Pleasant Hill High School Class of 2012 president Josh Griffith (foreground) leads his classmates in the traditional turning of tassels from one side of the cap to the other at the conclusion of commencement exercises held last Thursday evening at the First Baptist Church of Raytown. Mallory Purnell (far left) was the class valedictorian and Kevin Mahoney (second from left) was class salutatorian. Mallory is the daughter of Shane and Chris Purnell and plans to study engineering at the Missouri University of Science & Technology in the fall. Kevin is the son of Jeff Mahoney and Liz Mahoney and will study engineering at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Class president Josh Griffith (second from right) and Student Council president Corey Todd (far right) addressed their classmates at commencement

By F. KIRK POWELL
Editor & Publisher
...Seniors at the Pleasant Hill High School were awarded over $510,000 in grants and scholarships at an assembly held last Wednesday morning at the senior high gymnasium. Added to A+ scholarships that seniors qualified for this year, the Class of 2012 is eligible for over $1.1 million in academic awards.
...A list of awards and the recipients follows.

• Optimist Scholarship— Josh Griffith, Laura Hudson and Trenton Roach.
• Community Betterment Scholarship—Cole Eason, Josh Griffith, Emily Reed and Trenton Roach.
• Chapter D.S. P.E.O. Mary Margaret Ledwidge Memorial Scholarship—Nikki Sherwood.
• MFA Scholarship (West Central AGRI Services)—Emily Reed.
• FFA Alumni Scholarship—Sam Dunlap, Emily Reed and Sarah Rutherford.
• Pleasant Hill Lions Club Scholarship—Laura Hudson and Katie Lane.
• Dr. Jack Hill Memorial Scholarship—Sarah Rutherford.
• Peculiar Charitable Foundation Scholarship—Sarah Rutherford, Emily Reed and Nikki Sherwood.
• Brandi Good "NOTEables" Vocal Scholarship—Corey Todd and Katie Lane.
• Michelle Hayes Memorial Scholarship—Jared Burge and Taylor Gallagher.
• South Grand River Gobler Chapter Scholarship—Emily Reed.
• Town & Country Art League Scholarship—Annette Barbarick.
  
• Beta Sigma Phi City Council Scholarship—Mallory Purnell and Trenton Roach.
• Band Scholarship—Sarah Rutherford and Stephanie Cox.
• Community Teacher's Association Scholarship—Cheyenne Nelson and Ashten Link.
• Pleasant Hill Education Foundation Scholarships—Corey Lee Gibbons Memorial Scholarship, Ashlee Cotter and Josh Griffith; Logan Gray Memorial Scholarship, Sarah Rutherford.
• PHHS Class of 19712 Scholarship—Amanda Crawford, Jared Burge and Josh Griffith.
• Carle C. Conway Scholarship—Lindsey Beck.
• Dance Masters of America Scholarship—Katie Lane.
• American Century Investments Scholarship—Cole Eason.
• Missouri State University Scholarships—Spencer Adams (Board of Governors Scholarship), Kate Driscoll (Board of Governors Scholarship), Brittany Hastings (Provost Scholarship) and Corey Todd (Provost Scholarship).
• Northwest Missouri State University Scholarships—Hank Hudson (Freshman Merit Award), Kelci Medley (Tower Scholarship), Kelci Medley (Missouri Achievement Scholarship), Emily Reed (Dean Gingrich Memorial Scholarship), Emily Reed (Music Scholarship), Emily Reed (Distinguished Scholar), Emily Reed (Missouri Achievement Scholarship), Brett Siebeneck (Distinguished Scholar), Brett Siebeneck (Missouri Achievement Scholarship).
  
• Gillette College—Brandon Alesi (Energy City Voices Performance Award).
  
• University of Central Missouri—Sarah Rutherford (Red & Black Scholarship), Sarah Rutherford (Music Scholarship), Hunter Melies (Red & Black Scholarship), Cheyenne Nelson (Red & Black Scholarship), Clint Richardson (Red & Black Scholarship).
  
• Avila University—Tiffany Zinn (Avila Achievement Scholarship) and Tiffany Zinn (Women's Cross Country Scholarship).
  
• University of Missouri-Columbia— Jared Burge (Curators' Scholar Award), Cole Eason (Excellence Award), Kevin Mahoney (College of Engineering Scholarship), Kevin Mahoney (Curators' Scholar Award), Brecklynn Williams (Mr. and Mrs. John Brown Memorial Scholarship).
  
• State Fair Community College—Samantha Dunlap (Music Scholarship).
  
• Johnson County Community College—Ashlee Cotter (Student Athlete Academic Scholarship) and Ashlee Cotter (Athletic Scholarship).
  
• University of St. Mary—Dakota Jackson (St. Mary Scholarship).
  
• University of Arkansas—Nathan Watson (Chancellor's Scholarship).
  
• Stephens College—Brianna Jackson (Marketing Award), Brianna Jackson (Community Engagement Award) and Brianna Jackson (Stephens Award).
  
• Central Methodist University—Alexandria Jones (President's Scholarship) and Alexandria Jones (Choir Scholarship).
  
• Missouri Western State University—Ashten Link (Western A+ Scholarship), Ashten Link (Provost's Scholarship), Curtis Barger (Talent Award) and Curtis Barger (Band Scholarship).
  
• Truman State University—Amanda Crawford (Combined Ability Scholarship) and Amanda Crawford (A+ Recognition Scholarship).
  
• William Jewell College—Samantha Cobb (Academic Scholarship), Miriam Young (Jewell Scholarship) and Miriam Young (Presidential Scholarship).
  
• Westminster College—Trenton Roach (Trustee's Scholarship).
  
• American Academy of Dramatic Arts—Cheyenne Dillon (Merit Scholarship).
  
• Missouri University of Science & Technology—Wesley Bridges (Trustee's Scholarship), Daniel Peters (Curator's Scholarship), Daniel Peters (Excellence Scholarship), Mallory Purnell (Curator's Scholarship), Mallory Purnell (Excellence Scholarship), Mallory Purnell (Minor Alumni Scholarship), Mallory Purnell (Women in Science & Engineering Scholarship).
  
• Washburn University—Cody Gifford (Baseball Scholarship).
  
• Missouri Valley College—Kenneth Reed (Baseball Scholarship).
  
• Greater Kansas City Official's Association—Josh Griffith and Nikki Sherwood.
  
• Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association—Josh Griffith and Jared Burge.
  
• MIAA/NIAAA Scholarship—Trenten Roach and Josh Griffith.
  
• President's Education Award Certificate—Spencer Adams, Curtis Barger, Jared Burge, Jala Cleveland, Stephanie Cox, Kate Driscoll, Cole Eason, Josh Griffith, Brittany Hasting, Allison Josselet, Royce Kerchner, Kevin Mahoney, Tyler O'Brien, Andrew O'Neill, Brittney Patton, Daniel Peters, Julia
  Pittman, Mallory Purnell, Emily Reed, Trenten Roach, Nikki Sherwood, Abigail Shields, Brett Siebeneck, Luke Stevenson, Corey Todd, Nathan Watson, Brecklynn Williams and Miriam Young.
  
• Missouri Bright Flight—Jared Burge, Cole Eason, Kevin Mahoney, Daniel Peters, Mallory Purnell, Wesley Bridges and Nathan Matson.
  
• George Washington Carver—Spencer Adams, Jared Burge, Stephanie Cox, Kate Driscoll, Cole Eason, Josh Griffith, Allison Josselet, Kevin Mahoney, Daniel Peters, Mallory Purnell, Emily Reed, Trenten Roach, Nikki Sherwood, Abigail Shields, Brittany Hastings Nathan Watson and Miriam Young.
  
• Perfect Attendance—Hayden Smith (4 years), Spencer Adams, Tyler Alexander, Katherine Driscoll and Trenton Roach (2 years), Alexis Cooper, Stephanie Cox and Patrick
  Shands (1 year).
  
• Outstanding Seniors—Josh Griffith and Mallory Purnell.