Vaught named Crane Valedictorian for 2018, Ellingsworth is Salutatorian

May 17, 2018

Maggie Vaught, Valedictorian

         Maggie Vaught, daughter of Kelly and Tracie Vaught, of Crane, is the Crane Class of 2018 Valedictorian. 
         Maggie attended Crane from preschool on and participated in National Honor Society, All-State Academic and lettered in softball, volleyball, trak and basketball. 
         “My class is very competitive,” Vaught said. “So, when I found out I was Valedictorian, I was surprised, but I was very excited. I was glad to see that my hard work paid off.”
         Now that she has graduated, Vaught will attend Missouri State University and pursue a degree in Biology. Her goal is to become a forensic pathologist. “I feel that Crane has prepared me for college very well,” she said, “I have been blessed with many great teachers who have got me here today.”
         ​Vaught says the community stands out the most when she thinks back on being in school. “Everybody loves everybody,” she said. “No matter who you are, you will have someone in your corner. We are a family.”

Shelby Ellingsworth, Salutatorian

        Shelby Ellingsworth, daughter of Heather and Casey Ellingsworth of Aurora, was named the Class of 2018 Salutatorian at Crane High School.
        “As Salutatorian of my graduating class, it feels very satisfying to hold this honor because I feel as if I earned it,” Ellingsworth said. “I am truly grateful for the continuous help and guidance from all my teachers and mentors; I couldn’t have done it without them. Likewise, I am also proud of my perseverance and determination to receive this honor.”
        Now that she has graduated, Ellingsworth plans to get a job as a CNA and use her A+ funds at Ozark Technical College toward an Associates in Nursing.         Eventually, she wants to get a job in a Women and Newborn unit after earning a Bachelors in Nursing from Cox College. 
        She feels high school helped her prepare for these next steps. “I feel as if I took every opportunity possible to better prepare myself for my next steps in life by taking all honors and college classes that were available. Also, I attended Vo-Tech to attain my CNA, participated in A+ and Medical Explorers,” she said. 
        While in school at Crane, Ellingsworth participated in basketball, softball and track. She was also the FBLA treasurer, Vice president of National Honor Society, and was a member of FCA, NTHS, Phi Theta Kappa honor society, NSHSS and Skills USA. 
        ​With high school in the rear-view mirror, Ellingsworth says that the softball district win this year stands out the most. “As cliche as it sounds, the one thing that stands out most is our softball district championship win over Forsyth this year. My teammates and I worked hard all season and our determination finally paid off when districts rolled around. I will forever be thankful for the memories and for who I have shared them with. I couldn’t be more thankful to end my high school career as part of this team.”