Rector grads Hope Johnson (left) and Kelli Frederick were all smiles after Friday night's graduation ceremonies at the RHS gymnasium. (Democrat photo/Ryan Rogers) [Click to enlarge]

The promise of the future met with past remembrances Friday night, as the Rector High School class of 2008 gathered a final time before making the transition from students in a small community to young adults seeking to find their place in the world.

The graduating class contained 43 young men and women, most of whom have been a part of each others' lives for several years. The gravity of the event shone in the faces of those in attendance -- memories going across the eyes of the graduates, shared in the knowing looks with friends, as well as pride in the accomplishments and hints of things to come seen in the smiles of the various family, friends and loved ones assembled in the gymnasium to bear witness.

The evening began with music from the Rector High School Concert Band. Director Craig Wadley and his students announced the emergence of the graduating class with the traditional accompaniment of "Pomp and Circumstance."

Senior Allison Smart was the first graduate to take the stage, performing the invocation.

Valedictorian Stephanie Newman and salutatorian Amber Haynes gave their respective speeches, reminding their classmates of not only the roads behind them, but those which lie ahead.

Allison Smart, Elizabeth Loveless, Seth Matheney, Alex Roofe, Daniel Hester, Racheal Gipson, Kelsey Shavalia, Michael Gossett and Dillan Hartsfield also were recognized as honor students, each maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher for their final eight semesters.

Principal Wade Williams presented departmental awards to the seniors with the highest average in each area of study. Recipients were:

Dillan Hartsfield, agriculture; Briana Rice, art; Daniel Hester, athletics; Amber Haynes, athletics and science; Racheal Gipson, business education; Allison Smart, business education and foreign language; Whitney Conley, drama and speech, and Stephanie Newman, English, family and consumer science, mathematics and social studies.

Gifted and talented awards were presented to Whitney Conley, Stephanie Newman and Alex Roofe.

Allison Smart and Alex Roofe were named Best All Around, one of the highest awards presented to Rector seniors. The selections were based upon the students' citizenship, scholarship, extracurricular activities and contributions to the school.

Following the presentation of awards, these scholarships were announced:

Hannah Parsley --- Freed-Hardeman University Full Athletic Scholarship, $86,608 ($21,652 per year for four years); Freed-Hardeman University Academic Scholarship, $25,600 ($6,400 per year for four years); Nucor Corporation Educational Scholarship, $12,000 ($3,000 per year for four years) and the Glen Sain Memorial Scholarship, $250.

Dillan Hartsfield --- USDA/Clay County Conservation Department Scholarship, $1,000; Dannelly Lodge Scholarship, $500; J.A. Riggs Tractor Company Scholarship, $2,500, and Rector Helping Hands Foundation Scholarship, $2,000.

Seth Matheney --- Arkansas State University Deans Scholarship, $25,240 over a four year period, and Clay County Farm Bureau Scholarship, $500.

Whitney Conley --- American Musical and Dramatic Academy, $28,000 over four years; Ralph Simmons Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Michael Randleman Fine Arts Scholarship; Rector Woman's Club Scholarship, $500, and Clay County Arts Council Scholarship, $500.

Kelli Frederick --- Army ROTC Scholarship, $50,700.

Michael Gossett --- Black River Technical College Academic Distinction Scholarship, $1,980 per year for two years; BRTC President's Scholarship, $1,980; BRTC Foundation Scholarship, $1,000 per semester for two semesters, Rector Area Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, $500, and Glen Sain Memorial Scholarship, $250.

Allison Smart --- Mary Jo Purcell Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Chapel Rogers Scholarship, $1,000 per year for four years; Special Achievement Scholarship, $1,000 per year for four years; Williams Baptist College President's Scholarship, $4,000 per year for four years; Duma McCluney Memorial Scholarship, $500; Church Matching Scholarship, $200 for eight semesters, and Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, $11,750.

Daniel Hester --- Sam Walton Community Scholarship, $1,000; Arkansas Future Leaders Scholarship, $8,000; Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, $11,750, and the James W. Graves Memorial Scholarship, $20,000 over four years.

Lynnea Causbie --- Future Teachers of America Scholarship, $100.

Alex Roofe --- Glen Sain Memorial Scholarship, $250; Harps Scholarship, $1,000; Arkansas State University Deans Scholarship, $25,240 over four years, Rector Area Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, $500, and Ralph Simmons Memorial Scholarship, $1,000.

Kelsey Shavalia --- Hamilton Farms Scholarship, $1,000, and Mary Jo Purcell Memorial Scholarship, $1,000.

Stephanie Newman --- Arkansas State University Deans Scholarship, $25,240 over four years; Mary Jo Purcell Memorial Scholarship, $1,000, and Glen Sain Memorial Scholarship, $250.

Racheal Gipson --- Josh Robinson Memorial Scholarship, $300; Glen Sain Memorial Scholarship, $250, and the Robert and Pauline Crockett Memorial Scholarship, $20,000 over four years.

Jake Hollis --- Oklahoma City University Art Scholarship, $45,000 over four years, and Clay County Arts Council Scholarship, $300.

Amber Haynes --- Arkansas State University Honors Scholarship, $50,200 over four years.

Drew Boyd --- Liberty Bank Scholarship, $1,000.

Elizabeth Loveless --- University of Central Arkansas Honors College Scholarship, $50,000 over four years, and Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholar Award, $40,000.

Superintendent Rob Louder presented the class for graduation. Diplomas were given by school board president Dale Vangilder.

Other members of the RHS Class of 2008 were:

Thomas Bagwell, Kyle Beck, Brent Boyd, China Clark, Joey Cox, Lindsey Crouch, Karen Davila, Nicole Deringer, Sarah Fannin, Corena Gilbee, Jackie Graham, Teri Ann Hendley, Hope Johnson, Jessica Lampkin, Wade Lyles, Rachel Mathewson, Crystal Meade, Shawn Midkiff, Autumn Naney, Samantha Perkins, Andrew Rios, Tyler Small, Corbin Taylor, Lindsay Turner and Derek Wyss.

Graduates performed their class song "I'm Not Gonna Cry" and a chorus of "We're Not Gonna Take It" before joining together to perform the Alma Mater with the alumni in attendance.