Staff Writer

Katherine Bassett of Charles Henderson High School was recognized Tuesday night for having the highest ACT score out of seniors in the four local high schools.

For that achievement, Bassett received the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s Program Recognizing Achievement in Secondary Education scholarship, other wise known as the PRAISE scholarship.

The $500 scholarship winner was announced during a banquet at Troy Elementary School.

Bassett had some stiff competition for the scholarship. The other 2000 PRAISE nominees were: John Wallace of Pike Liberal Arts School, Christopher Langston of Pike County High School and Jonathan Catrett of Goshen High School.

Nominees for the scholarship are seniors from each of the Pike County high schools who have maintained the highest ACT score and the student with the highest score among the nominees is the scholarship recipient.

But, Bassett wasn’t the only one who received a scholarship Tuesday night. The Lunsford/Ferguson Health Scholarship winners were also announced during the banquet.

Catrett was presented the scholarship that goes to a graduating senior and the post-secondary scholarship went to Susan Danielson.

In addition to honoring the seniors, the banquet also gives the Chamber an opportunity to recognize some outstanding juniors, who are selected to serve as PRAISE Junior Hosts and Hostesses.

PRAISE Junior Hosts and Hostesses were: Virginia Dyson and Clinton Liles of CHHS; Will Williams and April Campbell of PLAS; Ashley Maulden and Nicole Burton of PCHS; Heather Baggett, Klisha Potts, Kasey Brooks and Reneta Poole of GHS.

In addition to being recognized for their achievements, the students were all given some good advice from Nancy Beggs, director of career and technical education for the State Department of Education.

Beggs, who spent over 20 years in technical education before going to Montgomery, said seeing students like those before her makes her realize why she has spent as many years as she has in education.

"I think our future is in good hands," Beggs said.

To give the students a little extra help, Beggs discussed 10 things she wished she had known when she was a graduating high school senior.

They were:

· Pinpoint your passion because many of those who want to do nothing but earn a lot of money find, in a few years, they are not happy with what they are doing.

"Somebody once told me you can win a million dollars and be happy for a year, but do what you love and be happy for a lifetime," Beggs said.

· No job is beneath you. Remember Bill Gates started as a computer programmer for someone else and look where he is now.

"Starting at the bottom builds character," Beggs reminded the students.

· Who you work for is just as important as what you do.

"God is going to put mentors in your path," Beggs said, adding she was once told that seven people would significantly impact her life and she’s met four of them.

· Behavior has consequences.

· Be willing to fail. Thomas Edison had many unsuccessful experiments before the light bulb.

· You aren’t superhuman.

"Perfectionism doesn’t make you perfect. It makes you feel inadequate." She also told them to "Be young before you’re old."

· Children will change your life forever, so make sound decisions.

· Marriage is a lot of work.

· Don’t expect anyone to support you financially.

· Laugh a lot. Doing so will make the others doable.

Some other advice she offered was to be flexible and "have the ability to live through change" and never settle for the status quo.

Beggs also reminded the students to be someone with whom it’s easy to do business and to "never complete your education."

During the banquet, PRAISE nominees were given an opportunity to introduce the teacher who has most influenced them during their high school years. Those recognized were: David Buehler of PCHS, Pam Merkel of CHHS, Louise Blair of PLAS and James Goodson, who retired from GHS.