By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
Tribune Managing Editor

SHORT GAP - Miss West Virginia Kayla Lynam returned to her alma mater Sunday evening to address the 159 graduates of Frankfort High School.
A 2005 FHS graduate and valedictorian of her class, Lynam challenged the latest graduates to “go home tonight and write down your short-term goals, and young long-term goals ... and read them everyday.”
Reminding them that the list is “a living, breathing document,” she said “it is okay to change those goals,” but to always “pursue what you value in life.
“Success is defined by what you value and want you want to achieve,” she said.
Class valedictorian Sripadh B. Sharma brought some humor to the proceedings, referring to his classmates’ Columbia blue caps and gowns by commenting on the “159 people in front of you who are wearing these goofy blue dresses.”
Although he said high
 school graduation “in the great scheme of things really doesn’t seem that important,” he noted the “”700-some people who came to see this ... They all want to see us succeed in life.”
Salutatorian Allison N. Tappe recalled that she and her classmates “came into high school as unsure and afraid freshmen,” but they were “told not to give in to our fears and to be our own individuals,” despite the fact that each graduate seated on Falcon Field Sunday night “is dressed in a Columbia blue cap and gown.
“So much for our individuality,” she joked.
On a more serious note, she challenged her fellow graduates to “take risks, make mistakes, and most importantly, continue to learn.”
Principal Joe Riley then announced four inductees into the Falcon Hall of Fame - an honor reserved for members of the community who go “above and beyond” to support Frankfort High School. This year’s honorees were Lana Brooks, Larry Brooks, Bill Cessna and Dave Phillips.
Graduate Ashley Watts then recognized Ken Cowgill as the faculty member which the seniors had voted “Most Influential Teacher.”
Watts said she would most remember Cowgill’s advice to her: “Find whatyou love to do and convince somebody to pay you for it.”
FHS faculty member Pam Middleton then introduced the top students of the graduating class: Brittany Nicole Armentrout, Katie Marie Carder, Arielle deCamp Dayton, Clarice Nicole Everett, Laura Elizabeth Fliegel, Karissa Dawn Getz, Kristin Anne Grogg, Logan Taylor Holshey, Travis Meade Myers, Amanda Marie Pratt, Sripadh B. Sharma, Allison Nicole Tappe, and Ashley Brianne Watts.
Scholarship recipients were as follows:
Alicia Dawn Aldridge  -  Promise Scholarship, West Virginia University Achievement Scholarship.
Jeffrey Leason Alt  -  Polish Pines Rob Kessel Memorial Scholarship.
Brittany Nicole Armentrout  -  Promise Scholarship, Woodmen of the World American History Award,
Short Gap Lions Club Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship, Helen Gilpin Memorial Scholarship.
Nicole Marie Bright  -  Promise Scholarship, Yanni Scholarship, Marshall University Presidential Scholarship.
Danielle Nicole Brinkman  -  Thomas R. and Bess Bosley Scholarship.
Katie Marie Carder  -  Promise Scholarship, Student Council Scholarship, Potomac State College of
  WVU Achievement Scholarship.
Bethany Victoria Chaney  -  Short Gap Fireball Scholarship.
Alexandra Elizabeth Conley  -  Gay Mellon Scholarship, Gage Cosner Scholarship.
Taylor Meredith Cook  -  Promise Scholarship, West Virginia Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Lara Beth Crawford -  Potomac Youth Alive Scholarship, Valley Forge Christian College Music Scholarship.
Arielle deCamp Dayton  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, University of Charleston Academic and Presidential Scholarship.
Diane Mishelle Dayton  -  Ralph & JoAnn Newbanks Scholarship.
Clarice Nicole Everett  -  Promise Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship.
Sarah Nicole Eversole  -  WVU Achievement Scholarship, Mineral County Board of Education Scholarship.
Corey Dale Fair  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship.
Laura Elizabeth Fliegel  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, Elbien and Shaw Scholarship.
Andrew Michael Folmer  -  Bowling Scholarship.
Brian Gerard Forster  -  Promise Scholarship, Potomac State College  Achievement Scholarship.
Alyson McKenzie Furey  -  Promise Scholarship.
Karissa Dawn Getz  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va.Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, Short Gap Lions Community Service Scholarship, Ryder Roundtable Scholarship.
Kristin Anne Grogg  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, Student Council Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Brandon James Harr  -  Helen A. Gilpin Memorial Scholarship.
Thomas Joseph Headley II  -  James Harrison Long Reunion History Award, The Betty T. Livengood Teacher Education Scholarship, U. S. Naval Sea Cadet Chairman Scholarship.
Brenden Michael Holcomb  -  Promise Scholarship, Noah “Woody” Anderson Scholarship.
Logan Taylor Holshey  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic  Excellence Scholarship, WVSSAC Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Thomas Michael Hughes  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic  Excellence Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Anthony Paul Jewell  -  West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts Scholarship, Fort Ashby Lions Club Scholarship, Potomac State College  Achievement Scholarship.
Kevin Edgar Kidwell  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic  Excellence Scholarship, West Liberty University Elbin Scholarship, second place Senior Project Award.
Dalton Adam Layton  -  Promise Scholarship, Potomac State College  Achievement Scholarship, Melvin M. Heiskell - Mary K. Heiskell-Harmison Scholarship.
Allison Matilda Lee  -  Promise Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship.
Benjamin James Leedom  -  Fort Ashby Lioness Scholarship.
Joshua Andrew Long  -  Promise Scholarship, WV Higher Education Engineering, Science  and Technology Certificate, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Nicole Elizabeth Love  -  Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Kristen Elise Mackert  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic, Excellence Scholarship, Potomac State College  Achievement Scholarship, DuWayne  Sandlin Scholarship.
Victoria Lynne McBride  -  Alderson-Broaddus College Academic Excellence Scholarship and
Alderson-Broaddus Athletic Scholarship.
Joshua Andrew McFarland  -  Promise Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Hannah Riley McGregor  -  FHS Athletic Booster Club  Miss Falcon Scholarship.
Hunter Riley McGregor  -  Ridgeley Gold Star Post 6452 Donald Rontofe Memorial Scholarship,
Corey M. Broadwater Special Achievement Award, William E. Shuck, Jr. Memorial Scholarship.
Skyler Collins Minke  - Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, Woodmen of the World American History Award, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Crystal Ray Moreland  -  Promise Scholarship, West Virginia Wesleyan College Presidential Scholarship, West Virginia Wesleyan College Athletic Scholarship for Cross Country.
Adam James Morgan  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence
Scholarship, WV Higher Education Engineering, Science and Technology Certificate,  WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Jacqueline Candace Myers  -  Allegany College of Maryland Presidential Scholarship, Financial
Literacy Award.
Travis Meade Myers  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence
  Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Christian Matthew Nelson  -  Promise Scholarship, Katherine S. Boxwell/Edwin P. Churchill Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Kelsey Gwynne Sherwood Ognibene  -  West Virginia Wesleyan College Dean’s Scholarship, The Nelle V. & Katheryn McLaughlin Scholarship for English, Young Writer’s State Winner.
Kenton Cort Parsons  -  Promise Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Amanda Marie Pratt  -  Promise Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship.
Jennifer Marie Pyles  -  Promise Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Tiffany Renee Riggleman  -  Women in Christian Services, Inc., Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Kristi Anna Salonish  -  Ralph Ray Hartman Memorial Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Sripadh Balasubramanian Sharma  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the MountainAcademic Excellence Scholarship, first place Senior Project Award, WVU Presidential Scholarship, WVU Valedictorian Scholarship, Eberly Arts & Sciences Scholarship,  Robert C. Byrd Scholarship, Ohio Valley Astronomy Award, U.S. Air Force   Award for Research in Astrophysics.
Jacob Edward Shingle  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va.Top of the Mountain Academic  Excellence Scholarship.
Christopher Michael Snyder  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship.
Jordan Dane Strachan  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Allison Nicole Tappe  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va.Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence
Scholarship, WV Higher Education Engineering, Science and Technology Certificate, WVU Presidential Scholarship.
Robert Marean Vollmerhausen III  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, West Virginia Wesleyan College Presidential Scholarship, Mason Crickard Scholarship, first place Senior Project Award.
Sarah Danielle Wakefoose  -  J. William Marker Scholarship, Potomac State College Achievement Scholarship.
Ashley Brianne Watts  -  Student Council Scholarship, WVU Achievement Scholarship, Johnny Lambert Memorial Scholarship.
Ryan Hunter Wharton  -  Promise Scholarship, W.Va. Top of the Mountain Academic Excellence Scholarship, WVU Mountaineer Scholarship, West Virginia Wesleyan College Dean’s Scholarship.
Aira Shane Whiteman  -  Arnold & Anna Rose Haggerty Memorial Scholarship.
Shea Nicole Wolford  -  Promise Scholarship, NARFE Scholarship.
David Michael Zimmerman  - Student Council Scholarship. 
Diplomas were handed out by principal Riley, assistant Kelly Haines, Superintendent of Schools Skip Hackworth, Board of Education President Terry LaRue, board members Bob Shook  and Kevin Watson, and several members of faculty.
Brittany Armentrout gave the farewell for the class.