Top PHS grads will be honored

Pawhuska city officials are planning to honor the top 2019 graduates of Pawhuska High School on Monday. The city plans to make valedictorian Blake Allen and salutatorian Cassidi Hindman honorary mayor and vice mayor for the day.

Pawhuska Mayor Roger Taylor said in an April 22 letter to the Journal-Capital that Allen, the daughter of Gip and Charla Allen, would be honorary mayor for a day, while Hindman, the daughter of Casey Hindman and Chere Hindman, will be honorary vice mayor.

The city will hold a luncheon in honor of the students from noon until 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Dave Landrum Community Center, located at the corner of Lynn Avenue and Main Street. When the city council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, the students are to receive plaques and be afforded an opportunity to make comments about their experiences that day.

Throughout the day, Allen and Hindman are to have the opportunity to meet with city officials and department heads and learn about various functions of municipal government. Their schedule calls for a meeting at 9 a.m. with the city manager and includes numerous other meetings before they return to school at 2:45 p.m.

Allen plans to attend Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa and then transfer to Oklahoma State University. She has not decided on a major. Allen said she thanks her parents and her sister for always supporting her and pushing her to do her best.

“Set goals for yourself that you want to achieve and never lose sight of them,” Allen said, commenting on her approach to her studies.

Hindman plans to attend the University of Central Oklahoma and study speech pathology. She said that she thanks her teachers for influencing her and her parents for motivating her.

Pawhuska High School’s 2019 commencement ceremony is scheduled for May 17 at Ormond Beach Memorial Stadium.