Wayne County Schools Career Center seniors were commended for their achievements

Wayne County Schools Career Center seniors were commended for their achievements recently at the 10th annual Senior Recognition Ceremony at Wayne College in Orrville. Superintendent Kip Crain presented Lilly Smucker, a practical nursing student from Smithville, as Student of the Year out of 24 top seniors in each career-tech program. Smucker is the daughter of Bob and Lillian Smucker of Smithville. “She has demonstrated outstanding character, service and leadership during her time at the Career Center,” Crain said. She is president of SkillsUSA and her practical nursing class placed second in the state practical nursing SkillsUSA competition and qualified for the national competition. Last year she won fifth in nursing at SkillsUSA state contests.She is a Career Center ambassador, a member of National Honor Society and Drug Free Clubs of America, and was on prom court. She is employed at Capture This! Entertainment as a caricature artist. At Smithville she was a varsity cheerleader and in drama club, spirit club and choir. She volunteers at the Smithville Cemetery, the Wayne County Humane Society and Relay for Life. Next year she will attend the University of Akron to get her BSN and continue to become a nurse practitioner.Scholarship winners were Smucker, Tillie Lorincz Scholarship; Zarenia Reed of Northwestern, Ambassador Scholarship, Edward, Arlene and Kaye Maibach Scholarship, and WCJVSEA Scholarship; Matthew Wolf of Chippewa, Ambassador Scholarship; Austin Howman of Northwestern, Heidi Fetzer of Norwayne, Katie Leach of Smithville, and Abigail Daley of Triway with the American Red Cross Scholarships and Leach, Edward, Arlene and Kaye Maibach Scholarship; Matthew Lessiter of Smithville, WCJVSEA Scholarship; Cheyenne Morehouse of Waynedale, Lynn Welker Memorial Scholarship; and Shilo Lovell of Wooster, Sara Weikert Memorial Scholarship. They received their scholarships at the senior assembly earlier in the day.Color guard bringing in the American flag were Kora Bailey of Chippewa, Ethan Forney of Smithville and Kristina Leohr of Wooster. Jacob Bozman of Wooster led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Abram Forrer served as master of ceremonies and sang the national anthem. Ashley Fath of Rittman gave a tribute to the senior class with a quote from Winnie the Pooh, who said, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” She challenged the class to think of the people who have inspired them. For her, that person is her mother. She thanked all the families of the graduates who supported and inspired them.Seniors stood for recognition for special awards, academic awards, National Honor Society membership, Student Ambassadors, Students of the Month, Perseverance and Achievement awards, and top 10 state winners. Receiving two-year perfect attendance plaques were Forrer, Kara Conn of Hillsdale and Courtney Kindy of Smithville.Top seniors received plaques including Wyatt Loving, agricultural mechanics/power technologies; Kaitlyn Campbell, animal care and management; Zachary Westfall, automotive technologies; Jared Merriman, buildings and grounds; Colton Shanley, construction technologies; Carissa Yungen, cosmetology; Kristina Leohr, criminal justice; Mikayla Griffin, culinary arts; Courtney Kindy, dental assisting; Zarenia Reed, early childhood education and care; Anthony Carmany, electronics and computer networking; Hunter Fuhrer-Hostutler, engineering technologies; Austin Howman, exercise science and sports medicine; Kaylee Ling, graphic design and photography; Kelsey Zuercher, hospitality; Matthew Wolf, interactive media; Andrianna Stroud, landscaping and turf management; Morgan Manley, medical assisting; Stephanie Hatten, patient care technologies; Colt Ullman, powerline technologies; Lilly Smucker, practical nursing; Ross Hofacre, precision machining; Anthony Miller, truck mechanics; and Jacob Myers, welding technologies. Alisha Berry, a Wooster student in exercise science and sports medicine, addressed her peers. “One of the things I personally have learned while at the Career Center is how to grow. I have grown as a student, as an employee and as a person. I’m sure you all have learned the same.”Berry thanked the teachers and staff members who taught her how to be successful. She quoted C.S. Lewis, who said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”“I once read, ‘Those who dream most, do most.’ I am certain that if each of you continue to dream big, the future is yours, and there’s nothing that can stand in your way. As you move forward, keep in mind that the best way to predict the future is to create it,” she said. “We all have a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint, and the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service and hard work.”“This is just the start of the journey, not the finish line,” she continued. “Always remember to have an open mind, keep a smile and don’t give up because there is nothing you can’t accomplish.”Each senior and 13th-year student crossed the stage and received a certificate for their many achievements from their career-tech instructor.