EDITORIAL: Congrats to Student of the Year
May 20—Congrats to the newest Student of the Year and all the students recognized at this week's banquet.
Calvin's Nariah Bump was named the Patriot Auto Group and McAlester News-Capital 2023 Student of the Year and the winner of a new vehicle that will take a burden off her family that shared a car.
Patriot Auto Group and the McAlester News-Capital continued a partnership to recognize area high school seniors through a Student of the Year program that honors students' achievements in the classroom and in their communities.
Patriot Auto Group LLC Principal Dealer Tatton Manning and Patriot Auto Chief Operations Officer Seth Knighton presented Bump with a 2023 Jeep Renegade Latitude 4x4 valued at $34,060.
Bump is graduating early as valedictorian with a 4.08 gpa and plans to attend Murray State College's physical therapy assisting program in pursuit of a career.
She said in an essay video required for Student of the Year finalists that her mother, who is a military veteran, motivates her to excel.
Bump participates in Calvin's Fourth of July cleanup, donates toward veterans Christmas bags, helps with Memorial Day cemetery cleanup, and volunteers to place flags at veterans' graves. She volunteers at school and church events, is a National Honor Society member and more.
She became an individual state qualifier in track and cross country on the way to cross country scholarship offers from three colleges.
But this week's banquet also honored several deserving students for their excellence in the classroom and their leadership in our communities.
Bump was among Top 6 finalists that included McAlester's Kynli Jones and Abigail Brown, Lakewood's Jenessa Dugger, Kiowa's Jaxon Wills, and Wilburton's Haylee Baker.
Those finalists were among 18 young people in our communities who received honors as Student of the Month throughout this academic year to become eligible in the program.
High school seniors become eligible for Student of the Year with local school officials nominating them. A selection committee picks the Students of the Month throughout the year and narrows the field to the finalists and the eventual winner.
Students selected as Students of the Month submit their information and answer some short essay questions. Those questions include who inspires them, what their goals are for the future, how a new car would help them, and more.
Manning said he started the program in 2015 with the first vehicle given to the Student of the Year in 2016 at the Bartlesville dealership — with Patriot Auto Group giving students more than a dozen vehicles through the program since then.
Patriot Auto partnered with the McAlester News-Capital in 2019 for a program highlighting students in McAlester and the surrounding areas.
This program celebrates students for everything they achieve — but it wouldn't be possible without the next generations working toward a brighter future.
Congratulations to all the students recognized in this program and all the students working to help their communities.
