Top three seniors named from CCHS Class of 2019

Posted May 23, 2019 at 10:22 am

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Friday, May 17, the 102nd graduating class of Clinton County High School walked across the stage in Lindle Castle Gymnasium and moved from students to alumni in a matter of seconds.

This year’s graduating class is one of the largest in school history with 120 students receiving their diplomas and of those 120 students, three sit at the top, Makayla Cope, Keonna Thompson and Cydney Sampson.

This year’s top three were decided extremely close to graduation. A week before graduation, five students sat at the top with grades still coming in and the decision on who would be in the top three was still up in the air.

Thursday night, during the awards ceremony at Lindle Castle Gymnasium, Makayla Cope was announced as 1st Academic Honors for the Class of 2019.

“It’s always been a goal of mine. Even this summer, I was trying hard to do whatever I could. I’ve taken all the dual credit courses and all the AP classes and that helps,” Cope said. “I really, really hoped I would be in the top of my graduating class.”

Other than school work, Cope was also an active member of several clubs and a member of the Clinton County High School softball team.

“It can be hard sometimes if you are going to play softball games five or six nights per week,” Cope said. “You just have to work really hard and do everything you need to during the school day. If you have to stay up late at home you have to do what you have to do to make it work.”

Other than softball, Cope said she is involved with FBLA, Beta Club, and Relay for Life.

Cope had a little time to reflect on the past four years of her high school career and she couldn’t really pin point a particular person who has helped her, but it was a collective effort from those around her to make her work hard.

“I feel like all of my teachers have pushed me,” Cope said. “I’m looking toward an animal science direction and Mr. Ben Prewitt has pushed me and helped with that along with Courtney Norris and Jessica Conner. They have really helped with school work and as a person. They’ve really help ed me come out of my shell. At the beginning of high school I was kind of shy and they really helped me come out of that.”

Cope said her family is very excited for her. She is the daughter of Patrick and Tabitha Cope.

“They are really excited for me,” Cope said. “Even my little sister is, but she probably wouldn’t tell me that. I appreciate everything they have done for me and to push me through high school.”

Cope said there is a lot she will miss about high school, but she thinks she will miss her friends and the structure the most.

“I keep telling myself I won’t miss it, but I’m sure I will,” Cope said. “Just being here and being on a schedule and all my friends are here … that’s going to be the hardest because I see them everyday. Especially my softball family. I’m going to miss them a lot because they are always there for me. I’m going to miss everybody around here.”

Cope said she plans on attending Tennessee Tech for her first four years and then apply to the University of Tennessee to the veterinarian program.

“That’s what I would really like to do,” Cope said. “I want to get my veterinarian medicine degree and come back and open my own practice.”

Keonna Thompson came in second in the Class of 2019 and was named 2nd Academic Honors. She is the daughter of Keith Thompson and Melissa Thompson.

“The past four years I’ve always took pre-AP classes, AP classes and dual credit courses trying to further my education and help me in college,” Thompson said. “It’s been long and stressful, but I guess it’s been all worth it in the end.”

Taking all the advanced classes is difficult according to Thompson.

“It’s a lot of work on top of your normal work, plus having a job,” Thompson said.

Lucas Dalton, Guidance Councilor at CCHS, has always been a positive influence in her academic career according to Thompson.

“Mr. Dalton has always been the one to push me. He was my AP History teacher and he is counselor now. He has helped me be who I am now,” Thompson said. “Mrs. Gina Poore has been always telling me what I need to do to get where I needed to be. I wanted to do better for myself and study hard. I wanted to make it easier on myself later on in life.”

Thompson said she wants to do something in the medical field, but hasn’t narrowed down an occupation at the moment.

She plans on attending Western Kentucky University in the fall.

Thompson said it’s never too soon to start looking at colleges and trying to figure out what you need to do in life.

Her advice to incoming freshmen is to do all you can do now.

“It’s never too early to start,” Thompson said. “You need to do what you can now so that it will benefit you later on in life.”

Cydney Sampson was named 3rd Academic Honors for the Class of 2019. She is the daughter of Tim Sampson and the late Elaine Sampson.

Sampson said a sibling rivalry was a lot of her motivation.

“First of all my sister was number five in her class, so the thing was I always wanted to beat her,” Sampson said. “I guess I really just wanted to better myself. That’s mainly why I’ve pushed myself so hard with everything I’ve done. At times it’s been very difficult. It’s a lot of stress and a lot of work, but as long as you have the drive to do it, it’s not too much to handle.”

Sampson is a member of the CCHS Softball team as well as numerous other clubs at Clinton County.

“I’m in a lot of clubs,” Sampson said. “FBLA and HOSA … I try to do everything with them. At one time I was playing basketball, running cross country, along with softball and having two jobs.”

Sampson said it’s not difficult juggling all those extracurricular activities, but you don’t get as much sleep.

“I don’t get as much sleep as most people do probably,” Sampson said. “I have to stay up late doing extra homework, but I’ve learned good time management.”

Sampson was awarded the Begley Scholarship, which is a full ride to Lindsey Wilson in the fall.

“I’m going to major in psychophysiology and I’m thinking of pursuing a degree in child and adolescent physiology,” Sampson said.

Sampson’s influences during her career at CCHS was a group effort by her teachers she said.

“All my teachers had a big influence on me,” Sampson said. “Mrs. Courtney Norris helped me a lot to give me advise on what college is like and what I need to do to get ready. Mr. Dalton helped me a lot. They were both my AP teachers and those classes helped me a lot with how college was going to be.”

Sampson is very excited about college and said the scholarship she was awarded allows for a trip each year given by Lindsey Wilson.

“This fall I will be going to New Orleans and then I get to go to San Fransisco, New York and Chicago,” Sampson said. “If I want to study abroad, the scholarship will pay for that too. I’m pretty excited about it.”

Sampson said she thinks seeing her friends will be what she misses the most about high school.

“I think I will miss seeing the same people everyday,” Sampson said. “I’ve been so used to being in the small classes with everybody I know. I’m also going to miss all my teachers because I have a pretty good relationship with all of them.”

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