Four valedictorians lead class of 2013

by Angie Asam – Staff Writer

Onaway High School is proud to announce honor students from the class of 2013. Four valedictorians will lead 19 honor students in commencement ceremonies on May 26.

Valedictorians Emily Estep, Megan Estep, Cassidy Hyde and Kallie Shimel will lead the celebration as 33 students will become alumni of Onaway High School that day.

Emily A. Estep (4.0) is the daughter of Dean and Joey Estep. She has been a standout athlete for the Cardinals, competing in four years of basketball, cross country, softball, volleyball and track. She has also been in the powerlifting program for four years.

Emily Estep

She was a member of the snowcoming court as a freshman and the homecoming court as a senior and was a member of the student council as a freshman. Emily has been on the Knowledge Bowl team since her sophomore year. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Orange Team.

Emily is also involved in the Joy Community Church youth group and she is a volunteer at the church nursery. She is a mentor/volunteer with the Onaway Area Little League program, has volunteered with Red Cross blood drives, has done highway cleanup and has volunteered at both the daddy/daughter and mother/son dances at the school.

Following her graduation this spring Emily plans to attend Lake Superior State University (LSSU) where she will major in nursing and be a member of the Lakers softball team.

Megan M. Estep (4.0) is the daughter of Dean and Joey Estep. She has been a standout athlete for the Cardinals, competing in four years of basketball, cross country, softball, track and volleyball. She was a member of the powerlifting team as a freshman and is on the yearbook staff this year.

Megan has been on the student council all four years of high school and a class officer during her freshman, sophomore and senior years. She participated in the Drama Club as a sophomore and has been on the National Honor Society and Knowledge Bowl since her sophomore year.

Megan Estep

 

She is also involved with her church nursery and youth group. She has been a blood donor and volunteered working Red Cross blood drives. She is also a Hospice volunteer, a volleyball/basketball referee and a volunteer at the daddy/daughter dance.

Megan plans to attend LSSU in the fall to major in nursing and be a member of the Lakers softball team.

Cassidy Hyde (4.0) is the daughter of Dallas and Paula Hyde. She has been a class officer and a member of the student council for all four years of high school. Hyde was the president of her class for three years and the student council president for one year. She was a member of the Ski Club for three years.

 

Cassidy Hyde

Hyde was on the homecoming court during her sophomore and senior year and was this year’s Snowcoming queen. She has been on the Key Club for two years, the National Honor Society for three years and the Orange Team for two years. She also participated in band during her freshman year.

She is also a member of Go, Gather, Grow youth, the Onaway Area Horse Club, the Northeast Michigan Youth Advisory Council (NEMYAC) and has worked at Tom’s Family Market for two years.

After graduation Hyde plans to attend Michigan Technological University (MTU) to pursue a degree in engineering.

 

Kallie Shimel

Kallie R. Shimel (4.0) is the daughter of Frank Shimel and Kelly Moran. She has participated in four years of basketball, track and volleyball for the Cardinals. She was on the Drama Club during her sophomore and junior years and was in the homecoming court as a freshman and as a senior. She was the fall homecoming queen this year.

She has been on the National Honor Society since her sophomore year and was a member of the Key Club and Orange Team during her junior and senior years. She has also been on the Ski Club all four years of high school.

Shimel is also a cashier at Freddie’s Family Market in Atlanta and has been babysitting her neighbor’s children year round.

In the fall Shimel plans to attend Grand Valley State University (GVSU) to study accounting/business finance.

Chester P. Winfield (3.96) is this year’s salutatorian. Winfield is the son of Mitch and Sharon Winfield. He was involved with the band as a freshman. He participated in one year of basketball, one year of track, one year of football, three years of cross country and two years of wrestling for the Cardinals.

He was on the homecoming court as a junior and was involved with the Key Club as a senior. Winfield has been on the National Honor Society during his junior and senior years and was on the Orange Team as a junior. He is also involved with the Ski Club.

Winfield works at Three Cedars Diner in Millersburg and is involved with the youth group at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. After graduation he plans to attend MTU to study engineering management.

Madison L. Nash (3.93) is this years honor student. She is the daughter of Dennis and Nikki Nash. She has been a member of the student council all four years as well as being a class officer. She has also participated in four years of track and spent four years involved with the Ski Club. She played basketball during her senior year.

Nash is involved with the Drama Club this year and was on the homecoming court as a junior. She has been involved with the Key Club and National Honor Society for two years. She is also on the Knowledge Bowl team this year.

Nash actively participates in the Go, Gather, Grow youth group at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and she has worked at the Dairy Queen and Olree Chiropractic.

This fall she plans to attend North Central Michigan College and later transfer to New York Chiropractic College to pursue a career as a chiropractor.

Ashley M. LeCureux (3.83)is the daughter of Scott and Andrea LeCureux. She has participated in four hears of basketball and track for the Cardinals as well as three years of cross country. She has been a class officer every year and a member of the student council all four years. She participated in the Ski Club as a junior.

LeCureux was on the homecoming court in her freshman and senior years and has been a member of the National Honor Society and Orange Team for two years. She also worked at the Subway in Onaway. She was involved with the Junior Eagles Club as a sophomore and has been a blood donor.

After graduating from OHS she plans to attend LSSU the major in nursing.

Eleanor McLellan (3.69) is the daughter of David and Gretchen McLellan. She has been involved with the Ski Club all four years. She was a member of the band as a freshman. McLellan was a member of the Drama Club for three years and was on the homecoming court as a junior.

She has participated in the Key Club, Knowledge Bowl, National Honor Society and Orange Team during her junior and senior years. She is also involved with 4-H and the Holy Cross Lutheran Church youth group.

McLellan plans to attend GVSU in the fall to study education.

Samantha Brasseur (3.65) is the daughter of Meloney Morgan. She has played four years of softball for the Cardinals and participated in basketball during her freshman and senior years. She was in the Key Club as a freshman and served on the student council during her freshman and sophomore years.

After graduation Brasseur plans to attend Kellogg Community College to study criminal justice as well as play softball.

Justin R. Gedda (3.64) is the son of Kari Gedda and Steve Gedda. He was on the homecoming court as a freshman and as a senior. He has been on the National Honor Society since his sophomore year and was in the Ski Club all four years.

Gedda has participated in four years of football, baseball and track as well as three years of basketball and one year of wrestling for the Cardinals. He works at McDonalds as a cashier.

Gedda plans to attend Alpena Community College (ACC) in the fall to study concrete technology.

Molly M. Mason (3.56) is the daughter of Robert and Bonnie Mason. She is the vice president of the senior class and the vice president of the National Honor Society. She has been involved with NEMYAC for two years. She was in band as a freshman and has been in Ski Club all four years. She was also involved with the Orange Team and Key Club.

Mason is a member of the youth group at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and has been working at Manzana’s Deli since her sophomore year.

After graduation Mason plans to attend Northern Michigan University to become a social worker.

Joseph Heltsley (3.545) is the son of Mark Heltsley and Sandie Rittner. He was involved with the band during his freshman year and was on the homecoming court as a sophomore and a senior, earning king honors during his senior year. He has been on the student council and National Honor Society during his junior and senior years.

Heltsley also participated in Ski Club and the Orange Team. He played four years of football for the Cardinals. He is also involved with his church youth group, NEMYAC and works at Tom’s Family Market.

This fall Heltsley plans to attend MTU to study engineering.

Meagan K. Self (3.541) has played four years of volleyball for the Cardinals and participated in track during her freshman and sophomore years. She was also on the homecoming court during her freshman and senior years.

After graduation she plans to attend LSSU to pursue her goal of becoming a child care worker or possibly a social worker.

Morgan Robins (3.53) is the son of Steve and Wendy Robins. He has participated in four years of wrestling and two years of cross country for the Cardinals. He also participated in track during his freshman year. He works at Bechtold Paving.

Robins is unsure of his plans following graduation from OHS this spring.

Jasmine R. Scully (3.28) is the daughter of Wendy Scully and Steve Scully. She was involved with the Young Champions cheerleading program for three years. Scully plans to attend LSSU in the fall to study nursing.

Temara K. Lupu (3.27) is the daughter of Thomas and Theresa Lupu. She has played four years of basketball and softball for the Cardinals as well as three years of volleyball. She has been a member of the Key Club all four years and was on the student council during her freshman and sophomore years. She is a member of the National Honor Society.

Lupu is also involved with youth group, the Junior Girls Auxiliary Pose 5857, travel softball and the prom committee. Lupu works at McDonalds.

This fall Lupu plans to attend Saginaw Valley State University to major in child protective services and be a member of the Cardinal softball team.

Lisa Tulgestke (3.23) is the daughter of Donna Tulgestke and Allen Tulgestke. She has been involved with the Drama Club and Key Club during her senior year. She is also involved with her youth group and peer support.

Following graduation Tulgestke plans to attend ACC to get a general degree before transferring to a university to obtain a liberal arts/science degree.

Chae Whitsitt (3.17) is the son of Brian and Amy Whitsitt. He has participated in four years of football, basketball and baseball for the Cardinals. We was on the homecoming court during his freshman and senior years and has been on the National Honor Society since his junior year. Whitsitt has also been involved with the Ski Club all four years of high school.

Whitsitt has been powerlifting since eighth-grade, has

earned 22 college credits as a dual enrollment student and is employed at Pine Lumber of Millersburg. This fall Whitsitt plans to pursue a degree in law enforcement. He has been accepted to the school of Criminal Justice, Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services at LSSU.

Amy Buckner (3.04) is the daughter of Doyle Buckner and Melody Chotany. She was involved with the Spirit Team during her freshman and sophomore years and has helped her father with Boy Scouts.

After graduation she plans to move to the Mount Morris area and attend the University of Phoenix through online classes.