SIKESTON — Approximately 250 Sikeston High School and New Horizons High School graduates received diplomas during the 124th annual outdoor commencement exercises Tuesday, May 13 at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium.
Members of SHS’ class of 2025 generated over $5.2 million in scholarships, according to SHS senior counselor Kim Thornbrough. Total college credits earned by the class were 1,387.
Of the college-bound students, most are headed to Southeast Missouri State University followed by Three Rivers College, according to Thornbrough. Ten graduates will head to the University of Missouri in Columbia.
“This year's senior class is headed in multiple directions, such as University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, DePaul University, Loyola, along with Ole Miss and Mississippi State,” Thornbrough said. “Several are headed to play sports in college, such as basketball, cheerleading, football, softball and band.”
Around 34 students have qualified for the A+ scholarship, and there are 11 graduates headed to serve the country in the military.
“This senior class has my heart,” Thornbrough said. “I have enjoyed working with them; they made this year so much fun and I wish them all the best in their future.”
Leading the class in academics were Dakota Thompson as valedictorian and Aden Cox as salutatorian.
Thompson, who is the daughter of Amy and Tim Thompson, is a member of the Key Club, SkillsUSA, National Honor Society, A+ program, varsity softball, Link Crew, Science Olympiad and the ACT 21-plus Club.
On Tuesday evening, presiding senior class president Colin Scott presented the speakers for the ceremony. The SHS Choir then sang “Fly Away Home” and “The Red and Black.”
Lainey Sherrod read the senior poem, “Rear-view Glances,” which she wrote. Sherrod encouraged her peers to look forward and only look back in good hopes and with good memories.
“As we stand here today, a chapter ends,” Sherrod said. “But a new one is soon set to begin. It is a bittersweet taste, hoping time was not left to waste. With shaking knees and heavy breath, realizing the unknown is what comes next.”
Although they’ll leave their comfort zone with hugs and embraces, Sherrod told her class they will meet again some day.
“There is nothing new under the sun,” Sherrod said. “What is done cannot be undone. Rear view glances, yield no second chances. So here’s to paths unexplored and to all that life has in store.”
Selected speakers Michaiahes Mays and Natalie Wright each gave their speeches.
In her speech, “The Hassle for the Tassel,” Mays reminded her peers how they were told as freshmen to make the next four years the best of their life.
“Flowers take time to grow,” Mays said. “We, too, are like flowers, needing time to bloom and blossom.”
They all had to find their place some way, some how, Mays said. It may have been easier for some than others but they all fought to be there on graduation night, she said.
“As we turn our tassels from the left to the right, remember this: Opportunity doesn’t knock; it presents itself when you beat down the door,” Mays said. “…Endings are not goodbyes; they are just beginnings.”
Wright then gave her speech, “From Kindergarten to Forever.”
“As we turn the page to the next chapter for some of us that may be cheering on our college teams, serving our country or beginning a job, we will all share the memories made in our hometown,” Wright told her peers. “Whether you were a pepper, a bum, an athlete or the person who just came to school to learn, we all are proud bulldogs. We will never forget where we came from or the many years we spent together at Sikeston public schools.”
High School Principal Dr. Doyle Noe, who was introduced by Ashley Roth, announced honors and awards of graduates.
Superintendent Shannon Holifield, who was introduced by Caroline Blanton, presented the class while Board of Education President Chris Hodgkiss, who was introduced by Landry Eason, handed out diplomas along with members of the board of education. High School Academic Principal Katie Henry and New Horizons High School Principal Brian James also helped announce graduates as they received diplomas.
As the graduates received their diplomas, their feelings were of excitement as they await their next adventure.
Prior to graduation, John Robert Wilson Jr., Elaina Winchester and Aiden Yant said they were ready to see what their futures hold.
Wilson, who plans to attend Mississippi State and major in business or finance, said he was excited about his parents seeing him graduate.
Winchester's plans include attending Southeast Missouri State University where she will obtain a pre-physician assistant degree in biology while Yant will attend Mizzou and major in computer engineering.
Michaiahes Mays, who will attend Missouri Baptist University to wrestle, plans to be a social worker or teacher. She was also excited for all of her family attending graduation and hoped her peers took note of her speech.
“Just because we’re closing one chapter doesn’t mean we can’t open another,” Mays said. “The future is scary, but that’s the fun part about it — not knowing.”
Colin Scott said he plans to attend Missouri S&T to study ceramic engineering and see where it takes him. He was ready for graduation but said it hadn’t fully hit him yet as of early Tuesday. Scott said he thought it will start to feel real after the first full week of not being in school.
Meanwhile, Lainey Sherrod was excited to share her poem with her classmates and those gathered for graduation, including her parents.
“It means a lot to be able to do the poem to prove to myself — and my dad (Dallas Sherrod) did his poem (as an SHS graduate in 1995),” Sherrod said. “It means a lot to be able to carry on this tradition, make my parents proud and to be able to make a statement and show everybody who I am and what I believe in.”
After graduation, Sherrod plans to attend Three Rivers College to get her associate’s degree and then pursue a conservation degree at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Natalie Wright said she hoped her classmates would always remember everything before high school.
“I hope we don’t just think about these four years. I hope we think about every year leading up to this graduation,” said Wright, who plans to study agribusiness at Southeast Missouri State University.
Ashley Roth, who has joined the Army National Guard, was excited about introducing her principal who is a veteran of the Army National Guard.
“Having the opportunity to introduce someone like me is one of those lifetime achievements I really wanted,” Roth said. “I’m nervous but excited to experience this bittersweet moment. Watching my sister graduate, I was ready to walk that stage and make my parents proud.”
Roth completed basic training last summer at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. She will go to Advanced Individual Training, or AIT, in San Antonio Texas for combat medic training and then head to Southeast Missouri State University in October for nursing school.
Caroline Blanton, who plans to major in journalism with an emphasis in strategic communication at Mizzou, was very excited about graduation. Particularly, she appreciated being able to have a “normal” graduation because her sister, Grace, who graduated in 2020 didn’t get that.
“So, I’ve cherished all the senior stuff because she didn’t get that,” Blanton said. “I’m excited.”
She was also happy her three older siblings were able to attend and watch her receive her diploma.
“I put on my (college decision) jeans the ‘fourth and final Blanton’ because I’ve heard that phrase so many times,” Blanton said. “It’s special to me — not only because my mom (former school board member Amy Blanton) gets to hand me my diploma, but because I’ve watched all my siblings graduate and leave for college, and it’s my turn.”
Blanton said she will possibly pursue a career in ministry going to s divinity or theology school after obtaining her bachelor’s degree.
“I’m really thankful for all the teachers and administrators who have fed into my academic career and they’ve shaped me into who I am today,” Blanton said. “I might not be the same person that I’m standing here today if I had different teachers.”
Landry Eason, who will attend Mississippi State University and major in educational psychology with a path to be a speech pathologist, also embraced the new chapter in her life.
“It’s very bittersweet though because I’ve made so many best friends throughout high school, and it’s just sad that we’re all going our separate ways — but I’m excited for the future,” Eason said. “I’m definitely gonna miss Sikeston and the community it’s built around because of all the traditions and all that. I hope to carry that to my next adventure and, hopefully, implement some things from back home and try to continue to be a leader.”
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