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Buckhannon-Upshur High School hosts 136th commencement

BUCKHANNON -- "This one's for you, Grandpa, with the best seat in the house," letters on the top of a Buckhannon-Upshur High School Class of 2023 graduating senior's cap read Friday evening.

"Finally!" another senior's cap read.

"Can I go hunting now?" yet another senior's cap asked.

The 136th B-UHS commencement ceremony featured more than 250 seniors walking across the stage to be handed their diplomas.

The event was held under beautiful sunny skies at Freal "Red" Crites Memorial Stadium at B-UHS.

Two seniors from the class were selected by the student body to speak during the ceremony, Ian Donnen and Henry "Hank" Philipps.

Also speaking at the close of the ceremony was Senior Class President Alayna Whitehair.

Presenting the students their diplomas were Interim Upshur County Schools Superintendent Dr. Debra Harrison, Interim Assistant Superintendent Melinda Stewart and members of the Upshur County Board of Education.

Music was provided by the Buckhannon-Upshur High School Soundwaves, under the direction of Jeremiah Smallridge, and the B-UHS Band, led by Eliza Taylor.

Graduating seniors included:

Jonathon Alkire, Brycen D. Allen, Jocelyn Paige Annon, Jacob Markwood Arbogast, Dalton W. Atwell, Dalton Auvil, Aydan J Auvil, Taiwo Babawale, Jayse R. Bailey, Carly Barnes, Shannon Darlene Bassford, Emily Bean, Randy D. Beckner, Preston Shane Bennett, Payton Bennett, Joslin Bennett, Kristen M. Bennett, Jocelynn Bevans, Angelica Black, Chloe Black, Shawn Michael Blandino, Shayleigh Bleigh, McKinley J. Bonnett, Bryce W. Bowen, Malia Elizabeth Bowers, Jared A. Brandish, Gavin L. Brown, Jaiden Elise Brown, Nelson E. Brown, Connor Michael Lee Brown, Drake Aaron Bryant, Eljah Timothy Bryant, Aaliyah T. Buckley-Cameron, Christina Burkhammer, Edward Burnside, Walker R. Bush, Haley Ann Butcher and Joseph C. Butcher,

Ely Cain, Chloe M. Cale, Zachary Steven Calef-Boring, Samantha S. Carpenter, Autumn Renee Carpenter, Landon T. Carr, Elijah W Carr, David Casto, Ashley K. Catlin, Owen Caynor, Bryce Rollins Cayton, Gracie N. Chidester, Jason Clem, Jason Andrew, Benjamin Matthew Cogar, Lila Kay Cogar, Derrick C. Collins, Jeffrey Collins, Ethan J. Corder, Nathan W. Cornett, Emmalee Cottrell, Dalton Andrew Crites, Clinton P. Crites, Kendal Taylin Currence, Nicholas E. Cutright, Kody Joe Cutright, Isabella LeeAnne Dahman, Kadie J. Daugherty, Deonta L. Davis II, Robert Z. DeBarr, Kyanna Leah Depoy, Ian M. Donnen, Devin Drake, Jack V. L. Earls, Deacon Epp, Kimberly Escalante Ascencio, Taylor Eskew, Brandon Eskew, Lydia N. Falkenstein, Savion V. Farmer, Kyle Andrew Farrar, Skye Farrar, Josephine Elizabeth Fealy, Alexis H. Fealy, Amanda Fitzgerald, Ryan A. Fitzgerald, Morgan D. Frame, Madelyn Audrey Frye, Leah N. Fuller, Akyra Fultz and Akyra Rose Fultz,

Tyler Garver, Corbin Lee George, Peyton M. Gerwig, Kailey Grace Gibson, Jordan K. Gillum, Taylor Brooke Given, Ryan P. Godfrey, Aidan L. Goldsmith, Averie D. Goshert, Jesika Lynn Goss, Megyn E. Gould, Joshua L. Gregory, Halley B. Gregory, John Carter Grimm, Robert Clyde Grose lll, Logan Groves, Logan Michael Groves, Jesse Daniel Hackett, Brayden Hamer, Caleb Haney, Randy Hardy, Taylor Dawn Harper, Tucker Hatfield, Lilly Heater, Bradly J Helmick, Morgan R. Henderson, Olivia K. Herron, Joel T. Hershman, Jalynn M. Hines, Tyler J. Hobbs, Robert Austin-Levi Holman, Melinda Hoover, Dylan Hoover, Sylvia Hoskinson, Bryce Huffman, Kassidy Hull, Yeshua Fadare Hurst, Mark A. Hurst, Hunter Aaron Lee Janke, Isabelle Jenkins, Allie Paige Johnson, Kaden E Jordan, Kaden E Jordan, Lexia Luv Kelley, Brodee Deacon Kennedy, Graci I. Ketterman, Allison Fawn Kincaid, Landon James Kincaid, Reagan K. Knabenshue, Kolby H. Malloy, Zharan M. Koon, Sydney L. Golden, Kaytlynn J. Landis, Dylan Landis, Joseph Eugene Lane, Keyton Lanier, LaKoda P. Lantz, Erica G. Lantz, Kaitlyn E. Lantz, Avery Marie Lantz, Hailey Jade Lashmit, Rachel Elizabeth Lee, Cadance Leichliter, Reis Parker Leonard, Ethen C. Lewis, Madisyn Diane Lewis, Katarah Leighanne Linger, Hannah Linger, Harley A. Linger, Andrew J. Long and Alexander M. Lynch,

Garrett D. Materne, Regan L. McCauley, Rylee J. McCauley, Lacie Ellen McCloy, Alyssa Marie McGee, Emma J. McGill, Anna M. McKinley, Logan McLain, Jaydon M. McLean, Reagan McVay, Charles Matthew Luke Merriman, Laurel R. Metheney, Corey A Miller, Bradley Allen Mitchell, Tristan Dallas Moran, Sydney Lauren Mullens, Logan Alexander Murphy, Catherine R. Neely, Kayden Robert, Joshua S. Nesbitt, Roy Wade Nesbitt, Jr., Ana Luiza Torres Oliveira, Taelyn Noelle Oliver, Caitlin Marie Oliveto, Thomas J. O'Neill IV, Torissa Perkins, Charles Christopher Perry, Regina Petrokovich, Henry Oscar Phillips, Harley Poling, Austin Michael Posey, Elayna Propst, Dezirae M. Pugh, George C. Radabaugh, Emmalee G. Randolph, Gage N. Raschella, Nicholas D. Ray, Jadyn Nycole Reed, Andy Rexroad, Josslynn Paige Rice, Gregory Riffle, Evan Daniel Riffle, Brooklynne B. Riffle, Tatum Nadine Riley, Destiny Renea Robey, Cassidy Robinson, Jenna L. Robinson, Kaleb H. Roby, Dauntae S. Rodrigue, Gabriel Rowan and Caleb Ryan,

Jessica Rae Sandberg, Dathan Sandy, Adam Sayre, Landon Schoonover, Ananda L. Scott, Preston Seelback, Emily Sharp, Joseph G. Shaver, Keldon James Shiflett, Elizabeth Paige Shipman, Nathen E. Smith, Savanna B. Smith, Cassey D. Smith, Chloe Danielle Smith, Isaiah M. Smith, Savanna Brooke Smith, James E. Smouse, Ryan Snyder, Korri Lee-Ann Snyder, Brayden Andrew Snyder, Jenson P. Sothen, Chase Spencer, Madyson Nicole Spicer, Tiarah Spotloe, Julianna S. Stark, Avery Starkey, Dreah Starkey, Adilyn Stimson, Austin Wayne Stout, Austin Wayne Suttle, Nakiesha Joy Tenney, Shalayna Breanne Tenney, Ryan P. Tenney, Emily R. Tenney, Jeremiah A. Tharp, Noah Thomas, Triston Thompson, Ronin Jor'el Copning-Thompson, Kendall Nicole Tolliver, Tanley Triplett, Lynlee Cadance Tullos, Nathaniel G. Tyson, Hope Renée Vanpelt, Paula Frehley Vaughn, Cadence Vincent, Ivanna L. Waggy, Raymond Walton, Kaylin Shae Walton, Shealyn Marie Wamsley, Justin Ward, Cloey Raine Warner, Summer Rella Mildred Warner, Trevor Anthony Miller-Waycaster, Raigan N. Webster, Kaylee Jo Boatwright-Weir, Alayna K. Whitehair, Jessica Shay Williams, Lillian Gwen Williams, Alana Nicolemarie Wirkkala, Zade Tucker Woody, Charity L. Wyatt and Landen Matthias Zirkle.