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Wheeling Park High School Graduates 375 Members of the Class of 2019

Photo by Shelley Hanson Members of Wheeling Park High School’s Class of 2019, from left, William Burch, Lillian Bischof, Marshall Black, Nate Blakely, Kelsey Chacalos, Maxwell Mendelson and Abby Jones wait in a hallway for their commencement ceremony to begin Sunday at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

The 375 graduates of the Wheeling Park High School Class of 2019 received their diplomas before a large and proud audience of family, friends and community members at the commencement ceremony Sunday at WesBanco Arena.

Class Treasurer Jacob McPhail welcomed the audience and offered words of reflection and encouragement to classmates. Speaking as the class valedictorian, Abby Jones had high praise for classmates and their accomplishments — including a specially written poem to honor the Class of 2019.

Ohio County Board of Education President Zach Abraham and Wheeling Park High School Principal Amy Minch also spoke to the Class of 2019. They congratulated the students and their parents for their achievements.

Class Secretary Kelsey Chacalos and Vice President Emily Hudrlik announced the class gift. The class gift is two picnic tables to be located outside the Wheeling Park Food Court.

Wheeling Park Salutatorian Sarah Heilman introduced alumna Jessica Rine, who spoke to the graduates about setting lofty goals and not worrying about failure. Rine is a 2000 graduate of Wheeling Park and executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley.

Ohio County Board of Education member David Croft handed out diplomas.

Class of 2019 President Maxwell Mendelson gave the closing remarks of this year’s commencement.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Wheeling Park High School Class of 2019 was awarded more than $10 million in scholarships and grants. There were more than 85 PROMISE Scholars in the Patriot Class of 2019.

The Patrick A. Clutter Scholarship — The scholarship was founded to assist Wheeling Park High School graduates with financial resources to attend colleges, universities or vocational centers of their choice. Clutter, a longtime educator at Wheeling Park High School, founded and established the radio and television curriculum as it is known today. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide the opportunity for students to continue their education in the fields of radio and television and to continue the legacy of an outstanding individual and educator. The scholarship winners were Stephen Graebe and Paige Nolte.

The Phyllis A. Beneke Scholarship — The scholarship was established in memory of Wheeling Park High School’s second principal. Since its inception, more than $3 million has been distributed to students of Wheeling Park High School, making this scholarship program one of the largest single scholarship programs in the United States. The Beneke awards include the Patriot Scholars, Outstanding Achievement Scholars, Distinguished Scholars and Beneke Scholars. In 2019, more than $160,000 in scholarships are being handed out.

The Patriot Scholars were Megan Ayala and Mia Hammons.

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