Ready for the Next Step
By Nancy Hull
Following a two-month hospitalization, Brittany Robbins questioned whether she’d walk with her high school class.
Katelyn Harris’ acceptance into an elite program takes her a step closer to a childhood dream.
Landry Ramirez is ready to do his part in this time of war.
All three became St. Joseph School District graduates Sunday at Civic Arena.
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High school graduation wasn’t a big deal to Benton High School’s Brittany before August 2007. It was a given.
Then she got sick.
Mono kept her in the hospital from August to October.
The honor roll student and softball player panicked when she heard the news: She’d missed so much school that if she returned to Benton, she’d end up graduating with the class below her.
She didn’t want to graduate with the younger students. She wanted to graduate with her class — the people she’d been with since kindergarten.
"I couldn’t stand the thought of not walking with my class," she said.
That gave her one option: recovering credit at an alternative school.
So she went to the district’s Learning Academy for a few hours a day.
"It was so quiet there. No one talked," she said. "You just go there, get your things done and leave."
She missed the little things about Benton — hanging out with friends in the hallways, handing out senior pictures, signing yearbooks.
One factor kept her motivated at the alternative school.
"I kept thinking, ‘As soon as I get this done, I’ll be able to graduate with my class,’" she said.
She wrapped up credit requirements in January and has been waiting for graduation and focusing on college since then.
She’s headed for Missouri Western State University. She received a couple of local scholarships that will help pay for her criminal justice studies.
Her mother, Tammy Embrey, first cried about her daughter’s accomplishment when she picked up the red cap and gown from school, and the emotion continued through Sunday.
"Most people take graduating for granted," Ms. Embrey said. "Brittany had to work for this."
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Lafayette High School graduate Katelyn Harris was all hugs during her graduation party Saturday evening.
Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo
Lafayette High School graduate Katelyn Harris was all hugs during her graduation party Saturday evening.
Lafayette High School’s Katelyn always liked science, math, pushing herself and helping others.
When she was eight, she decided she wanted to be a doctor. She wanted to be a pediatrician, in part because of her babysitting experience.
As a sophomore, she gave a speech to the local Optimist Club. State Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, who’s Heartland Regional Medical Center’s marketing and communications officer, heard her speak and told her about the University of Missouri Kansas-City’s six-year medical program. The accelerated track allows students to earn a medical degree six years after high school graduation.
The highly competitive program became her goal.
Katelyn, the class salutatorian, went to a summer medical program in Chicago and spent hundreds of hours volunteering in Heartland’s Obstetrician section.
She and 2,000 others applied to begin the UMKC program next year.
She filled out a 24-page application. One question asked her to list all the books she’d read. Her list was filled with Shakespeare, classical and horror books.
Three hundred applicants, including Brittany, received interviews.
Staff at Lafayette prepared Katelyn with mock interviews. Principal Tyran Sumy advised her to give concise, not rambling, answers and avoid fidgeting with her hands.
Her mother, a casino supervisor, took a day off work to take Katelyn to the interviews. Her mother and father, a factory worker, didn’t graduate from college. Brittany will be a first-generation college student.
"It’s really important to my parents that I’m able to achieve what I want to achieve," she said.
Katelyn happily cried to her mom when she found out she was one of 100 who made the program’s cut.
Scholarships will help fund college.
During her speech Sunday, she gave her classmates advice that she’s obviously followed.
"Don’t follow your dreams, chase them," she said.
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Central High School graduate Landry Ramirez plans to become a United States Marine. He participates in Marine physical training weekly.
Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo
Central High School graduate Landry Ramirez plans to become a United States Marine. He participates in Marine physical training weekly.
Central High School’s Landry wanted to be a war hero when he was little. With black face paint, water guns and camouflage, he and his friends would pretend to be soldiers in fields.
As he aged, his desire to join the service grew, although his reasons changed.
He took an interest in war history and politics.
"I now realize fighting is necessary to keep the peace. There’s no peace without violence and death," he said. "I’ve nixed the war hero dream and decided I just want to help out."
Landry thought about going to college. But money isn’t there to pay his way.
He went to a local service recruiting office, where he talked to recruiters in a few branches.
The Marines stuck out. A swimmer and weightlifter, he liked hearing that training will make him feel twice as tired as he’s ever felt before.
He’s been sworn into the Marines and will head to California’s Camp Pendleton for basic training in August. Until then, he’ll continue weekly physical training sessions in St. Joseph.
In the Marines, he plans to be an aviation operation specialist, known as enlisted flight crew. Eventually, he wants to fly. He looks forward to the Marines paying for college.
He knows he’ll probably get homesick. But he treats that as a positive challenge.
"I know that being homesick will make me mentally tougher," he said.
Nancy Hull can be reached at nancyhull@npgco.com.
A new batch of grads
* Benton High School had 186 graduates.
* Central High School had 362 graduates.
* Lafayette High School had 187 graduates.
(c) 2008 St. Joseph News-Press. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.