Springfield's Rose ceremony is meaningful for students who put a great deal of work into finishing at the top of their graduating class.
“I set this goal for myself in fifth grade, and I’ve been working at it ever since,” said Parkview High School senior Isaiah Giles. “It’s been an honor to be in this position. My parents really helped me out, they told me what it means to be valedictorian and that pushed me toward my goal.”
Students didn’t make that pursuit easy, either. Giles said he didn’t get to take very many “fun” classes, but grew to appreciate the challenge.
“I’ve learned to like challenging myself in honors and (advanced placement), and I got a lot of good opportunities in those classes,” Giles said. “ It has really been a blessing.”
Springfield Public Schools honored 57 high school seniors March 21 who are on track to finish at the top of their classes, earning a place in the school district’s Recognition of Scholastic Excellence program. Named as the 39th annual class of Rose honorees, the students were invited to a banquet at Missouri State University, where their accomplishments were celebrated.
Receiving the recognition requires seniors to earn one of the 10 highest grade point averages in their school's graduating class. In the case of ties, the number is expanded — Central had 17 such honorees this year.
Missouri State University President Clif Smart and Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Grenita Lathan spoke to the class, and posed for portraits with each of the winners, who were presented roses.
‘Tough classes and tough teachers'
Cole Brodeur said his road to the Rose was tough, but he chose the route.
“This is a product of seven years of work, from the beginning of junior high to the end of secondary education,” Brodeur said. “It’s been a wild ride. I had tough classes and tough teachers. I tried to make it as hard on myself as possible.”
Zorian Black, of Parkview, said the honor felt meaningful because of its ability to inspire others. He was one of four Black students in Parkview’s class of Rose honorees.
“It means a lot to me, especially for the younger generation that comes up through Springfield Public Schools,” Black said. “There are not a lot of people who receive this award who look like me, so it’s really inspiring the next generation.”
Teachers triumphed
While students’ achievements were celebrated, the students used the event to highlight impactful teachers. Each school’s group of Rose honorees chose a teacher who was especially helpful and inspirational to them.
Abigail Samek never got to take any classes with math instructor Shellie Myers.
Samek, a Glendale High School senior, was OK with some of her high-performing peers choosing Myers as the Glendale teacher to be recognized Thursday night.
“I was the only one who didn’t have her,” Samek said. “But everyone else loved her, so I was OK with it.”
Myers was that pick for Glendale’s group — she teaches higher-level math, such as calculus and statistics.
Samuel Rinehart said Myers is by no means an easy teacher. Over three different classes in three years, Rinehart said Myers pushed students to take on difficult problems. Myers did such a good job that she helped Rinehart find a love for math.
“She is really personable, and helped me grow as an individual,” Rinehart said. “I’m going to Southeast Missouri State University to study math, because she helped me find a love for it. Sometimes it can be a little monotonous, but she made it fun and engaging.”
Myers said getting chosen for this honor is especially meaningful to her.
“As a teacher, there are a lot of moments aren’t necessarily the brightest moments, so it makes moments like this even more bright,” Myers said. “It’s a wonderful thing to have them decide I helped them, and made a difference, and they might even remember me down the road.”
Samek said she was grateful for English teacher Bob Lynch, who helped give her more confidence in her pursuit of a marketing degree to build a videography business.
“(Lynch) was one of the most personable teachers,” Samek said. “He personalizes all his lessons around us as individual students, and turns lessons toward what we want to do in the future. He made me more confident in my decision.”
Parkview students picked Karen Cockell, an English teacher known for being supportive of her students.
Zorian Black, one of Parkview’s Rose honorees, said Cockell would go out of her way to help out him and other members of Parkview’s varsity basketball team — but not by making lessons easier.
“She told us this would be one of the hardest English classes we would take, but everything she does makes you a better writer,” Black said. “Some of the other members and I play sports, and she would always have a snack for us when she knew we just got done with morning workouts.”
Cockell said she loved the diverse life experiences among the students in Parkview’s group. She points to how they learned how to get top grades and manage their lives while participating in sports, theater, orchestra and more activities.
Cockell said she has no intent of making her classes easier, in effect making the life management challenge easier for students.
“Kids surprise you when you challenge them, and when you push them to be better, they do,” Cockell said. “It’s really cool to watch, because a lot of times they will struggle a little bit. But when they achieve those high scores, and the rigor is there, it makes them feel really good.”
Central students chose Beth McIntyre, a teacher in the school’s International Baccalaureate program who teaches IB Literature and Theory of Knowledge. They credited her for helping them achieve higher goals.
Samuel Cummings said he sees how McIntyre made an impact on all of her students’ lives, and was grateful for how she improved his.
“She helped me strengthen my writing and communication skills,” Cummings said. “I’ve always been a big writer, and taken a lot of literature and English courses. She just really honed in my writing skills and pushed me to another level.”
Beginning of the next phase
The Rose Banquet is one of the first events in the spring graduation season, which goes hand in hand with closing out a high school career.
After the banquet, principals and teachers spent time talking with students and their families, sharing excitement for what lies ahead.
Teachers said the moment is bittersweet — Myers said that she had many of these students over multiple years, and got the chance to bond with them.
“It’s bittersweet because they are happy to graduate and excited to move forward,” Myers said. “I’m sad because a little piece of me is with them, then they leave. I build some really strong relationships with these kiddos.”
McIntyre agrees with the bittersweet sentiment, yet said that this is part of the emotional extremes of being a teacher.
“This is what it’s supposed to be, a celebration of moving through this stage of life,” McIntyre said. “If you have talked to them, they are going all over the place. They are going to take their passion, curiosity, not just their book learning but their spirit, hope and positive nature with them.
“They are going to change the world.”
Springfield Rose honorees for ‘24
The Class of 2024 Rose Honorees include the following students:
Central: Quincy Catherine Alberhasky, Darla Reese Bauer, Selina Yoomin Borland, Cole Michael Brodeur, Samuel Benjamin Cummings, Samuel Charles Dancey, Elana Noor Hadi, Addison Isabella Harris, Alexandria Mei-Lian Jones Li, Allison Grace Loughary, Miles Jude Montgomery, Eli Padraic Moody, Shyam Jayesh Patel, Eliska Price, Katie Yu-Ting Su, Madison Marie Taylor and Hannah Elizabeth Young.
Glendale: Mary Coranell Boehm, Kaitlyn Deann Brady, Macy Elise Bussen, Lyla Mae Flinn, Amari Kahlis Isaia, Avery Merritt Kinney, Kacey Ruth McCoy, Brandon Robert Phillips, Samuel Ethan Rinehart and Abigail Brooke Samek.
Hillcrest: Emily Reigh Clotfelter, Shelby Ann Epperly, Parker William Hoel, Caylee Allison Jasper, Kyler Evan Charles Lock, Lauren Elizabeth Melton, Natalie Claire Percival, Abigail Skye Phillips, Holten Davis Pyle and Luke Duane Sutherland
Kickapoo: Garrett David Arroyo, Alexandra Diane Bartels, Baylea Grace Davis, Nicholas Henry Finke, Lynae Carol Robbins, Jaylie Brooke Smith, Rylan James Smith, Daeton Mayson Matteo Sozio, Garrett Evan Stanley and Aaryan Biju Thavaran.
Parkview: Zorian Josiah Black, Isaiah Matthew Giles, Rylee Dianne Graves, Chase Andrew Harper, Abigail Rose Hill, Tomas Jeffery Hill, Jamile Devin Johnson, Jaden Creed Knox, Emma Grace Levings and Quoc Thang Nguyen.
