Patriot Auto, MN-C announce Student of the Year banquet
May 13—More than a dozen students will soon be recognized for excelling in the classroom and in the community — with one set to win a free 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, culminating with the winner to be announced at a banquet on May 26.
Tatton Manning, Patriot Auto Group principal dealer, said said he's impressed each year with the finalists and was again this year.
"I don't know how the kids even sleep with all the things they do with the volunteerism, and we have some athletes in the top as well, so you think about what it takes to be part of a team, then excel in the classroom and excel outside of it," Manning said. "It's really great and we're just excited to see it continue."
"We are thrilled to continue this program through our partnership with Patriot Auto Group to honor and recognize students," News-Capital Publisher Reina Owens said. "So many students deserve recognition for the great things they do in our community. We appreciate all those students working to make a difference and thank Patriot Auto for making this project possible."
This year's banquet is scheduled for May 26 at the McAlester Country Club — where the Student of the Year winner will be announced and given a new car through Patriot Auto Group.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with the banquet set to start at 6 p.m. McAlester Mayor John Browne is scheduled to emcee the event.
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 to the selection committee 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.
A slideshow at the banquet will recognize all of the Students of the Month, which include:
September
—Taylor Kelley
—Hailey Stanford
October
—Hartshorne's Murphy Peterson
—McAlester's Emilee Coxsey
November
—Crowder's Maggie Sockey
—Savanna's Shaylon Scrivner
December
—Stuart's Matteo Chavarria
—Wilburton's Emma Lawson
January
—Crowder's Madison White
—Hartshorne's Courtnee Sensibaugh
February
—Savanna's Ariana Byington
—Kiowa's Dylan Ray
March
—Calvin's Kylee Tollett
—McAlester's Alexia Zurovetz
April
—Stuart's Braelyn Blasengame
—Savanna's Addison Moore
May
—Crowder's Adelyn Hernandez
—McAlester's Carsyn Gragg
—McAlester's Madisynne Mattioda
Top five finalists will be announced soon with each to be featured in video essays played during the banquet.
The Student of the Year will win a new car and be featured on the upcoming June edition of "McAlester Living."
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 at least a dozen vehicles through the program since then.
He said the program stemmed from the idea of recognizing students for their work in the classroom and in the community.
"We love our athletes, and in McAlester we're obviously very proud of our teams, but we wanted our students to have a big prize as well," Manning said. "So we hope that through this that we've got some students that have worked really hard to get to the top and are really working to stay there.
"It's really about what you do outside the classroom — how you help your community, how you help your students, and what you do for the area," Manning said. "That's always what sets the finalists apart."
Patriot Auto partnered with the McAlester News-Capital in 2019 for a program highlighting students in McAlester and the surrounding areas.
Crowder's Kiley Watkins became the first McAlester-area Student of the Year in 2019 and McAlester's Zoie Newman won the award in 2020.
Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
