Wabash High School - Sycamore Yearbook (Wabash, IN)

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THE FINAL THANK-DOWN. Ms. Troop gives her gratitude to Debbie Kime, yearbook co- editor, as the other co-editor waits in the wings. GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK. Art Conner presents the John Phillip Sousa award to Lisa Brown. TAKING THE STAND. Grace Steiner presents her awards to those special ambassadors. FOR A FEW MORE DOLLARS. Ben Niccum returns to Bob Stewart for a few more scholar- ship dollars. AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. Sgt. Bradley awards Chris Mernitz, the U.S. Armed Forces National Scholar Athletic Award. ADMITONE [ y AWARDS NIGHT ©

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THE On May 12, 1986, the Wabash Junior High Auditorium was filled with handshakes, smiles, and applause. The smiles were induced by the hand- shakes and followed by applause. The smiles were affixed to the faces of the award winners; the handshakes were administered by the announcers of the scholarships; and the applause was awarded by the audience for the years of hard work put forth by the students. Ruth M. Minear scholarships for Wabash High School students and alumni totaled $126,000, about $5,000 more than was awarded in 1985. The new recipients of the Minear were Shelly Barrus, Linda Bianco, Bryan Brooks, Lisa Brown, Lori Church, Teresa Conley, Floyd Coon, Shelly Davenport, David Garrison, Michelle Hall, Chris Hollingshead, Ian Hope, Mark Hults, Debra Kime, Mark Mat- tern, Ben Niccum, Misty Ogan, Ladon- na Pitts, Alfred H. Plummer IV, David Scott Reynolds, Beverly Rice, Diana Rose, Walter Steele, Andrea Tracy, Mark Wallace, and Whitney Wertenberger. The Scott Wakefield scholarship went to John Carter, while the Tri Kappa Lulu Baer grant was awarded to Teresa Conley and Chris Holl- ingshead. Wabash Inc. scholarships went to Lisa Brown and Tammy Powell. A Nixon Newspaper scholar- ship went to Lori Church. Shelly Davenport received the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award. Academic achievement awards reci- pients were as follows: The Presiden- tial Academic Fitness Award, Lori Church and Ben Niccum; State of In- diana Scholars, Chris Hollingshead and David Garrison; Lisa Brown was named the outstanding business education student; Ben Niccum won the English award; the French award and the National Choral award went to Lori Church; the highest academic award in Spainish went to Kelly Steele; the home arts award was earn- ed by Kelsey Lewis; and the mathematics award went to Chris Hollingshead. The prestigious Gridiron awards went to Nate Mylin and Ann Plummer. THREE ' S COMPANY. With folded hands Chris Hollingshead, Lori Church, and Shelly Davenport, wait patiently for their awards.

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AWAY FROM THE NOISE AND HASSLE, Mark Mattern and Chris Mernitz await commencement out- side the junior high lobby. WEARING THE CAP AND GOWN FOR THE LAST TIME. Mfe. Harvey graduates into retirement. THE LIGHTS ARE LOW AND THE CANDLES BURN HIGH during the candle lighting ceremony. To Build A Fire The courtyard was dimly lit by the setting sun as the class of ' 86 stood alphabetically correct. A shrill Oh, My God! screamed out as Pomp and Circumstance rebounded out of the gym doors and into our hearts. Bob Mullet ' s red eyes squeezed out two more tears, and the students filed into the gym to sit in their folding chairs. Chris Mernitz nervously approach- ed the podium and introduced Al Plummer who prayed reverently to God remembering the people who put us here and looking boldly to the future. Members left their seats to join the choir for the last time singing That ' s What Friends Are For and I ' ll Remember You. Next, Lisa Brown, the valedictorian, delivered her speech followed by Mark Mattern who approached the podium speaking confidently. After the band played, Mr. Eikenberry presented the class, saying we were unique with an in- dependent spirit which drew laughter from both students and parents. After Dr. Myer ' s speech, which in- cluded a quote from John F. Kennedy and a plea to avoid apathy, the class of ' 86 marched to the stage and filed past the school board shaking hands, thanking faces, and receiving gifts. The first gift was a diploma, the culmination of a dozen years ' edu ' a- tion, seen by some as the key to a mystical door or a stepping stone to a bright future. The second gift was a candle, a black candle with a silver rose, used in the ceremony to sym-- bolize class solidarity. A butane ' lighter started the first wick and the small fire spread throughout the body, of graduates as Lori Church sang. Passages. Without hesitation the candles raised to arm ' s length, and the entire class swayed as if unified by the ■ steady rocking of a ship on open seas. As the song ended and the lights came up, the haze from one hundred and fifteen candles hung mystically in the air. Out of the smoke-filled gym and into the dark, night air poured the class of ' 86, bumping into one another occasionally, remembering the good old times, and hugging each other good-bye. O ADMITONE 00 I— O GRADUATION