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Assistant Principal Robert Bowers estimated 280 to 285 students would walk across the stage at commencement 3 p.m. Sunday, May 10, at the KCI Expo Center.

Doors at the KCI Expo Center, 11730 N.W. Ambassador Drive in Kansas City, open at 1 p.m., graduating seniors must be there by 2 p.m. and the ceremony starts at 3 p.m. Bowers suggested getting there early. Seating is first come, first served. Graduating seniors will sit front and center with the audience flanking the seniors on both sides and additional seating behind the seniors.

“There will be a big jumbo screen, so if you are stuck in the back, you’ll see a good picture of what’s going on,” Bowers said.

No tickets are necessary, admittance is free.

Grant Paris, senior class president, and Superintendent Dr. Chris Belcher will deliver opening remarks. The senior address speaker will be Dane Hagen and valedictorian Courtney McIntire will also speak. McIntire is one of four valedictorians. The four presented speeches to a committee to vie for the opportunity to speak at commencement.

Other valedictorians Ariel Dunn and Katie Birkenfeld delivered their speeches at the Academic Certificate Reception April 29.

In Dunn’s speech, she said she never believed how fast high school would seem to fly by.

“Despite our initial apprehension, we made it to our sophomore year in one piece,” Dunn said.

But noted they felt like freshman again their sophomore year because the new junior high was complete, placing freshmen in that building and sophomores were lowest on the totem pole at the senior high.

“Junior year came and finally we were upper classmen,” Dunn said.

She recounted the current school year — the senior year — as full of firsts, lasts and “almosts.”

Birkenfield talked about how everything the past four years has led them to Sunday — graduation.

“We know our lives are about to take a strange turn,” Birkenfield said.

She offered words of encouragement for the future.

“Whatever you choose, go forth and know you will succeed,” Birkenfield said.

Nearly 150 students were honored at the certificate reception. They included four students selected to the Wall of Fame with criteria being a 4.0 grade-point average, 31 or higher ACT score or National Merit Scholar. Thomas Berry, Katie Birkenfeld, Josh Boehm and Tyler Bright were chosen for the wall of fame.

About two-thirds of the nearly 150 students receiving Kearney High School Academic Certificates also received other awards like the Missouri College Preparatory Certificate, Presidential Academic Fitness Award, Kearney High School Academic Letter, George Washington Carver Award and National Merit Scholarship.

Belcher noted the success of this year’s senior class.

When they were sophomores, the class of 2009 scored the highest in school history on math for the Missouri Assessment Program tests. When they were juniors, they scored the highest ever score in communication arts for the MAP tests and in science MAP tests they scored in the top 10 percentile in the state, also the highest score for any school with more than 300 students.

“This is a special group,” Belcher said.

Kearney Editor Kevin M. Smith can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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