MVHS Class of 2023 Receives Recognition

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

Members of the Moapa Valley High School Class of 2023, along with their family and friends, gathered in the MVHS auditorium on Tuesday, May 9 to celebrate the accomplishments of the outgoing class of seniors.

MVHS College and Career Specialist Donna Swanson welcomed the large crowd and noted all of the hard work and effort displayed by the group of students being recognized. She added that the community is proud of all of its graduating seniors; whether they received awards that night or not.

Swanson pointed out that the class of 2023 had been incoming freshman at the school when the COVID-19 pandemic began. As such they had learned to face difficulties.
“They inherited a rocky start to their high school experience,” Swanson said. “They have persevered in the eye of the storm and found success.”

Swanson also acknowledged the generosity of more than 30 private organizations and businesses who had offered scholarship awards to members of the class of 2023.
“Tonight as you scan through your program, notice that those few names listed, altogether, have donated upwards of $70,000 to help our seniors further their educational goals and dreams,” Swanson said. “We are indeed a lucky little village and we applaud all those that take pride in the future of Moapa Valley.”

The scholarship awards began with the Grant M. Bowler Pursuit of Excellence Award, established by the family of the former MVHS principal to honor the students with the highest combined total of extracurricular activity points and grade point average. The winner of the award was Iain McMurray.

The John Z. Robison Memorial Scholarship, given for excellence in citizen journalism was awarded to Iain McMurray and Jorja Freeman.

The Kasen Kolhoss Community Awareness Scholarship was awarded to Taytum Yardley, Iain McMurray, Trevor Witter, Ethan Witter, Lexy Fullman, Brooke Sherwood, Ellie Robison and Kenzie Hughes.

The Project ‘Get Smart’ scholarship went to Nicholas Hoy, Marisol Medrano, Andi Webber, Paige Harter and Hunter Landini.
The Lysha Marshall Memorial Scholarship was presented to Makale Evans.
The Boyd Applegate Memorial Scholarship went to Tyson Staheli and Olivia Leavitt.
America First Credit Union presented scholarships to Halle Evans, Miriam Werner, Shaylee Adams and Makale Evans.
Payden Anderson of Moapa Valley Dental awarded scholarships to Paige Harter, Shaylee Adams, Trevor Witter and Ethan Witter.
The Moapa Valley Performing Arts Council presented its scholarship to Iain McMurray.
The Robison/Sandoval Memorial Baseball Scholarship was awarded to Tyson Staheli.
The Farmers Scholarship/Karen Alsum Agency Future Business-person award was presented to Marcus Shambaugh.

The Mesquite Elks Lodge presented its Academic Scholarship to Cassandra Nelson.
Moapa Valley Rotary Club President Suzy Bennett announced eleven $2,000 scholarship recipients including Sage Overson, Miriam Werner, Makale Evans, Myles Mortensen, Nicholas Hoy, Trevor Witter, Brooke Sherwood, Taytum Yardley, Allen Werner, Jorja Freeman and Deni Jarrel.

MVHS Math Teacher Gary Watkins announced the lucky and market-savvy winners of this year’s Math Mutual Fund challenge awards. Those went to Andi Webber and Sage Overson.
The Lloyd and Linda Whitmore Scholarship was presented to Landon Kelly and Joseph Whitmore.
The Anderson Family Trust Scholarship was presented to Andi Webber.
The Walter Hess Legacy Scholarship was received by Allen Werner.
The Andrue Williams Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Jorja Freeman.
The MV Television Maintenance District awarded scholarships to Marisol Medrano and Sage Overson.
Mesa View Hospice presented an award to Kimber Rowley.

The Moapa Valley Boosters Club presented six scholarships including awards to Halle Evans, Shaylee Adams, Savannah Aikele, Tyson Staheli, Iain McMurray and Miriam Werner.
The Overton Power District presented scholarships to Alan Werner, Savannah Aikele, Kenzie Hughes, Jorja Freeman and Miles Mortensen.

The Clark County Farm Bureau Scholarships went to Iain McMurray, Taytum Yardley and Andi Webber.
The C&S Work Ethic Scholarships presented by Chris and Shelly Stollworthy were presented to Taytum Yardley, Trevor Witter and Ethan Witter.
The Calvin and Tonia Payne Vocational Scholarship went to Ellie Robison.
The Dola Davis Scholarship was presented to Tyelar Anderson.
The Wes Adams Western States Contracting Scholarship was awarded to five recipients including Iain McMurray, Brooke Sherwood, Andi Webber, Taytum Yardley and Lexy Fullman.The Moapa Valley Art Guild awarded scholarships to Abigail Dreyfus and Marisol Medrano.

The George W. Turner Memorial Scholarship was presented to Myles Mortensen and Makale Evans.
The Hy-Rock Scholarship went to Cassandra Nelson, Miriam Werner and Trevor Witter.

In addition to handing out vials of gum balls to the entire crowd, Logandale resident Scott Carson presented the Bubogum Scholarship to Miriam Werner, Kenzie Hughes, Savannah Aikele, Jorja Freeman, Ellie Robison and Taytum Yardley. These were awarded along with the Hawaiian leis and Mickey Mouse cap and tassles that have become traditional at Carson’s annual presentations.

In some final remarks, MVHS principal Hal Mortensen reminded the seniors that wherever they went in the world, they would always be Pirates.

Mortensen pointed out that the Moapa Valley does not have a lot of industry or manufacturing of goods. “But the one thing that we do export is our students that go out into the world and make a difference,” Mortensen said. “Wherever they go, whatever they do, they make an impact and they are truly Pirates.”