Dateline: May 9, 2002

Clarendon High names top students for 2002 

Clarendon High School has announced that Kelley Lemley, Claire Rodriguez, and Austin Sears are the top academic students for the class of 2002.

Kelley Lemley, the daughter of Joe and Rose Lemley, has been named Valedictorian of Clarendon High School with a GPA of 100.90.  Kelley has been honored with National Honor Society induction, Academic All-District for the last three years, Academic All-State during the current year, and the HOBY Scholarship for Leadership in the spring of 2000.  Kelley has also received fourteen Honor “C” awards and the State Board Academic Award in 2000 and 2001.

Kelley has also been very successful in extracurricular activities.  She advanced to state competition while participating in Junior Historians and solo and ensemble in the CHS band.  In addition, Kelley was selected as All-District in basketball and was selected for the All-Region basketball team her junior year.  She also participated in cross-country and golf and was a Bronco Cheerleader.  Kelley served as a leader in our school by being elected to the student council.  Kelley is involved in the church band of the First United Methodist Church.

Claire Rodriguez, the daughter of Fidel and Estella Rodriguez, has been named Salutatorian for Clarendon High School with a GPA of 98.00.  Claire has been extremely active while attending CHS.  She has participated in the award winning Clarendon Bronco Band for four years, has run cross country for four years, and qualified for regional in 2000, played basketball for the Lady Broncos for four years, and has been a member of the track team for three years.  Claire has also played tennis for two years and served as a manager for the Lady Bronco softball team.

Claire has also been involved in UIL academic contests all four years in high school.  She has participated in Current Issues and Events, Spelling, Number Sense, News Writing, and Feature Writing.  Claire qualified for state competition in News Writing this spring and placed first.  Claire has also participated in Junior Historians for two years.

Claire has also been honored by her classmates by being elected Student Council representative her sophomore year, Student Council secretary her junior year, Student Council treasurer her senior year, and NHS secretary.  Claire has received several other honors:  eight Honor “C” awards, CHS Homecoming Queen, National Honor Society member, Academic All-District five times, Best Student in Foreign Language, President’s Award, All-State Academic in cross country, TEA Education Excellence Award, member of the state qualifying trombone ensemble; and she chaired one of the state’s Best Pride and Patriotism Committees.  She is also active in the St. Mary’s youth group.

Austin Sears, the son of Dee Ann and Weldon Sears, has been named Clarendon High School’s High Ranking Boy with a GPA of 96.88.  Austin has been a member of the National Honor Society for two years and has served as vice president this year, has been named Top Student in Foreign Language, has received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, and has also received the Texas Celebrations of Educational Excellence Award.

Austin has been a member of the first place State Plant Identification team and was named as fourth high individual in that contest as well as high individual in the Tri-State Fair Plant Identification contest.  He was also named seventh high individual in the State Range and Pasture contest.  Austin received a first place medal in district UIL Headline Writing and Computer Science.  He has been a member of a state qualifying French Horn Ensemble for the past two years as well as a Texas State National History Day participant.  His historical paper at the Junior Historians contest placed third and qualified him as a state finalist in the Barbara Jordan Essay competition.  The paper has been archived in the LBJ Library on the University of Texas campus.

Austin’s extracurricular activities include band for four years, basketball one year, French Club three years, UIL Science team two years, Science Bowl one year, Junior Historians two years, and FFA four years.  He served at FFA Historian his junior year and vice president this year.

Austin is also heavily involved in his community.  He has served on the Texas Rural Systemic Initiative Committee, has volunteered for the USDA Earth Team, is a member of the United Methodist youth group, and has been a guitarist for the Methodist Youth Praise Band.