EDITORIAL: Community has a bright future
May 26—THUMBS UP to young leaders giving our community a bright future.
We partnered with Patriot Auto Group of McAlester to again award a Student of the Year through a program that recognizes students for all the great things they do in the community.
Judges selected recent McAlester High School graduate Carsyn Gragg as the Patriot Auto Group of McAlester and McAlester News-Capital's Student of the Year — and she won a free 2022 Jeep Compass, valued at $30,000 and provided by Patriot.
Gragg is a co-valedictorian in the MHS Class of 2022 and said she plans to attend Oklahoma State University and pursue veterinary school.
She was a student of the month at MHS, an Oklahoma Academic All State nominee, executive president of the MHS Student Council, president of MHS's National Honor Society, a varsity soccer captain, lead drummer on MHS drum line, received several scholarships, and is involved in several organizations and activities.
Six finalists for the top honor also included Savanna's Ariana Byington, Calvin's Kylee Tollett, Crowder's Madison White, and McAlester's Taylor Kelley and Emilee Coxsey.
Those finalists all displayed exemplary resumes, academics, community service and more, with each being just as deserving as the winner.
All of the Students of the Month, the Top 10 finalists, and the final six candidates all displayed excellence in the classroom, through community service, in extra-curricular activities, and more.
These key areas show how each candidate is working to continue their education, expand themselves in multiple areas, and lead through service.
Candidates volunteered through various groups and organizations to beautify our community, teach children a program not offered through their school, and serve the community in myriad ways.
We applaud all the students recognized through this program and the many more working to make our community's future brighter.
Education is the foundation on which all of us grow into adulthood and interact with each other every, whether it's through working together at our jobs, solving problems to challenges in our community, or just talking with each other at the grocery story.
We thank everyone involved in making this program possible and look forward to the great things in store for the leaders of tomorrow.
