SUBMITTED
BY EARLENE WARD
Forty-five students
received their diplomas June 7 from the alternative education schools
within the Yosemite Joint Union High School District.
Students also received awards and scholarships.
Christina Smith, a student at Raymond-Granite High School received
the Staff Award.
She was praised for going above and beyond expectations, being friendly,
polite, mature, positive and conscientious.
One of her teachers, Cindy Happ-Jett, said she always “just keeps
plugging along.”
She said Christina is a good role model for the other students.
Three graduates delivered remarks to the audience.
Erica Biezunski of Evergreen High urged the graduates to “dream
big” and never stop setting goals.
Josh Trayer from Ahwahnee High thanked the staff at AHS for helping
him succeed.
“I will be eternally grateful to the teachers,” he said.
Yosemite Adult High School graduate Ray Battles also thanked his
teacher, Janice Dissmeyer.
He said he is not accustomed to speaking before a crowd but he was
willing to do it because he had three children in the audience and
he wanted them to see the importance of education.
Seven students received awards from the Madera County Board of Supervisors
for specific achievements: Christina Smith, positive attitude; Erica
Biezunski, accelerated academic achievement; Josh Trayer, accelerated
academic achievement; Tanya Venzki, accelerated academic achievement;
Nicole Thomas, perfect attendance; Sable Rowell, perseverance; and
Betty DeSpain, entrepreneurial achievement.
Three students received awards from the Madera County School Board:
Erica Biezunski, Jessica May Carrick and Josh Trayer.
Scholarship
recipients
Irene N. Ahlers Memorial: Erica Biezunski. El Capitan Foundation:
Josh Trayer, Erica Biezunski, Kimberly Gary, Sable Rowell and Nicole
Thomas. Murray Hammerling Memorial: Sable Rowell. Oakhurst Sierra
Sunrise Rotary: Erica Biezunski, Sable Rowell and Nicole Thomas.
Soroptimist of the Sierra: Sable Rowell.
Diplomas were presented to the graduates by their teachers, Alternative
Education Principal Roberta Tackett, YJUHSD Superintendent Bill
McCabe and YJUHSD trustees Tom Allcock, Karen Hutchings and Linda
Olson.
Graduates
Ahwahnee High: Jesse Corn, Edward Pickering IV,
Jason Scialabba and Josh Trayer.
Foothill High: Shannon Joaquin, Daniel McHenry
and Pietie Tegtmeyer.
Evergreen High: Erica Biezunski, Amanda Boos, Mitchell
Bragdon, Keralyn Davis, Pamela DePalmer, Jesse Flora, Kimberly Gary,
Lisa Gonzalez, Jacob Higuera, Jacob Langley, Blanca Murrillo, Amanda
Olsen, Karisa Owens, Thomas Paminto, Lynnette Parrish, Maggie Ramos,
Kara Raynor, Sable Rowell, Nicole Thomas, Tanya Venzke, Brian Whitfield
and Sean Wilkins.
Raymond-Granite High: Heather Robertson, Carrian
Rodriguez and Christina Smith.
Raymond-Granite Adult High: Betty DeSpain.
Yosemite Adult High: Raymond Battles, Douglas Bauer, Jessica
Carrick, Tiffany Elam, Carol Enggink, Gina Foley, Heather Manlove,
Rachel Moss, Colton Preciado, Eric Ramos, Justin Schmitz and Jake
Wright.
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