tower.

11)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Londyn Lorenz

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Saxony Lutheran High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Perryville, MO

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Kevin Lorenz and Cathy Lorenz

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? Nikki Haley

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Wanting to make my family proud

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Softball, Scholar Bowl, Cheerleading, Drama, Choir, Praise Band, National Honor Society, Beta Club, Spanish Club, Art Club, Small Group Ministry, and others.

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Funny, interesting, tiresome, busy, and unforgettable

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN? Get as involved as you can

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

Going to scholar bowl state sophomore year

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Attending the University of Mississippi to major in international studies and Arabic

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Working with the United Nations or State Department with anti-terrorism or stabilization of Middle Eastern governments

12)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Samantha Sabapathypillai

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM?

Notre Dame Regional High School

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Cape Girardeau

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Mercy and Noel Sabapathypillai

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? My sister

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

My passion to help others and to be an example of Christ

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

Softball, Big Brother Big Sister, National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, St. Francis Volunteer, Peer Helpers

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Unforgettable, Hilarious, Exciting, Unexpected, Happy

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

To always work hard in everything you do but also remember to enjoy every moment you get

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

To go out into the world and do God's mission by serving others

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Attend the 6 year medical program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

As a practicing physician working with children and leading medical mission trips

13)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Joseph Landewee

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GRADUATE FROM? Delta R-V

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Chaffee

WHO ARE YOUR PARENTS? Carl and Jennifer Landewee

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL? Father and Grandfather

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

A sense of knowing how successful I can be when I work hard and put my mind in accomplishing something.

WHAT WERE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

FFA, 4-H, National Honor Society

WHAT ARE FIVE WORDS THAT CAPTURE YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

Fun, Interesting, Motivating, Challenging, Exciting

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN?

Set your dreams high and work hard to accomplish those dreams.

WHAT IS A MOMENT OR THEME YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

All of the memories and experiences I shared with my friends.

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Attend Southeast Missouri State University and major in Agribusiness with an emphasis in Plant and Soil Science

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Farming with my Dad and Grandpa, while working in the agricultural field.

-- Compiled by Joshua Hartwig