Eighteen Broadus Grads Earn Their Diplomas

The graduation ceremony for the PRCDHS Class of 2024 was held on Saturday, May 18th. Temperatures in the 60s meant guests in the gym were able to comfortably watch the graduation without profuse perspiration.

The PRCDHS High School Band played the ceremonial processional as the 18 students of the Class of 2024 made their way down the aisle.

Emma Isaacs, Class of 2024 Salutatorian, welcomed the gathered friends, family, and faculty to the ceremony, and spoke of the class's collective experiences from their first day of Kindergarten to their final day of high school. She also thanked the teachers who helped them throughout their journey. Emma also mentioned former classmate and cousin, Cale Emmons, who passed away in 2022 at age 15 from a car accident. She finished with a quote from singer Zach Bryan: "I do not and will not fear tomorrow, because I feels as though today has been enough."

Class President Matt Hansen then took the stage to introduce the guest speaker, Rebecca Boman, PRCDHS Social Studies/History/Psychology Teacher.

Boman shared a special connection with the graduates, as the Class of 2024 marked the first class she taught from 7th grade through their senior year.

Over the course of their six years spent together, Boman taught the class a number of important lessons, while they also taught her a great deal as a teacher. Boman spoke: "They too have challenged me, inspired me, and most of all, they have taught me patience, understanding, and to never underestimate the curious mind, spontaneous mouth, and daring audacity of a teenager."

She commented: "It is your turn to take what I have said here today, as well as what you have learned over the course of your life up until this point on, and make use of it.

Each of you possesses so much potential. Do not let it go to waste. You are a class of talented athletes, musicians, writers, thespians and artists. Some of you are natural leaders and others of you have an admirable work ethic. Amongst you is wit, loyalty, integrity, intelligence, compassion, tenacity, intuition, and grit. You have each been true ambassadors for our school in your own right, and no one can ever take that away from you, but do not rest on your laurels. Take what you have begun and turn it into something more, something beyond yourselves."

Following the guest speaker, a video featuring the seniors' baby pictures and senior pictures set to song, and compiled by Mia Mader, was shown to the audience. By our count and using a wide consideration of genre, the song genre for the 18 graduates included 8 country songs, three rock songs, 2 rap songs, and 6 pop music songs.

The video concluded with a dedication to Cale Emmons.

Guidance Counselor Dori Phillips was next to the stage to present scholarships. In total nearly $150,000 in scholarships were earned by the class. The class as a whole had also accomplished the enviable goal of earning 255 college credits prior to graduation. Some students had earned 30-35 credits, marking a year of college credit off their resumes.

Scholarships and their presenters included Dori Phillips with the Ken Amen Scholarship, Darcia Patten with the Carter County/Powder River County Farm Bureau Scholarship, Lisa Lynch and Kim Blain with the Music Boosters Scholarship, Kim Blain and Kacey Stanley with the Kelly Compton Memorial Scholarship, Eric Myers with the BEA Scholarship, and Jacy Collins noting that since their was no After Grad party, checks would be cut directly to each senior. Jim Collins then awarded the TRECO scholarships, the awardees of which were all from PRCDHS this year. Ben VerWolf presented the Powder River Conservation District Scholarship, Shavon Harmon the Pam Ware Memorial Coyote Hunt Scholarships, and Frankie Schoonover the Amanda Gaskill Memorial scholarships.

Kimber and Brett Emmons, parents of Cale Emmons and organizers of the Heads Up, Hearts Strong foundation, organized in memory of Kenna Emmons, then went on stage to speak. Kimber noted that the scholarship involved with the program was originally set to sunset in 2021, but after the death of Cale and Caty Emmons in 2022, the scholarship was extended. Brett then handed out a scholarship to each member of the Class of 2024, in memory of Cale.

Superintendent Jim Hansen took the stage to present the class, with diplomas handed out by school board trustees Amanda Zimmer and Danny Krantz.

The final speaker of the afternoon was class Valedictorian Cooper Zimmer spoke to the audience, commenting on the class's ability to embrace change, growing together from scared 7th graders in their first dance all the way through to their 12th grade prom. He encouraged the class to show gratitude and thanks to teachers and family, and noted that the class had made their mark on the school. With that, Cooper doffed his eagle feather decorated mortarboard and tossed it skyward, followed closely by those of his classmates.

The Class of 2024 exited the gym, newly graduated and ready for whatever the world would throw their direction.

Future plans and scholarships include:

Grayson Arithson will be attending Mayville State University in Mayville, North Dakota to major in History Education and golf.

Grayson received an Athletic Scholarship (golf) $750 per year/$3,000 total.

James Augare plans to go to Sheridan College to study music. James received a Music Booster Scholarship for $100.

Graci Barbero will attend Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota to study Special Education.

Graci received the following scholarships: Range Telephone Scholarship $2,500, Basin-TRECO Scholarship $1,000, PR/Carter County Farm Bureau Scholarship $500.

Jaxon Bilbrey will be going to Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota. He will be a member of their track team and studying welding. Jaxon received the following scholarship: Athletic Scholarship (track) $2,000 per year/$8,000 total

Landen Capp will be going to Gillette College in Gillette, Wyoming to study diesel mechanics and welding.

Landen received the following scholarships: Ken Amen Scholarship $500, BEA Scholarship $500.

Matt Hansen will be attending Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota and running track for the Blue Hawks. Matt received the following scholarship: Dickinson State University Scholarship (track) $3,000 per year/$12,000 total.

Eli Heacock plans to attend college at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota and run track for the Blue Hawks.

Emma Isaacs plans to study Political Science at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota.

Emma received the following scholarships: Scholarship of Distinction, BHSU, $2,000 per year/$8,000 total and Basin Members 1st Scholarship $1,000.

Aspen Krantz will attend Miles Community College to study Animal Science/Pre-Vet and later Digital Marketing. Aspen received the following scholarships: Pam Ware Memorial Scholarship $2,000 and Powder River Conservation District Scholarship $3,000.

Maria Mader will attend Miles Community College to play volleyball for two years and then plans to transfer on to another college or university. She will be studying general business.

Mia received the following scholarships: Range Telephone Scholarship $2,500, Pam Ware Memorial Scholarship $2,000 and Ken Amen Scholarship $500.

Ciara McDowell will be studying business at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming.

Ciara received the following scholarships: Range Telephone Scholarship $2,500, TRECO Education Round-up Scholarship $1,000, PR/Carter County Farm Bureau Scholarship $500, Pam Ware Memorial Scholarship $2,000 and Amanda Gaskill Memorial Scholarship $2,000.

Thomas Oylear will be studying Physical Education at Black Hills State University while running cross country and track and field for the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets. Thomas received a Black Hills State University Athletic Scholarship (track) $4,000 per year/$16,000 total.

Joshua Rasmussen will be fishing in Alaska this summer, joining the work force.

Jada Rochon will be attending Miles Community College pursuing degrees in Psychology and Communications

Riggin Schaffer will be going to WyoTech.

Zeason Schaffer will be attending Miles Community College to continue her volleyball career along with getting a degree in business. She will then go on to get her bachelor's degree in Business and hopes to start a Real Estate business.

Zeason received a Miles Community College Athletic Scholarship (volleyball) $7,230 per year/$14,460 total.

Kolton Turnbough will be going to work for an HVAC company.

Cooper Zimmer plans to attend Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana to study Business and Criminal Justice.

Cooper received the following scholarships: Northern Cheyenne Tribe $8,500 per year/$34,000 total, Premier Scholarship (MSU) $3,000 per year/$12,000 total, and Kelly Compton Memorial Scholarship $1,000.

Additionally, each student received $150 from After Grad, since a party was not held this year. Each student also received a scholarship from the Heads Up, Hearts Strong Scholarship, totaling approximately $15,000 between the class.