By: Kent McCarty
One of the highest honors given to students at Oak Grove High School is being selected as a member of the Hall of Fame. This year, lucky recipients of the award are Scott Weathersby, Shelby Sims, Kayla Purvis, Amy O’Steen, Jordan Papas, Blair Jackson, Gwen May, and Anne Caroline Lovitt. To receive this award, students have to exhibit excellence in scholarship, leadership, and citizenship. They must also have at least a 90 average throughout high school and must have attended Oak Grove for at least three years.
With Oak Grove’s especially talented student body, narrowing down the senior class of nearly 400 students to just eight is no simple task for teachers and administrators. To start, each teacher at the school compiles a list of up to ten nominees. Nominees who receive at least five nominations earn a spot on the final Hall of Fame ballot. From this ballot, teachers choose up to 12 students. The top 12 receiving votes move on to the next phase, which brings the nominees into the decision-making process for the first time.
The top 12 are then required to complete an activity, honors, and service questionnaire. The completed questionnaire, the student’s transcript, and copies of the students’ grades are then given to the Hall of Fame Committee. The committee members review each student’s questionnaire and grades before completing a ranking of each of the 12 remaining nominees. Nominees receive 12 points for each first place ranking, 11 points for each second place ranking, 10 points for each third place ranking, and so on. The principals then tally the votes and the top eight highest scoring students are named to of the Hall of Fame.
The eight recipients of Hall of Fame honors earned the recognition by exhibiting excellence in scholarship, leadership, and citizenship. From playing sports, to participating in band, to leading club meetings, the students chosen for Hall of Fame represent Oak Grove’s most well-rounded students. “During the 26 years I’ve been at Oak Grove, Hall of Fame recipients have always been well characterized by the three areas Hall of Fame represents: scholarship, leadership, and citizenship,” Principal Wayne Folkes said. “It’s the highest honor an Oak Grove student can acheive, and it represents a student that excels in not only school, but also in their character.”
To Hall of Fame recipient Gwen May, the honor was something she wasn’t expecting. “I was so suprised when I was told I’d been chosen. It’s such a great honor, especially among all of the great students to choose from at Oak Grove.”
Principal Folkes is very impressed with this year’s Hall of Fame representatives and feels that they represent what makes up a true Warrior. “We appreciate what the Hall of Fame students have accomplished at our school and for our school. We’re extremely proud of them all and appreciate the opportunities that our school has been able to offer,” Folkes said.
