Grads

Nearly 1,400 students graduated from Mountain State University in May. The following is a listing of graduates from Mountain State University Martinsburg: Associate degrees Edward Edens, Kenneth Jean, Heather Klockmann and Cynthia Stevick. Bachelor’s degrees Victoria Abiodun, Nike Adebanjo, Adeniran Adeleye, Ganiyat Adeyemo, Cynthia Adofo, Folashade Akinbinu, Anthony Akpan, Tiffany Anderson, Victoria Anifowoshe, Felix Anusie, Emilia Atem, Fatmata Bah, Charnell Banjoman, Sally Benjamin, David Bennett, Bonnie Bennie, Charles Besong, Estime Bien-Aime, Ashley Boarman, Carolynn Boone, Kristy Brown, Rosalind Burton, Christina Chapman, Richard Connelly, Faith Cupp, Erin Dennis, Barry Detwiler, Doris Dickson, Isaac Djampouop, Jeanne Dossou, Hylarion Doue, Amy Duncan, Kelly Durkin, Rodney Ebersole, Edward Edens, Amanda Edwards, Juliet Egwim, Colman Ejerenwa, Joseph Ekoh, Marla Ellis, Ernestine Enohmbi, Joseph Enongene, Isaac Fofie, Rosaline Fontah, April Funkhouser, Blessing Gabriel, Regina Gardiner, Benjamin Gross, Lisa Guido-O’Donnell, Justine Hall, Nathan Hall, Pamela Harper, Beverly Haymes, Rebecca Hess, Ara Hessamy, Linda Hill, Chantal Hlontor, Chad Hott, Christopher Houck, Yetunde Ifelowo, Ogechukwu Igbo, Eddy Iyeke, Amanda Johnson, Rabi Kaidbey, Philippe Kakou, Chinyere Kalu, Jean-Baptiste Kassi, Moromoke Kehinde, Corey Keiner, Abiola Kiladejo, Heather Klockmann, Heather Knorr, Zainab Koroma, Alusine Kumala, Maame Kyeremateng,...

View all of the photos for purchase! McConnellsburg (Pa.) High School Salutatorian Lisa DeShong, left, has her tassel adjusted by fellow graduate Ryan Defibaugh prior to commencement Wednesday night at the school.

When Sharita Statum walked to the podium to accept her diploma from Penn State Mont Alto during Saturday’s spring commencement, she had three things on her mind — Jayden, 7, Ja’nye, 4, and Lyric, 1 month. Juggling the role of busy mother while taking classes was grueling at times, but for Statum it was worth everything she endured to earn her associate degree in occupational therapy and teach her children an important lesson. “I was determined to have a bright future and for my kids.

Members of the South Hagerstown High School class of 1963, their spouses and guests are invited to a pregame tailgate party Friday at 5 p.m. at Doub's Woods Park. There will be steamers, homemade vegetable soup, and hot and cold drinks. Those attending the tailgate party are asked to bring a chair, $2 and a covered dish; or bring $5 if not bringing a covered dish. Game time for the North Hagerstown-South Hagerstown game is 7 p.m. Tickets to the game will be available for $5.

marlob@herald-mail.com Northern Utah? Isn't that a strange place for a Smithsburg High School class reunion. That's exactly what Joey Gardenhour thought when he learned that he was one of four Smithsburg grads currently stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. "The connection is great - when we get together on the base, we talk about things we had in common growing up," Gardenhour said during a post-holiday visit home with his family, who still live in Smithsburg.

More than 16,000 students have graduated from South Hagerstown High School since it opened its door in 1956, Assistant Principal Matthew Mauriello told the audience Friday as this year's graduates were poised to receive their diplomas. “I hope you all cry later and smile now ... and hold onto this moment before it slips through our fingers,” Valedictorian Maranatha Teferi told her classmates gathered in the school's gymnasium. As for their futures, Teferi advised: “Meet your challenges, pursue your goals, figure out who you are.” Teferi was one of about 36 students to receive scholarship offers, which Assistant Principal Sherry L. Hamilton said totaled about $2.5 million.

CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. - Two 2005 Heritage Academy graduates, Whitney Schlimgen and Heather Stamper, were members of the Baptist Bible College volleyball team that won the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II regional volleyball tournament and participated in the NCCAA national championships in Lincoln, Ill. Schlimgen, daughter of Jim and Denise Schlimgen of Smithsburg, had five kills, two aces and 15 digs as BBC swept Lancaster...

MONT ALTO, Pa. - G. Warren Elliott, Franklin County commissioner and Penn State Mont Alto alumnus, will serve as the commencement speaker during the May 19 ceremony at Penn State Mont Alto. The commencement ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in the Multipurpose Activities Center. Tickets are required for guest admission to the ceremony, and seating is first come, first served. The gymnasium doors will open at 9 a.m. Guests are asked to be seated by 9:45 a.m. The first row of seats will be reserved for those who are unable to climb, and there will be wheelchair-accessible seats on the floor.

Two South Hagerstown High School graduates recently received $500 scholarships from Queen Esther Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 3. Lindsay Ann Beattie and Ashley Crawford were selected by the chapter's grant scholarship committee based on their academic excellence, community support and their desire to continue their education, according to a press release from the chapter. Beattie studied in all honors and advance-placement classes, served four years in the Rebel music program, ran cross country for two years and played softball for four years.

On June 28, 20 Mother Seton School graduates from the class of 2004 had a fun evening celebrating their five-year reunion at the Emmitsburg, Md., home of Mary Robinson. They came from far and wide - one classmate traveled from Nazareth, Pa., nearly three hours away, to be at the Emmitsburg Catholic school's reunion. Planned by Hilliary Benjamin and Robinson, there were many activities, including a game of "Where Are You Now" to see where everyone is working or going to college, volleyball, corn hole, a bonfire, reminiscing and lots of food and cake.

Members of the “exceptional, respectful, laid back, quiet and cautious” Musselman High School Class of 2013 received their diplomas Thursday night during Musselman's 64th commencement at Shepherd University's Butcher Center. The adjectives describing the graduates came from Musselman Principal Holly M. Kleppner, who told the seniors that their kind of character “will take you far in life. You will be successful and you will be leaders by example. I'm certain that you will make an impact in whatever you do.” In all, 379 seniors, the school's largest graduation class to date, received diplomas.

The largest graduating class in Berkeley Springs High School history received their diplomas Thursday night at the 124th annual commencement. Instead of on the football field, the ceremony was held in the school gymnasium, where the 195 graduates were applauded and cheered by about 1,000 family members and friends while heavy rain poured outside. The school auditorium held about 400 people who watched a live video feed of the ceremony. Principal Lance Fox said about 70 percent of the class members will be attending college or joining the military.

Martinsburg High School graduates, their families and faculty were forced to evacuate the Butcher Center at Shepherd University Tuesday night when the second of two fire alarms went off moments before the commencement ceremony was to begin. Campus police investigated the incident, along with members of the Shepherdstown Fire Department. An unofficial report circulating among faculty members indicated that one or more pranksters were involved. “All we know is that two alarms were activated on the lower floor,” said fire department Lt. Zachary Morgan.

Wilson College's Class of 2013 is poised to make a great impact on the natural world because the next 10 years will be key in protecting the planet, the class' graduation speaker said Sunday. Sylvia A. Earle said that just last week, the Earth passed a milestone in which carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere passed the 400 parts-per-trillion mark. She also said half the coral reefs are gone, as she witnessed during a dive at the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia this month.

On Oct. 12, Michael Spalding was honored by the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. He received his dean's honor list certificate for maintaining a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Spalding is a junior at Texas Tech University and a graduate of South Hagerstown High. He is a business management major. He is the son of Steve and Jill Spalding of Hagerstown.

Rachel Powell of Boonsboro will perform with the Duquesne University Tamburitzans dance group at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Md., on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. She is a 2009 graduate of Boonsboro High School. The Tamburitzans is a multicultural song and dance company. The world-renowned troupe is made up of about 30 dancers. The group is dedicated to the performance and preservation of the music, songs and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring folk cultures.

While Kelsey Helman was skating for inline gold for the U.S. Team at the Mondiali In-Line 2012 world championships in Italy, one of her teammates was cheering her on from home. Whitney Garvin, a 2009 graduate of North Hagerstown, skated with Helman on the Fast Forward Speed team at the Indoor National Championships in Lincoln, Neb., taking bronze medals in the 200-meter time trial and the 500-meter sprint. She also took silver with Helman in the 4 Lady Relay. Unfortunately it was not enough to qualify for the world championships.

The Hagerstown Business and Professional Women's Club recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Tessa Walls, a 2009 graduate of Hancock Middle-Senior High School and 2011 graduate of Hagerstown Community College. Wells will attend the University of Maryland in College Park and will be returning in the fall semester as a senior. Walls is majoring in neurobiology and physiology, as well as psychology. She is pursuing a career in the medical field as a psychiatrist. She is the daughter of Joseph Walls and the late Tammy Walls of Hancock.

Teri Jene Keller of South Hagerstown High School graduated with a grade-point average of 3.97 and will attend Salisbury University in the fall. She was selected to receive the Salisbury University Presidential Scholarship, the West Virginia University Blue and Gold Scholarship, the South Hagerstown High School Alumni Scholarship, a Senatorial Scholarship, Maryland Del. John Donoghue Scholarship and a scholarship from Towson University. Keller was the class secretary, a National Honor Society officer, a Peer Helper, and a member of the color guard, student government, Link Crew, Key Club, Green Crew, and the Honor Club.

Casey Arnone, a Williamsport High School graduate, was awarded the John and Tillie Kendle Scholarship. Casey is the daughter of Nancy and Brian Arnone.  She will attend Salisbury University, where she plans to play soccer and major in education. The scholarship is awarded annually to a Williamsport High graduate who has committed to play a sport at a four-year college.  The scholarship is renewable for four years.