FAIRVIEW, Ala. – Fairview High School held a Senior Awards Night Celebration on Monday at 6:00 p.m. to recognize the scholarships and personal awards given to each senior from various universities and local businesses. Fairview 2022 Senior Class President Ben Tankersley opened the ceremony with a statement, “I would like to say thank you to all of our supporters: parents, guardians, teachers and mentors. All of you played a huge part in the awards being given out tonight. In fact, you may have played the biggest part. Without your guidance, we would not be sitting here tonight. Next, I would like to congratulate the senior class on our accomplishments. Whether its going into the workforce, going to college or serving the armed forces, you matter.”
Principal Chris Gambrill presented the first award, Student of the Year, to Peyton Trotter saying, “She is going to go places in life. I can’t wait to see where she goes because she’s driven and she is ambitious, but the most important part is she has a loving heart. This year, she was chosen as the Cullman County Chamber of Commerce Student of the Year.”
Stanley Burden and Mrs. Pattillo presented the Keith Pattillo Memorial Scholarship in honor of former Fairview High principal Mr. Pattillo who passed away in April of this year. Burden knew Pattillo for over 50 years and worked as his assistant principal. He said, “Mr. Pattillo loved Fairview School—the students and the staff—and he loved the community. He continuously pushed for excellence academically and personally. He formed long lasting relationships with his students and staff and compelled us to take ownership of our own education and life. Two things he adamantly believed in—a strong work ethic and education. The purpose of this scholarship is to afford a deserving student through hard work and education an opportunity to achieve their particular goal in life.” The award was presented to Tessa Buckelew.
Claire Johnson presented the Central Alabama Community Foundation Fran Kay Schwaiger Scholarship to Ben Tankersley. Schwaiger was a 1975 Cullman High School graduate and valedictorian. She also attended Vanderbilt Universities’ College of Engineering. Her scholarship went to a student pursuing a STEM career. Johnson said about Schwaiger, “She wanted to give back to Cullman County because she felt like it was her foundation that allowed her to succeed.”
There were several additional awards presented from the FHS Alumni Association, WSCC Future Foundation, Cullman Savings Bank, UAH, Auburn University, Alabama University, University of West Alabama, JSU, UNA and SkillsUSA.
Valedictorian Kayrie Weldon closed the ceremony stating, “Tonight is one of the last times our whole class will ever be at the same place at the same time. It is truly hard to believe that we will not spend every weekday with this group of people ever again. Over the next few days leading up to graduation, I encourage you all to reflect over the past four years we have spent together. Reflect on the relationships you have built with your peers and teachers, the goals we have achieved and the memories you made on our campus. Whether your time here was good or bad, we are about to leave this chapter of our lives in the past. Finally, I would like to leave you with a quote: ‘Graduation is not the end, it’s merely the beginning.’ Even though I have gone on and on about how this time of our lives is over, it is just the beginning of the rest of our lives.”
Full list of awards presented:
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