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McKenzie Rotary Club Hosts MHS Honors Banquet

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McKenzie Rotary Club was the host of the 2019 McKenzie High School Honors Banquet held at MHS on Tuesday, March 5. The students were treated to dinner by Rotarians prior to the awards ceremony in the school’s gymnasium. Rotary President-elect Joel Washburn welcomed the students and noted the local service club has four areas of local service, two of which is a dedication to the community’s youth and to academic excellence.
Tim Watkins, principal at McKenzie High School, welcomed featured speaker Dereck Stewart. Stewart is the highest ranking officer in the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He is a graduate of McKenzie High School. Colonel Dereck Stewart began his career with the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1987 as a road Trooper in Montgomery County, where he spent seven and a half years before transferring to the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy to teach basic training to police and sheriff recruits. From there he joined the THP Training Academy Staff in 1995, where he was promoted to sergeant, and later to lieutenant serving as assistant director of training. He was promoted to captain in 2004 and led the Internal Affairs Unit until transferring to the director’s position in the Research, Planning and Development Division for the department. In September 2010, he was promoted to major and executive officer for Colonel Tracy Trott until August 2011, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel over the Administrative Support Bureau. He was promoted to Colonel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol in May, 2018. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and is married to Cynthia, and they have two children, Jada and Dereck II.
Stewart spoke briefly to the students and told them they were blessed with good faculty and staff at McKenzie Schools.
One’s path in life is subject to change and sometimes the plans of life are different. He said he wanted to be a shortstop on a professional baseball team, however, while in college, he was struck in the face with a baseball. He had a broken jaw and displaced teeth following the accident. He developed a fear of being hit again and decided a career in baseball was not for him.
As his parting quote, Colonel Stewart said, ”Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Mr. Tim Watkins announced the name of each recipient of a certificate as they crossed the stage. Sheila Ridley presented each with a certificate. Several seniors received the distinction of being awarded a plaque denoting a four-year invitation to the Honors Banquet. McKenzie Rotary Club sponsored the plaques.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Lynn Watkins presented a $1,000 Rotary scholarship to Macey Ognibene, the successful applicant among many who was recognized for her scholarly achievements and her service work in the community.

Ninth Grade
Baucum, Wynter; Bilger, Joel; Bynum, Wesley; Cheney, Shannan; Cole, Andrew; Cook, Trey; Dutton, Dharma; Dyer, Dani; Essary, William; Fornera, Sydney; Gallimore, Bethanny; Hall, Taylor; Hampton, Jonah; Hudson, Hayden; Jones, Raina; Mclearen, Collin; Minard, Madison; Nolin, Olivia; O’brien, Sadie; Olson, Brittany; Patrick, Duane; Pershell, Andrew; Pettingill, Garrett; Phipps, Sawyer; Prather, Meya; Putman, Blair; Roberson, Rhilee; Robinson, Anna; Spivey, Anna Grace; Swinea, Ashlyn; Tucker, Jaden; Umstead, Rachel; Viana, Connor; Weatherford, Juleyanne; Winchester, Landon; Woodruff, Hadley; Wright, Isabelle
Tenth Grade
Allen, Ariel; Bennett, Lilly; Boaz, Brandon; Brasfield, Haley; Brewer, Emilie; Britt, Ashleigh; Callahan, Anna Grace; Chadwick, Presley; Chandler, Trevor; Chantler, Ruby; Chappell, Allie; Chesser, Ashlynn; Cottrill, Claire; Currie, Jaden; Drewry, Ashlyn; Gallimore, William; Gant, Austin; Glass, Margaret; Glissen, Aubree; Green, Kennedy; Green, Logan; Henderson, Olivia; Hill, Savanah; Jowers, Hannah; Kamholz, Haylee; Latimer, William; Lawrence, Lisa; Lyles, Logan; Mansfield, Lauren; Medford, Annabelle; Moore, Johnathan; Murphy, Andrew; Nanney, Nathan; Nesbitt, Savannah; Seivers, Elijah; Smiley, Nicholas; Summers, Lyndsey; Surber, Eli; Taylor, Austin; Turner, Graycie; Vazquez, Stephanie; Ventura, Dominic; Wallace, Presley; Ward, Kandice; Warren, Lydia; Washburn, Anna; Webb, Chase; Webb, Gracie; Wilson, Richard Clay; Young, Levin
Eleventh Grade
Adkins, Hannah; Allen, Desteyana; Barker, Tommie Jo; Boucher, Molly; Brown, Karli; Colotta, Isabella; Cook, Weston; Davis, Hallee; Davis, Shelby; Deloach, Momilani; Essary, Kimberly; Ezell, Issaic; Fry, Jack; Garza, Giselle; Gonzalez, Daniel; Goodrum, Andrew; Hendrix, Madison; Hobson, Braxton; Horton, Lane; Jarrett, Evan; Joyner, Riley; Kee, Cameron; Marr, Ashton; Maxwell, Kyle; Moreno, Ellaina; Norden, Chance; Pate, Sydney; Patrick, Claudia; Pewitt, Jensen; Phifer, Celinas; Rayburn, Morgan; Reed, Hannah; Rorer, Nathan; Roy, Zachery; Smith, Whitley; Steele, Kyla; Taylor, Lilli; Travis, Camille; Tucker, Jenna; Vandyke, Mary; Vazquez, Sabrina; Whitsell, Nathan; Wright, Amber; Zheng, Jackey
Twelfth Grade
Austin, Ben*; Austin, Logan; Barker, Holly*; Bennett, Luke*; Bolin, Emily*; Britt, Caleigh; Cole, Julianna*; Cole, Mallory*; Colotta, Chase*; Cooper, Brandon; Cooper, Amberleigh*; Craddock, Allison; Daffron, Chase; Daffron, Lillian*; Davis, Alexander*; Eason, Amber*; Edmonson, La’jada; Fann, Parker; French, Julie*; Garza, Ruby; Gilbert, Dayana; Green, Alivia; Hargrove, Haven*; Harvey, Allison*; Hobson, Brandon*; Holder, Katheryne*; Hones, Hannah*; Houck, Rabekka; Huddleston, Caleb; Humphreys, Peoni; Jackson, Sarah; King, Larson; Laser, Zachary; Latimer, Margaret*; Marr, Brady; Matthews, Makenzie *; McBride, William; Melendez, Henry*; Minton, Brock; Myers, Matthew; Nunnery, Marisa *; Oakley, Elizabeth*; Ognibene, Macey*; Page, Arizona*; Phillips, Celeste*; Putman, John Tyler; Reed, Jesse; Sawyers, Bailey*; Smith, Harold; Spivey, Tyler*; Taylor, Kristen*; Townes, Tanner; Tucker, Shelby*; Turman, Grayce*; Ventura, Jazmin*; Watkins, Murphy; Watson, Allie; Wilkes, Madison; Williams, Chloe*; Winchester, Jakob; Wooley, Michael; Wright, Olivia* - *Denotes Four-Year Attendee.