Area high schools, FSCC graduation exercises planned

While more than 500 area graduates are preparing for the next challenge in their lives, school officials are preparing for a number of graduation ceremonies and other events later this month.

About 146 Fort Scott High School seniors -- the same number of graduates as last year -- will don caps and gowns for ceremonies scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Frary Field north of Fort Scott High School, 1005 S. Main St. There are no guest speakers on the agenda for the graduation ceremony, in which school officials will present diplomas and recognize top academic students, FSHS Principal Bob Beckham said.

Baccalaureate services are scheduled for 4 p.m. that same day in the FSHS gymnasium. The FSHS senior awards assembly is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 8.

Graduation ceremonies for about 30 Uniontown Junior Senior High School seniors are scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, at the school, 601 Fifth St., Uniontown. Baccalaureate services will be at 5:45 p.m. that same day in the West Bourbon Elementary School gymnasium. Former Pittsburg State University defensive lineman Ryan Meredith will be the guest speaker for those services, which are sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The UJSHS senior awards assembly is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, in the UJSHS commons area.

About 250 Fort Scott Community College students are scheduled to receive degrees from the two-year college during two separate ceremonies planned for 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, May 18, at Memorial Hall, 1 E. Third St. About 125 students are scheduled to participate in each ceremony, although not all of those students will be present for the ceremonies, FSCC Registrar Bill Meyer said. Students have been divided into two groups depending on the type of degree they will receive.

Robert Nelson, a member of the FSCC Board of Trustees and Outstanding Alumnus this year, will speak to students during the afternoon ceremony, while local attorney and Outstanding Young Alumnus Justin Meeks will speak during evening services.

The same number of Jayhawk-Linn High School seniors as last year, 52, will receive their diplomas during ceremonies scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at JLHS, 14675 Kansas Highway 52, Mound City. The JLHS awards assembly is planned for 7 p.m. Friday, May 11, at the school. Baccalaureate services will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 9. Troy Taylor, the youth pastor as First Baptist Church in Mound City, will be the guest speaker for those services, school officials said.

Honor students at JLHS will also be recognized.

Graduation services for 26 Pleasanton High School seniors will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, in the PHS gymnasium, 1301 Ash St., Pleasanton. Honor students will be recognized during those ceremonies. Baccalaureate services will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in the PHS gymnasium. An awards assembly for PHS students will take place at 9:30 a.m. at the school.

Eight seniors at Fort Scott Christian Heights, a local private school, will graduate at 8 p.m. Friday, May 25, in the FSCH auditorium, 1101 S. Barbee. Baccalaureate services are scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday, May 27, at the Parkway Church of God, 1111 State St. The awards assembly for elementary students at FSCH is planned for 9 a.m. Friday, May 25, and at 10 a.m. that day for secondary students, FSCH officials said.

Emily Rhodes, a senior at the Christian Learning Center, another local private school, will receive her diploma during a service scheduled for Tuesday, May 15, at the school, 3200 Liberty Bell Rd, school officials said.