Senior year for the Class of 2021 meant changing class schedules to adapt to learning in a pandemic, remote learning at times, virtual award ceremonies, no school dances and restrictions on athletics.
But there was some normalcy, too. Homecoming royalty was crowned. A full stage production from the theater department went on. Choir and band concerts were still held, but outside. And most importantly, an in-person graduation is happening this weekend at the Larry C. Banks Memorial Gymnasium.
The Class of 2021 has 20 students who earned summa cum laude honors this school year.
Starting with the class of 2019, Brown County High School no longer names a valedictorian or salutatorian. Instead, students can earn the tiered honors of cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude, as is done in college.
Summa cum laude students have to complete 48 credits in approved coursework; earn an Indiana academic honors or technical honors diploma; and earn a cumulative grade-point average of 4.0 or above. Students are ranked for honors after completing seven semesters.
These are the biographies this year’s highest-honored graduates wrote for themselves.
Lauren Akles
Lauren Akles is the daughter of Tony and Diana Akles. She has participated in the Interact Club, Brown County Youth Leadership, Dance Marathon and National Honor Society. She played varsity volleyball for three years and club volleyball for two years. She also participated in musicals from seventh grade to her junior year. She has obtained hundreds of hours of community service over her high school career with most of her hours spent volunteering at her church with her youth group. She graduated early in February 2021. She has been working at The Chocolate Moose and lifeguarding at the Abe Martin Lodge. She will attend Manchester University in the fall to study medical marketing and also plans to study abroad.
Abigail Angebrandt
Daughter of Dorian and Heather Angebrandt, Abigail Angebrandt has taken part in several clubs including National Honor Society, History Club, Interact Club, Science Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. In addition to clubs, Abigail has participated in volleyball all four years of high school. Outside of school, Abigail has participated in 4-H for six years and has worked at the Brown County IGA as a cashier. She attends Nashville Christian Church where she engages in youth group, leading worship and helping with community projects. After high school, Abigail will be attending the University of Findlay to major in animal science/pre-veterinary medicine. She one day hopes to attend veterinary school where she will receive her doctor of veterinary medicine and hopefully open up her own clinic.
Megan Bickley
Megan Bickley is the daughter of Aaron and Jennifer Bickley. She is president of Rotary’s Interact Club and vice president of Brown County High School’s History Club. She is a member of National Honor Society, National Science Honors Society and National Spanish Honor Society. She is also a four-year member of Student Council and is a class officer. She has participated in National History Day and made it to the national competition in June 2020. She attends Nashville Christian Church where she has attended youth group for six years and helped with community service projects. After graduation, Megan plans to attend the University of Southern Indiana to study education. She plans to become a history teacher.
Wylah Brahaum
Wylah Brahaum is the daughter of Jason and Anne Brahaum. Wylah is the secretary of Students for Equity and Science Honor Society. Wylah is also involved in band, guard, National Honor Society, History Club and Spanish Honor Society. Wylah is also a partner athlete for Unified Track. Wylah also volunteers at the Bloomington Creative Glass Center and does volunteer work through 4-H Junior Leaders. Wylah will be attending Purdue University this fall. She will be majoring in wildlife biology/ecology to ultimately become a zoologist.
Morgan Cowan
Morgan Cowan is the daughter of Nicole Hoffman. Morgan was born in Indianapolis and attended schools in Columbus before attending Brown County High School. Morgan has participated in the Interdisciplinary Cooperative Education Program (ICE) for three years. She worked at the Abe Martin lodge her sophomore and junior years as a housekeeper. Currently, as a senior, she works at Big Woods Pizza as a hostess. Morgan has maintained a grade-point average of 4.0 and graduated midterm with an academic honors diploma, placing her near the top of her class. Further, Morgan will continue her education at Indiana University pursuing a master’s degree in forensic psychology.
Cheyenne Dinsmore
Cheyenne Dinsmore is the daughter of Bret and Leann Dinsmore. She is a four-year member of the Interact Club and is a Thespian. She has served as sales and production manager of Eagle Manufacturing for the past two years. She is also a member of the National Honor Society. She was awarded the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate. She would like to thank her family, friends and teachers for their continued support. After high school she plans to attend Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.
Travis Ely
Travis Ely is the son of Kevin and Brenda Ely. Travis has participated in varsity athletics all four years including basketball for four years, football for one year and baseball for one year. Travis was an All-Conference basketball and football player. He was also a four-year member of the Brown County Bass Fishing Team. Travis is an active member in Nashville Christian Church and the Nashville Christian Church Youth Group. He is a member of the National Honor Society. Travis was also a member of Eagle Manufacturing and the Project Lead the Way program. After high school, Travis plans to attend Purdue University to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering technology. At Purdue, he plans to be a member of the Purdue Club Bass Fishing Team. After college, he wants to see the country, but eventually settle back down in Brown County and raise his family in the place he calls home.
Lillian Giles
Lillian Giles is the daughter of Amy Pierson and David Giles. Lillian is a part of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She made honor roll all four years of high school. Lillian maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school while also attending dance class three to four days a week and working a part-time job. She was a competitive dancer for 10 years and spent three of those also as a volunteer dance instructor and assistant. She also attended half days her senior year and spent the rest of the day working at a shop in Nashville. Lillian plans to attend Hanover College in the fall to major in biology and later on become certified in cytogenetic technology.
Kaya Gore
Kaya Gore is the daughter of Wendi and Bryan Gore. She has had a standing GPA of above 3.5 from 2017 to 2021. Kaya is involved in the National Honor Society and is also a member of Bring Change to Mind, a mental health awareness club. She is heavily immersed in the theater department and has participated in a multitude of productions in both lead roles and minor roles. She has been employed as a host at Out of the Ordinary for over four years under the direction of Kevin and Lisa Gore. She enjoys volunteering at both the Bartholomew and Brown County humane societies in her spare time. Kaya is also enrolled in the C4 class veterinary careers (year two) at Columbus East High School where she participates in hands-on learning and in-field training. She plans to attend Ball State University in the fall of 2021 and is pursuing a pre-veterinary major. Her dream is to one day become a marine wildlife veterinarian.
Calla Lorraine Imming
Calla Lorraine Imming is the daughter of Richard and Amy Imming. She served as the schools thespian historian for her junior and senior year, and was the chief of hair and makeup for the theater department for the past three years of high school. Since the beginning of her junior year, Calla has worked at Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls in Nashville and plans to continue after high school. She also volunteers for the parks and recreation department at Deer Run Park. Calla is a member of the Science Honor Society at Brown County High School and the National Thespian Honor Society. After graduating, Calla plans to take a gap year before attending Indiana University in Bloomington where she will pursue getting a bachelor’s degree then a master’s in anthropology.
Emelia Koester
Emelia Koester is the daughter of Wayne and Joanne Koester. Emelia is Student Council president, Science Honor Society vice president, History Club secretary and is the 2021 class officer. She is also a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Interact Club and received the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate. Koester has competed nationally at History Day. She participated in cross-country all four years, track for three years and tennis for one year. She volunteered at the Nashville Salvation Army, Community Closet, the Glass Slipper, the Hilly Half, and Brown County athletic events. After high school, Emelia plans to attend the Honors College at Purdue University with a double major in English writing skills and biology. She would like to thank her family, friends, teachers, coaches and community for supporting her throughout her time in Brown County.
Jascyn Martin
Jascyn Martin is the daughter of Kathy Martin and Jason Martin. Jascyn has worked at Big Woods Pizza since her sophomore year. Jascyn is also a member of Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society. Jascyn is also a part of the student-led Students for Equity. After high school, she plans to attend college to become a pediatrician.
Francesca Mata
Francesca Mata is the daughter of Ginger and John Knight. She has worked at Johnny’s Grub to Go since freshman year and continues to work there. She has been involved in Wind Ensemble, Marching Band and Pit Orchestra since freshman year and Jazz Band since sophomore year. She is also a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, International Thespian Society, the Fine Arts Academic Team, Winter Guard, Community Band, Percussion Ensemble and Legacy. After high school, she will attend Ball State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in animation.
John Oliver
John Oliver is the son of Jim and Amy Oliver. An avid musician, John has participated in nearly all high school music groups, including the Brown County High School Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Show Choir Band, Pit Orchestra and Legacy, playing instruments from percussion to keyboards to trombone. Outside of high school, John performed with the Brown County Community Band and led the John Oliver Percussion Ensemble to a gold rating from the Indiana State School Music Association. In total, John has been awarded seven gold ratings and two silver ratings from the ISSMA solo and ensemble competition. Outside of music, John is the vice president of the Student Council, an Eagle Scout and a member of the congregation at United Methodist Church. He plans to attend Ithaca College in the fall to study jazz as a percussionist.
Dalton Platt
Dalton Platt is the son of Dennis and Luann Platt and the brother to Emmalyn Platt. He has been an active member of Interact Club for four years. He has been an active member of the National Honor Society. Dalton is also part of the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate program. He is a thespian. He has earned technical and academic honors during his high school career. Dalton has been part of Eagle Manufacturing for two years and was the CNC machinist. He is currently the programmer at Brown County High School. He has also worked for the Eagle Manufacturing summer internship for the last two years. He has taken several engineering classes. Dalton is currently taking college classes at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus. He will be attending Purdue Polytechnic Institute in the fall to study computer and information technology.
Katianna Richardson
Katianna Richardson is the daughter of Denise Briner-Richardson and Michael Richardson. She serves as a member of National Honor Society, Thespian Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and History Club. She spends a lot of her time in band such as Wind Ensemble, the Brown County Community Band, Ball State Honor Band, All-State Honor Band, Pit Band and Marching Band. She participated in Winter Guard with band. She participated in Indiana State School Music Association contests with two silver and two gold awards in solo. She also won awards in full ensemble. She also participates in extracurricular academic activities such as Science Fair, Science Olympiad and Science Bowl. With her love for medical sciences, Katianna will go to Ball State to pursue nursing and plans to get a master’s degree to be a nurse practitioner.
Ricky Stanley
Ricky Stanley is the son of Richard and Clara Stanley. Ricky is a member of the National Honor Society and is also involved in Brown County High School sports. He is a three-year captain of the boys varsity soccer team, played three years on the boys varsity basketball team, and is a four-year member of the track team, qualifying for regionals as a sophomore in the pole vault. He also spends a lot of his time outside of school attending youth groups at St. Agnes as well as volunteering. He plans to attend Purdue University to major in genetics.
Natalie Suding
Natalie Suding is the daughter of Paul and Kelli Suding. Natalie is the president of History Club, secretary of Student Council and a senior class officer. She is also in Interact club, Spanish Honor Society, Science Honor Society and National Honor Society. Natalie has participated in History Day for three years and went to the national competition her sophomore year. She has also received the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate and regional Academic All-State recognition. She has played volleyball and run track and field for all four years of high school. Natalie is going to George Mason to study law, history and a foreign language.
Morgan Wilson
Morgan Wilson is the daughter of Mary and Matthew Wilson. Morgan is the president of the Science Honor Society and has been involved since her junior year. Morgan is also involved in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Thespian Honor Society. She has been involved in doing tech for theater since her sophomore year. She has been managing track and field since her junior year and having a great time doing it. She was on the Science Academic Team for four years. Morgan is looking forward to the future when she goes to Indiana University in Bloomington to pursue a bachelor’s degree in human biology.
Parker Wilson
Parker Wilson is the son of Carl and Andi Wilson. He ran track and field in freshman year and played varsity football during his senior year. He worked at Big Woods Pizza for one year and Hob Nob for one year as well. After high school, he intends to major in physics at Indiana University in Bloomington.
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Brown County High School seniors will walk across the graduation stage on Friday, May 28 in the Larry C. Banks Memorial Gymnasium. It will begin at 7 p.m.
Each graduate will receive four tickets for guests. No one will be admitted without a ticket. Students will receive tickets the morning of commencement. The gymnasium will have marked off seating areas that will allow families to socially distance. Guests will be expected to sit together.
For those without tickets, the ceremony will also be live-streamed on YouTube on the school district’s channel, “Official Brown County Schools Media.”
Guests and participants will need to remain masked throughout the ceremony and any time they are in the building. Guests will be asked to be in their designated seating areas only.
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