ALTAMONT — Labette County High School graduated 122 students on Saturday morning inside Harrison Auditorium to commemorate the Class of 2025.
Valedictorian Bethany Merrick and salutatorian Spencer Gabehart each addressed their classmates during the ceremony.
Merrick, who’s continuing her education at Washburn University, poked fun at artificial intelligence by joking that her speech was crafted by Chat GPT.
She highlighted that every graduate pushed themselves through four years at LCHS.
“Some of us have broadened our horizons with sports or marching band or theater or vocational classes,” Merrick said. “Regardless of what path we have chosen, at our core, we are all pretty much the same. Together, we have kept our heads held high and pushed through to achieve a surplus of accomplishments.”
Merrick also encouraged graduates to be fearless in future endeavors.
“Your bravery must be loud enough to be heard over all of the noise, and you must be willing to speak out into the silence,” Merrick said. “IT will take fearlessness to reach out and connect with new people and courage to feel your emotions with no judgment. Above all, you will need that bravery to trust your instincts over everything else.”
Gabehart, who’s going to the University of Toronto, gave brief remarks, expressing his pride and admiration toward his fellow graduates.
“Despite all the hardships that life has thrown at us,” Gabehart said, “we made it. We’re about to walk across this stage into a new life. I’m going to miss this place, and I’m sure many of you will too. Even if you won’t admit it.”
Assistant Principal Trey Thompson presented the Dale Dennis Excellence in Education Award to Anna Cantrell.
See LCHS, Page 3.
Labette County High School Class of 2025 valedictorian Bethany Merrick delivers her address on Saturday during the graduation ceremony in Harrison Auditorium. Isabelle Leake/USD 506 photo
The award, established in 1996 by Kansas school administrators, honors students who are “friends of education” and “first class citizens.”
Thompson also presented the Kansas State High School Activities Association citizenship awards to Drew Schibi and Aubrey Boss. The KSHSAA honor is given to students who display Bartlett respect, responsibility and reverence.
Twelve students represented the top 10% of the graduating class at Labette County — Merrick, Gabehart, Kinsley Boss, Keira Wolf, Ezrie Sykes, Aubrey Boss, Kyndal Cardin, Kaylee Eberhart, Kaycee Reed, Cantrell, Kathryn Wilson and Lexi Howard.
The LCHS Choir performed “We Won’t Stop Dreaming” as part of the ceremony while the LCHS band performed “Rough Rider March” for the recessional. Co-op’s
