March 28, 2024

raduates have commencement

This year’s Clarke senior class celebrated its final day of school on Friday, May 17. Graduation was held 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19, in the high-school gymnasium.

Seventy-seven students received a diploma during the 60-minute ceremony. Earlier in the week, during the Senior Awards Night, a reported $726,304 in scholarships and awards were presented from various organizations, businesses and post-secondary institutions.

Twenty-three percent of the graduating class will be attending a four-year school in the fall. Forty-seven percent of the class will be attending a two-year or technical school. Eighteen percent of the class will be going directly into the workforce. Less than one percent will be joining the U.S. Armed Forces, and less than one percent is undecided or has other plans.

The following scholarship and award amounts were reported and presented on Senior Awards Night:

Local/Community Scholarships: $50,150 of which the Dollars for Scholars Foundation awarded 27 student $350 each or $9,450 in total.

College Scholarships (counting four year renewable amounts): $580,216.

All Iowa Opportunity Scholarships (state funded-priority is given to *ETS participants): $93,888

•Educational Talent Search (ETS) is a TRIO program 100-percent federally funded by the United States Department of Education. ETS provides eligible junior high students, high school students, and adults with services that will help them realize that college is a reality in their future.

SWCC Education foundation: $2,050