As students and faculty members prepare for Pahrump Valley High School’s 2014 graduation this evening, honors were bestowed upon the campus’ academic elite.
The school’s annual Senior Awards Night shed light on the “Best of the Best” this past Wednesday evening.
Parents and family friends packed the PVHS gym in anticipation of the ceremony.
PVHS Principal Max Buffi praised all who received an award for their respective academic accomplishments.
“This is the second best night of the year and it’s great to see these kids who are the ones who really put the effort into it. Many of our top athletes are also the top academic students that we have. One advantage that we have is the fact that we are not that big of a school so students have the opportunity to excel in the classroom as well as perform in the classroom,” he said.
Buffi also gave recognition to staff and faculty members for their efforts in teaching and guiding the students.
“I have a great staff of teachers and support staff who really care about the students. They really work hard with them and that makes all the difference. In the bigger schools, you don’t always get that. I was talking to a parent tonight who moved from Las Vegas many years ago to bring her kids here to go to school just because of the fact that we are a smaller high school. As a result, her kids have become top students,” he said.
PVHS senior Matthew Christian was the recipient of a scholarship.
Like many students who are preparing to graduate, Christian said on Wednesday that he feels a sense of relief after four years of study.
Chief among his favorite classes were industrial arts.
“I’m getting ready to start the next chapter in my life and getting the building blocks for a good future. I will attend Universal Technical Institute and as soon as I get out of college, I’m going to join the operators union and become a heavy equipment mechanic,” he said.
Additionally, Christian said unlike many graduating students, he plans to return to his hometown where he can give back to the community.
“You got to come back where you started,” he said.
Christian was the recipient of the Sam Stringer Memorial Scholarship.
Sheree Stringer was on hand to present the award.
“When Sam passed away a bunch of our friends came and wanted to honor Sam. We decided since the community was so good to us, we wanted to give back which is why we started the Sam Stringer Memorial Scholarship Fund. We give it to a deserving student that will go into the automotive field and this year we were able to give two scholarships at $750 a-piece,” she said.
“I think it went really great and very smooth.” said PVHS Registrar of Students Jennifer Shockley. “For the people that put it all together, they deserve all of the credit. Mrs. Couch put in a lot of time and effort along with the staff including Mr. Brockman and Mr. Buffi,” she said.
Commencement ceremonies are set for tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the football field.
More than 220 PVHS seniors are expected to take the walk.
The following are honor graduate students who have earned academic awards: Cinthya Aguilar, Erik Randall, Jenifer Alba, Robert Rhoden, Demetria Angulo, Jon-Michael Robinson, Kiana Arms, Whitney Roderick, Megan Baker, Selena Rodriguez, Cristian Balding, Stephanie Rodriguez, Tristin Bannerman, Nicholas Rohleder, Lillian Calvert, Jacqueline Sanchez, Curry Chamberlain, Dakota Sanders, Cassandra Clark, Garret Scronce, Brandon Coffman, Sydney Sladek, Jasmine Corral, Alexa Sierra Smith, Kyle Daffer, Bryana Soliwoda, Mikayla Davis, Andrea Sposato, Melina Dury, Jacob Stearns, Jamie Edens, Kyle Steib, Ashlyn Ellis, Courtney Switzer, Juan Farias, Alexis Tackett, Cyrilla Furcini, Rudy Uresti, Alison Furnish, Karson Vitto, Isabella Garcia, Brianna Wangler, Sean Gilmore, Mitchell White, Jillian Goodart, Justin Wootten, Richard Greene, Kristen Young, Ellen Hampton, Rudabeh Zal, Shelby Howard, Cheyenne Jackson, Katia Jackson, Emily James, Kristal Kaiwi, Hannah Lane, Melanie Lawdensky, Alex Lopez, Scott Maughan, Jennifer McCaw, Amelia Mertz, Edwin Monge, Kiaya Nauck, Rosa Ortega.
The following honors graduate students earned academic letters: Karina Bolanos, Jenifer Alba, Donna Brown, Demetria Angulo, Brandon Coffman, Kiana Arms, Melina Dury, Sierra Ashford, Alexander Goldberg, Megan Baker, Kenia Gutierrez, Cristian Balding, Cheyenne Jackson, Lillian Calvert, Katia Jackson, Cassandra Clark, Kristal Kaiwi, Mikayla Davis, Hannah Lane, Jamie Edens, Scott Maughan, Ashlyn Ellis, Kiaya Nauck, Alison Furish, Erik Randall, Garret Scronce, Jillian Goodart, Alexa Sierra Smith, Richard Greene, Chelsie Stone, Ellen Hampton, Rebecca Theel, Shelby Howard, Brianna Wangler, Emily James, Shane Webber, Melanie Lawdensky, Mitchell White, Jennifer McCaw, Shae Williams, Amelia Mertz, Kristen Young, MaKayla Perez, Rudabeh Zal, Jon-Michael Robinson, Whitney Roderick, Selena Rodriguez, Stephanie Rodriguez, Nicholas Rohleder, Jacqueline Sanchez, Dakota Sanders, Sydney Sladek, Bryana Soliwoda, Andrea Sposato, Kyle Steib, Courtney Switzer, Karson Vitto.