The Albany High School graduates of 2019 once again participated in Project Graduation on Friday, May 24.

Project Graduation is an annual event designed to give seniors one last high school memory and to celebrate completion of high school. It begins a couple of hours after graduation, and continues throughout the night.

All but three seniors showed up for the event, with 25 seniors enjoying the night of fun and celebration. Six juniors also joined the seniors during the night, after being ushers during graduation.

Many Albany Junior High students received awards at the annual Junior High Awards Assembly, which took place last Wednesday, May 22.

Awards were given to the top boy and girl in both seventh and eighth grade in several categories.

Health

7th girl – Kiana Roberson

7th boy – Austin Sanchez

Tech Award

7th girl – Brooklyn Abbate

7th boy – Kolt Koemel

Math

7th girl – Kiana Roberson

7th boy – Cort Peterson

8th girl- Presley Green

8th boy – Keatin Russell

By Melinda L. Lucas

New and returning board members were sworn in during a noon meeting on May 28, rescheduled from May 20 because weather concerns had caused its postponement.

At the beginning of the hour-long session, new board member Mike Folsom was sworn in, along with Leslie Belcher and Jo Ann Estridge, who were unopposed for their two-year terms.

Other Business

Local quilters and quilt collectors are being asked to share their favorites with the public by displaying them in the upcoming quilt exhibition to take place during Fandangle time in June.  

Members of the Albany Study Club will again host the annual quilt show at the Whitney Theatre June 21, 22, 28 and 29.

“We enjoy offering residents and our out-of-town guests the opportunity to see a wide range of quilts during this time of year,” said club member Carolyn Waller. “It seems like everyone loves to look at quilts no matter the age, the pattern, or the size.”

The Moran High School Prom was held Saturday, May 18, at the new Moran ISD Event Center. 

This was the first time for the prom to take place at the new venue.

Summer Pederson was chosen as Prom Queen and Kobee Lapp was crowned Prom King.

Prom Queen

Summer Pederson has attended school in Moran for 10 years.  

The senior is a member of the Lady Bulldog volleyball, basketball, and track teams. The Prom Queen is also a MISD cheerleader.  

She plans to major in early childhood education.

Bulldog fans have a new football scoreboard installed and ready for the upcoming 2019-2020 season.

First Financial Bank donated the scoreboard, and representatives of the bank joined others at the dedication ceremony on Monday, May 20.

T-shirt Fundraiser

Moran cheerleaders are accepting orders for T-shirts for next year.

The purple shirts are printed with the slogan “Moran Bulldog Pride, One Town, One School, One Family,” and are priced at $15 each.

Order forms are available at the school office.

All residents from around the Shackelford County area are invited to attend the Albany Lions Club sponsored Memorial Day service held at the Aztec Theater on Monday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m.

This is the second year that the Lions Club has been in charge of the annual event. It was previously sponsored for decades by the Lee’s Legion chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Twenty-eight Albany High School seniors will march into the AHS gymnasium Friday night, May 24, walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, stand to sing the Alma Mater together as a class one last time, and then step into their future.

Almost 100 scholarships, totalling more than $97,000 will be presented during the ceremony.

Commencement exercises are set to begin at 7:00 p.m. at the gym, with a reception afterwards at the Whitney Theatre.

One new teacher was hired and two resignations accepted during a May 20 meeting of the Albany school board.

With 51 years of experience between them, retiring AISD trustees Betsy Parsons and Pam Davis served for the first 10 minutes of Monday’s regular school board meeting before handing the reins to two new board members and newly elected officers.

Kim Neece and Joe Tidwell were sworn in to take Parsons’ and Davis’ seats.

Robert Montgomery, a 20-year veteran on the board, was elected as president.

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany this afternoon, May 23, and Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

Blood drives in Albany have been sponsored by the Kiwanis Club for over 20 years.

“We depend on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals,” said Frances Baker, who after many years as donor recruiter with the Hendrick Blood Center, is retiring at the end of June.