Pictured above are the DECA state champions from the Haleyville Center of Technology, who will be serving as grand marshal’s in Saturday’s alumni/9-1-1 Festival Parade. From left, Ella Vandiver, Gracie Hall, DECA Sponsor Neina Middleton and Alison Beckmann.
HALEYVILLE - Another school year at Haleyville City Schools has ended, with fond memories of another round of state champion student winners, including DECA, track and a three-peat for the boys golf team.
These state winners will be grand marshals for this year’s alumni/9-1-1 festival parade Saturday, June 1, which will roll out from the campus of HCS at 9:50 a.m.
State winners in DECA, which is the association for business and marketing students, include juniors Ella Vandiver and Gracie Hall, each winning state championships in financial literacy policy, as well as placing in the top five percentage-wise at national competition among 23,000 students. Graduate Alison Beckmann, will also be a grand marshal after becoming the state winner in marketing communications, according to DECA Sponsor Neina Middleton.
“I am proud that our students’ academic success is being recognized, as well as our sports success,” Middleton pointed out.
“Academics is what they are all going to make a living in,” Middleton added. “It’s honorable and very exciting for those students to be recognized, not only by their school, but also by their city, for their success and hard work toward these honors they have received in the state.”
Also riding as grand marshals will be graduate Brett Coleman, who won the state track competition for the javelin throw in Class 4A.
“It is absolutely fabulous,” noted HHS Principal Davey Reed about the selection of state winners as parade grand marshals. “I say congratulations to the Coleman family.”
Also riding as grand marshals will be the top five members of the HHS boys golf team who won state competition, making it a three-peat for the boys golf program.
These golfers include Hudson Lawson, Tyden Steele, Kole Farris, Liam Taylor and Tanner Burleson.
“These kids worked really hard all year and had a goal in mind,” Coach Jamie White stated. “We ended up finishing it off.”
Parade line up, details
The parade line-up will begin at 9 a.m., with all alumni class reunion floats coming to the elementary school parking lot. The parade grand marshals will be transported on a trailer provided by Dwayne Melton. The grand marshal float will come behind the police department escort.
Behind the grand marshals will be alumni floats. All emergency responder vehicles in the parade, which are participating as part of the city’s 9-1-1 Festival, will line up at the high school parking lot and will join the parade behind the alumni class floats.
The parade must roll out from the school no later than 9:50 a.m., in order to travel to downtown, where it will pick up the high school band, as well as tractors from the International Harvester Collector’s Club Alabama Chapter 23.
The parade will travel from 20th Street to Highway 13, turning left, then turning right onto 19th Street, turning right onto Alabama Avenue, right on Byler Road, then left on 21st Street to Highway 13 turning right then turning left on 20th Street, according to Haleyville Police Chief Rodney Lewis.
Alumni luncheon
follows parade
Once the alumni parade ends, HHS alumni are encouraged to come into the elementary school, where they can register at various tables displaying their graduation years monitored by student volunteers, according to Tabitha Clark, president of the Haleyville Alumni Association.
“You can get there early and start making pictures,” Clark stated. “I hope everybody comes out and supports this.
“The alumni association has been around for years. There is a lot of hard work that goes into it,” Clark added.
The luncheon will begin in the cafetorium at 11:30 a.m., organizers said.
Tickets for the alumni luncheon are $15, and are available at BankFirst, as well as Traditions Florist.
Ticket sales at the door are being discouraged, so alumni committee members will know the number for which to plan for the catered meal, according to Clark.
Cutoff for ticket sales will be this Friday, May 31, according to organizers.
The meal will be catered by Russell’s Rising Smoke and will include barbecue, baked beans, potato salad, rolls, dessert and tea or water.
The format of the luncheon will kick off with a welcome by Haleyville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Holly Sutherland.
Awards given during the luncheon include the Haleyville or Bust Award for the alumnus /alumna traveling the farthest distance to attend. The winner will receive a donation provided by Traditions Florist.
Other awards will be class percentage and attendance, Service and Dedication and highly coveted Alumnus/Alumna of the Year.
Also recognized will be the Senior of the Year, as well as senior winner(s) of scholarships provided by the Haleyville Alumni Association.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward the presentation of scholarships to deserving seniors, organizers said.
“We try to give at least two (scholarships) every year,” said Clark.
Alumni Association needs members
Membership on the Alumni Association committee is low. Those who are interested need to contact either Clark or secretary Stacie Temple.
Currently, the association does not have a vice president, treasurer or historian, according to Clark.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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