St. Joseph High School graduates 27

An excited group of 27 students became graduates of St. Joseph High School on Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

The students gathered in a building on the school grounds before the ceremony to attire themselves in their graduation robes, finalize ceremony logistics and pray together as a class.

Morgan Gatto, daughter of Ron and Susan Gatto, said leaving high school felt "nervous but exciting. It's exciting a new chapter of life."

Gatto will attend the University of Central Arkansas and study physical therapy with a minor in Spanish, she said.

Sarah Irvin, daughter of Candace and David Irvin, said, "I'm excited. I'm ready to get the next chapter started."

Her future plans will take her to Southern Arkansas University, where she will major in chemistry and pre-veterinary medicine. After that, she hopes to go to Texas A&M for veterinary school, she said.

Will Steele, son of Dan and Janet Steele, said graduation was "scary but exciting."

Steele said he will attend the University of Arkansas and study biology.

Blake Enderlin, son of Michael and Jill Enderlin, said leaving high school "feels great. Very good, since we've been here 13 years."

He said he will attend the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton for two years and then transfer to UCA. He is undecided on a course of study at this point, he said. Josh Rittman, son of Allen and Susan Rittman, said leaving St. Joseph "feels pretty good; feels good not having to get up and go to school every day. Feels like we're free, too."

His career goals will take him to UACCM, where he will study to be an EMT. Then he will either go to paramedic school or UCA, he said.

Lindsey Nabholz, daughter of Joe and Debi Nabholz, said, "I'm excited. I'm very excited. I've definitely been waiting."

She hopes to be a certified public accountant. She will attend UACCM and then UCA, where she will major in accounting. St. Joseph High School Counselor Teri Breeding said one unique thing about the class is that Steele is a National Merrit Scholar.

"He has generated about $400,000 in scholarship offers from various colleges. He's going to U of A and he's going to be in the honors college," she said. Other students, because of their ACT scores and grade point averages, have also generated high offers, she said.

"They're a small class, but they're still able to go far academically because of their GPAs and scores and service work. They do a lot of service work," she said.

Breeding noted Tyler Gunther was the valedictorian and Steele was the salutatorian. The class had seven honor graduates, she said.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)