Dateline: May 28, 2009

Clarendon, Hedley name top students for Class of '09
By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise  

Clarendon and Hedley High School officials have announced their top graduates for the Class of 2009.

CHS valedictorian Amelia Taylor and salutatorian Niki Roberts will deliver separate addresses during commencement exercises this Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center at Clarendon College.

At HHS, Skyler Conatser is the valedictorian for the senior class, and Peter Howard is the salutatorian. They will be recognized this Friday night at 7:30 in the Owl Gym.

Hedley has also released the top students in the eighth grade class, Lydia Howard is the high ranking student with a GPA of 95.925, and Austin Adams and Coltin Kingston tied for the second high ranking position with GPAs of 94.300. They will be recognized at 7 p.m. this Thursday in the Owl Gym.

Clarendon’s Amelia Taylor, daughter of John and Suzanne Taylor, has a GPA of 101.12. Amelia has received multiple academic awards during her four years at CHS.  She has received Honor C’s in PreAP English 1, Geography, Intergrated Physics and Chemistry, Business Computer Information Systems, PreAP English 2, French 1, Business Imaging and Multimedia, PreAP Algebra II, AP World History, Biology, French 2, AP English 3, Concurrent Biology, AP US History, French 3 and Concurrrent English 4.  She has been awarded Top Student in the Science, Math, Technology, and Social Studies Departments.  Amelia has been a member of the National Honor Society for two years, a member of the Clarendon High School Honor Roll all four years, spent a week as an intern at the Johnson Space Center, and was named a National Merit Scholar Commended Student.  Amelia has also been very successful in UIL Academics.  She has been a regional qualifier in Social Studies and News Writing.  Amelia was a state qualifier in Ready Writing this year.  She has been named a UIL Scholar. 

Extracurricular activities have also been an important part of Amelia’s high school career.  She has been actively involved in Donley County 4-H photography and has received blue ribbons at the Tri-State Fair.  She has also been involved in the Bronco Band for four years and has qualified for state solo and ensemble and received the Semper Fidelis Award this year.  Amelia has also taken an active roll in the CHS One Act Play where she has received all star cast honors.  She has also been very successful as a Junior Historian.  She has qualified for state all four years and has qualified for the national competition in Maryland her junior year.  Amelia has also been a member of the Student Council where she has taken a leadership role in the community service and energy conservation committees.

Amelia is a member of First Baptist Youth and has helped with Vacation Bible School.  She has acted as a docent for the Saint’s Roost Museum, has decorated the nursing home at Christmas, has been a “buddy” at Special Friends Camp, and she has been a tutor in the CHS evening tutoring program. 

Hedley’s Conatser has a GPA of 94.872. She is the daughter of Johnny and Diane Conatser of Memphis, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Clayton of Memphis and Mrs. Dorine Conatser and the late Johnny Conatser of Hedley.

Conatser has participated in numerous activities throughout her high school career, such as Tennis, Basketball, One Act Play, Gymnastics, U.I.L Math, U.I.L Science, Cheerleader, National Honor Society, BPA, Spanish Club, Powder Puff Football,  National Youth Leadership Conference, Presidential Youth Leadership Conference, Global Youth Leadership Ambassador, Congressional Youth Leadership Conference, Advanced Classes and Dual Credit/ Concurrent College Classes.

She has been on the A Honor Roll all four years as well as the National Honor Society and was inducted into the Magna Lum Caude National Honor Society.  She was selected to attend the Congressional Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. her sophomore year.  Skyler then was selected to attend the Global Youth Leadership Ambassador Conference as a youth ambassador in Europe where she worked with the Slovakian President her junior year.  She was also asked to attend the Presidential Youth Leadership Conference where she watched the swearing in of President Barrack Obama and attended the Presidential Inaugural Ball her senior year. 

Skyler was on the State qualifying team for UIL Calculator in 2006 and has been District champion in calculator for 2008 and 2009 qualifying for Regionals.  She also participated in UIL Science and was District champion in 2005.  Skyler was active in UIL One Act Play all four years and was Honorable Mention and All Star Cast in 2005.  She was also an active member of the National Gymnastics Association and was State and Regional champion in 2005.  Skyler placed second and third in District Tennis in 2008 and 2009 advancing to regionals in 2008.  She has been in Basketball all four years of high school and as a team won District and advanced to Area.  Skyler also is a member of Business Professionals of America; she competed in Human Resources Management and advanced to State this year.

Clarendon’s salutatorian is Niki Roberts, daughter of Kimberly Bredshall and niece of Tammy Owen, with a GPA of 99.41.

Niki has been the recipient of many academic awards.  She has received Honor C’s in Spanish I, Spanish II, Concurrent Pre-Calculus, AP Economics, Physics, and speech.  She has also been named the Top Academic Student in the Foreign Language Department.  Niki has been a member of the Honor Roll for four years and a member of the National Honor Society her senior  year.  She has also been successful in UIL Academics where she was a regional qualifier in Accounting and Math contests.  Niki also spent a one week internship at the Johnson Space Center.  In addition, NIki is a regional winner of the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay competition and has been named a UIL Scholar.

Niki has also been very involved in extracurricular activities.  She has been a member of the Bronco Band for four years where she has qualified for state solo and ensemble contest three out of her four years competing.  She was a member of the District Champion Lady Bronco Softball team for two years.  Niki has also participated in the local chapter of Junior Historians and has qualified for the state National History Day completion all four years. Niki has been a member of the Clarendon High School Student Council all four years and helped head the community services of the council. 

Niki is a member of the youth group at First Baptist Church and has worked in the Clarendon Ministry Center.  She has also volunteered to help in Vacation Bible School and has helped with the Children’s Ministry at FBC.  Niki has also helped tutor high school students in the tutoring program held two nights per week. 

Hedley’s salutatorian, Peter Howard, is the son of Bruce and Gwynne Howard of Hedley and has a GPA of 94.160.  Throughout his high school career he has participated in Business Professionals of America, National Honor Society, Varsity Basketball, Varsity Football, Tennis, One Act Play, UIL Science, and UIL Number Sense. 

As well as being the President of BPA, NHS, and the Senior Class, Howard qualified for state in both BPA and UIL Science in 2009.  In 2008, Peter received the MVP Award for Hedley High School.  He was also named the 2008 Chamber of Commerce Young Man of the Year.  In 2007, Peter received Best Actor at Zone One Act Play competition.  He was also a part of winning Zone One Act Play 3 years running, receiving All-Star Cast two times.  In basketball, Peter received District Honorable Mention in 2008, and All-District Team in 2009.