Seniors have graduated and will be pursuing careers in the fall. The Times compiled a list of the local students who finished their secondary education at the top of their classes.

Earlville High School

Valedictorian: Jake Norton, Earlville, is the son ofValorie Norton and Terry Bronk. His favorite high school memory is "senior year and all the fun we had." He plans to attend Elmhurst College.

Salutatorian: Whitney Goodbred, Earlville, is the daughter of Randy and Carol Goodbred. Her favorite high school memories are those surrounding sports and the Earlville-Leland cooperative. She plans to attend North Central College to major in broadcast communications and play volleyball.

Fieldcrest High School

Valedictorian: Eric Janssen, Minonk, is the son of Tom and Janice Janssen. He plans to attend the University of Illinois to study computer science.

Salutatorian: Laurin Keys, Minonk, is the daughter of David and Kristin Gebel. She plans to attend the University of Illinois for electrical and computer engineering.



Flanagan High School

Valedictorian: Tayler Leigh Franzen Perkins, Flanagan, is the daughter of Jeff and Pam Perkins. Her favorite high school memory is "cheering extremely loud with practically the whole towns of Flanagan and Cornell and the whole school in a sea of orange and black at the state games for girls basketball and volleyball." She plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to major in journalism.

Salutatorian: Anna Delheimer, Cornell, is the daughter of Patrick and Patsy Delheimer. Her favorite high school memory is "winning the state basketball championship and becoming friends with people from other towns." She plans to attend the University of Illinois and major in civil engineering.

La Salle-Peru High School

Valedictorian: Marie Batty, Peru, is the daughter of Mark and Becky Batty. Her favorite high school memory is "pretty much all of senior year. It was by far the best year of high school and definitely the most memorable." She plans on attending St. Louis University to major in psychology and Spanish, with a pre-med intention.

Salutatorian: Katrina Pioli, Oglesby, is the daughter ofLauri and Ron Pioli. As for her favorite high school memory, "I loved my volleyball team senior year. We did everything together throughout the whole season and what we accomplished was mind blowing." She plans to attend the University of Illinois.

Leland High School

Valedictorian: Jeff Barnes is the son of Jim and Danette Barnes. His favorite high school memory is being a member of FFA and all the FFA competitions in which he participated. He plans to attend Joliet Junior College on an agriculture scholarship.

Valedictorian: Paige Gunderson is the daughter of Ty and Dawn Gunderson. Her favorite memory is the friends she made through her being a member of the volleyball and softball teams at Leland High School. She plans to attend University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaign to major in pre-medicine.

Salutatorian: Brad Krafft is the son of Steve and Denise Krafft.His favorite memory of high school is hanging out with his friends and also being involved with the school plays and productions. He plans to attendBradley University and major in construction engineering.

Marquette High School

Valedictorian: Alissa Kirchner, Streator, is the daughter of Terry and Beth Kirchner. She plans to attend St. Louis University and major in speech pathology.

Salutatorian: Rachel Duffield, Ottawa, is the daughter of Calvin and Patricia Duffield. She plans to attend Drake University and major in pharmacy.

Newark High School

Valedictorian: Meghan Putty is the daughter of Larry and Cynthia Putty. She plans to attend University of Chicago and pursue a degree in political science.

Valedictorian: Alicia Raff is the daughter of Jerry and Ellen Raff. She plans to attend Waubonsee Community College, then transfer to Northern Illinois University to pursue a degree in graphic communications.

Salutatorian: Laura Johnson is the daughter of Jim and Sue Johnson. She plans to attend Olivet Nazarene University, majoring in elementary education and playing on the basketball team.

Ottawa Township High School

Valedictorian: Leigha Curtin, Ottawa, is the daughter of Michael and Diane Curtin. Her favorite high school memory is "making new friends through activities such as tennis, basketball, student council and Key Club." She plans to attend the University of Illinois and major in agricultural and biological engineering.

Valedictorian: Caitlin Rinker, Grand Ridge, is the daughter of Gus Rinker and Kim Novak. Her favorite high school memory is participating in fine arts club and choir. She plans to attend Illinois Valley Community College to study biology and eventually become a physician.

Valedictorian: Sadie Salsman, Ottawa, is the daughter of Guy and Mary Chamberlin. Her favorite high school memory is "getting to know a number of new people and developing friendships through a variety of classes and activities." She plans to attend Bradley University and major in physical therapy.



Sandwich High School

Valedictorian: Ariel Dickson, Sandwich, is the daughter ofThomas and Deborah Heise. Her favorite high school memory is "our trip to Washington, D.C., with the choir and winning best overall choir." She plans to attend the University of North Carolina and major in international studies.

Valedictorian: Brenna Keene, Sandwich, is the daughter of Dennis and Catherine Keene. Her favorite high school memory is "closing night of the fall play and some jokesters used a bow and arrow instead of a gun for the play." She plans to attendUniversity of Arizona as a biology major.

Valedictorian: Michelle Skinner, Sandwich,is the daughter ofJoel and Karen Skinner. Her favorite high school memory is "Mr. LaVell"s outrageously funny and highly effective stories, mnemonics and songs that helped me remember such things as the stages of cell mitosis." She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago majoring in biology and eventually becoming an oncologist or an orthopedic surgeon.

Salutatorian: Allison Heise, Sandwich, is the daughter of Larry and Denise Mall. Her favorite high school memory is"Renegade Regiment with practice, victories and the inside jokes." She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago majoring in biology. She would like to continue to medical school andbecome a pediatric surgeon.

Seneca High School

Valedictorian: Jacey Keeney, Marseilles, is the daughter of B.J. and Peggy Keeney. Her favorite high school memories are many, she said, including the basketball games won in overtime and qualifying for state finals in speech team. But also among her favorites is the 2009 Powder Puff football game. She recalls, "watching all the different cliques, it was completely shut off and our entire senior class was getting along." She plans to attend North Central College to study English with a minor in secondary education or pre-medicine.

Valedictorian: Mattie Watts, Marseilles, is the daughter of Julie and Steve Watts. Her favorite high school memory is graduation. She plans to attend Eastern Illinois University to study broadcast journalism.

Salutatorian: Carver Warning, Seneca, is the son of Colette and Tom Warning. He plans to attend the School of Engineering at University of Illinois.

Serena High School

Valedictorian: Brynn Twait, Ottawa, is the daughter of Craig and Jackie Twait. Her favorite high school memory is "when my softball team won the first softball regional for Serena my junior year." She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study journalism.

Salutatorian: Khari Myer, Marseilles, is the daughter of David and Rita Myer. Her favorite high school memory is "getting decked out in purple and gold and cheering for all the boys basketball games, especially for the regional championship games in 2006 and 2007, along with going on several FFA trips throughout high school." She plans to attend Olivet Nazarene University and major in criminal justice.

Somonauk High School

Valedictorian: Lauren Young, Somonauk, is the daughter of Beth and John Young. Among her favorite high school memories are "my entire volleyball career, getting second place at our Little Ten Conference volleyball tournament, junior and senior proms and spending time with my family and friends that I love most." She plans to attend Waubonsee Community College and then the College of DuPage's dental hygiene program.

Valedictorian: Nicole Marie Stadler, Somonauk, is the daughter of Jennifer and Richard Stadler. Her favorite high school memories involve "all the small things that happen either in the classroom or during passing periods with friends." She plans to attendButler University to major in pharmaceuticals and minor in Spanish.

Valedictorian: Kelsey Kay Brummel, Somonauk, is the daughter of Marcee and Don Brummel. Her favorite high school memory is the band trip to San Antonio in 2008. She plans to attend North Central College to study journalism and English.

Valedictorian: Tashia Warner, Somonauk, is the daughter of Chuck and Karen Warner. "There are way too many good memories to count,"she said, "but one of my best memories was our 2008 volleyball season. Our record was 20-11 and we had a great team dynamic and we always left our hearts on the court." She plans to attend Dominican University in River Forest to study dietetics and nutrition science.

Valedictorian: Taylor Pinter, Somonauk, is the daughter of Mark Pinter and Collete Kurtz. As for her favorite high school memory, "I do not have a specific one. I enjoyed the little things." She plans to attend Waubonsee Community College for two years and then transfer to a four-year university.

Valedictorian: Rilee Burke, Somonauk, is the daughter of Tricia and Lee Burke. Her favorite high school memory "is my senior softball season. We accomplished a lot as a team and went pretty far. I"ll miss all the girls and coaches tremendously." She plans to attend Illinois Wesleyan University to study nursing.

Valedictorian: Megan Clason, Somonauk, is the daughter of Jennifer and Todd Clason. "I do not have one favorite high school memory since there are so many," she said, "but my friends definitely made high school the best." She plans to attend Waubonsee Community College, then a four-year university to study nursing.

Valedictorian: Mollie McCoy, Somonauk, is the daughter of Angela and Doug McCoy. Her favorite high school memory is "my freshman year track season. Mr. Reiss was a great coach and the whole season was a lot of fun. Two team members went to state and most of the girls went to watch. I stayed in a dorm room for the first time and got to watch my first state track meet. That season and the trip to Champaign for the state meet are things that I will never forget." She plans to attend North Central College in Naperville to study psychology and Spanish.

Streator Township High School

Valedictorian: Vincent Ronald John Siebert is the son of Robert and Susan Siebert. He plans to attend the University of Illinois to study biochemistry/pre-medicine.

Salutatorian: Monica Pal is the daughter of Dr. Indra and Rajni Pal. Her favorite high school memory is "getting ice cream at 10 p.m. in Rock Island with the tennis team and Coach Tallier during an overnight trip for the NCIC tournament." She plans to attend Drake University to study pharmacy and business.



Woodland High School

Valedictorian: Jennifer Marie Walker, Streator, is the daughter ofThomasand Margaret Walker. She plans to attend Bradley University.

Salutatorian:Adam Russell Johnson, Streator, is the son of Art and Sandy Johnson.He plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.