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YHS students finish at the head of the class
Recipients of the Pitman Award for 2005 are: Jenna Barney, Megan Cable, Lauren Cook, Jessica Fischer, Amit Gurnani, Lauren Helm, Jacqueline Hofer, Taylor Hutchison, Patrick “Patch” Kientz, Suzanna Knowles, Justin Leithem, Casey Lucas, Richard Maggio, Michael McCarty, Jessica Morrison, Courtney Papike, Katelynn Peek, Sean Ratchford, Gabriella Ripley Phipps, Melissa Springer, Veronica Stewart, Melinda Young and Elizabeth Zielins. The banquet is dedicated to the memory of Paul and Martha Pitman who were instrumental in the formation of the Yosemite Joint Union High School District and Yosemite High School which opened its doors to students in September 1976.YHS Principal Steve Raupp thanked Sherry Colgate and Laura Darling, both of Sierra Telephone, for their hard work in putting on the banquet to recognize the students and to secure gifts for each of the students.
Bill Atwood, Ed.D. was master of ceremonies. In remarks printed in the program the students each reflect on what has meant the most to them in high school and what has helped them succeed. They mention family, faith, friends, teachers, counselors and mentors. They write about the opportunities they have had at YHS, including sports, drama, music, art, auto shop, “little buddies,” the Academic Decathlon and more. They write about the growth they have experienced over the past four years and the hopes and plans they have for the future. Jenna Barney wrote, “If I had to pick one word to describe my high school career, that word would be ‘growth.’ During my time at Yosemite High School I believe that I have grown so much in so many areas of my life, and it is largely due to those individuals who have helped me to do so.” Megan Cable says her greatest memories have been on the volleyball court. “It is something that I have always loved, will never forget and always miss.” She said she has learned the most from the mistakes she’s made. “Don’t focus on the little mistakes you’ve made,” she writes, “but try to appreciate the great things that can come from them.” Lauren Cook’s most impacting experience during her high school years was a mission trip to Mexico during spring break in 2004. She wrote that her high school education has made her a person who loves to learn and that through traveling to Mexico and New Zealand “I have fallen in love with the different personalities of this world, and thus developed my intuitive personality and an intellectual curiosity I cannot contain.” Jessica Fisher said she found herself in music. “Music has not only taught me to pursue your talents, but to keep faith that if you love something so much it will all work out in the end.” She said she also learned that no matter how inadequate a person might feel, they should never give up. Amit Gurnani wrote about his parents, teachers and friends, saying his parents molded him into the person he is proud to be today. He mentioned his teachers as being kind and understanding, lenient yet firm and preparing him for the very real world of college. Lauren Helm learned that high school is more than responsibility. It is an opportunity for growth and development. I do not learn because I have to, but I seek to increase my knowledge because I want to.” She wrote that the teachers at YHS “have been receptive and giving in an effort to provide for me the best opportunities to open my mind with thinking skills and reflection.” Jacqueline Hofer was home schooled until her senior year at YHS and, she wrote, when she enrolled she had a “clouded picture of high school life.” She went on to say “Having had the misconception that young people of my generation were faltering, I entered high school with a cynical and critical mindset. Over the course of the year, I have found the truth however. In home schooling it’s not something one gets to see, which to me, is the biggest downfall to not attending school.” Taylor Hutchison says high school is about much more than academics: “It is when we learn to make the right choices in order to mature in a reasonable way as time goes on.” She said “High school is awesome. It’s funny though how people don’t think that until these last few months before graduation.” Patrick “Patch” Kientz says during his four years at YHS he has learned how to think. “I have learned how to progress through the understanding and application of theory. My classes have commonly conveyed to me the subjective nature of physical reality, philosophical reality and social life.” Suzanna Knowles wrote of “the most amazing and impacting incident of all,” a vehicle wreck while on a mission trip to Mexico this year. She said the incident “has impacted the person I am forever” and “because of this wonderful (and I do mean wonderful) experience, I have come to put every inch of trust in Jesus Christ, my lord and savior. I know now that I was saved for a reason, and I owe Him my life.” Justin Leithem says high school has been a growing experience for him and he has learned many life skills from taking International Baccalaureate classes and from learning to associate with different groups of kids. “I have built up character and integrity through disciplining myself between sports and a hard school program,” he wrote. Through his participation in the band KISS and performing on a float, he said “I had crawled out of my shell, and I wasn’t afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone.” The
list continues Richard Maggio will major in mechanical engineering at the University of California at Davis and hopes to become an automotive engineer and design new hybrid systems for cars in the future. He knew his strengths were in math and science, then through auto classes at YHS he decided to pursue a career in automotive engineering. Michael McCarty wrote of the teachers who have helped shape him into the person he has become. He said “It is hard to come by these people and I feel so privileged to have had the chance to be taught by them,” He calls them “people of character” and says “they go through their work with little recognition and I would like to say that I recognize them.” Jessica Morrison said she learned a lot through her peer communication class and the “little buddies” program that allowed her to mentor and tutor younger children. She said these experiences made her thankful for the life she has had. Courtney Papike said “I feel that YHS has prepared me for my exciting journey in college and in the career of my choice. I feel that YHS offers many great opportunities for its students and I am very grateful that I was a part of this high school.” Even though she complained at times about the hard work, she said “I now understand the importance of my education.” Katelynn Peek said her most meaningful experience has been running with her mom around town and people honking and waving and asking “how many miles today?” and saying “you’re so great to do that every day.” Sean Ratchford is grateful that he grew up in this community and he said he has tried to take advantage of many of the opportunities at YHS such as drama, basketball, football, Future Business Leaders of America and his classes. He is most grateful for his drama classes and he said “never have I felt more alive than when I am in that class.” Gabriella Ripley Phipps says if a person can read what she wrote they should thank a teacher. If they can make a fashion faux pas or a social mistake and still be accepted, thank a friend. “If you can tie your shoes, thank a parent,” she wrote. She thanks her parents “for getting me addicted to receiving good grades.” Melissa Springer learned to “work hard, have fun and enjoy the time at hand” in high school. While concentrating on a rigorous academic schedule, she also participated in extra-curricular activities. “I have experienced an extremely busy life style where time management played a key role, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The crazy schedules, although stressful at times, kept me on my toes, and I loved the many weeks crammed full of activities.” Veronica Stewart said high school “has been anything but carefree for me.” She said she studied hard and took the harder classes. She learned that her childhood dream of becoming a marine biologist was not for her. She discovered that she “positively enjoyed learning a different language and resolved to learn more in the future. From this interest in foreign language came an interest in different cultures.” She said she has grown a lot in the four years and “Now it is finally time to move on - finally.” Melissa Young said she has been “taught a wide variety of valuable lessons” over her high school years. “It is very difficult to decide what to say about what I have learned in high school but I think that I can accurately sum all of my learning into one priceless lesson; I have learned to trust God with every aspect of my life, no matter how insignificant and worthless it may seem,” she wrote. Elizabeth Zielins said as a senior she has finally found her voice and she hasn’t done it alone. Along the way she has had help from teachers, friends and her parents. During high school she discovered one of the two passions in her life is biology. The other passion is music that she has used as an accompanist to the YHS choir for two years. Her love of science and a desire to help others have solidified her decision to become a craniofacial surgeon. |
