BHS Class of 2020 blends tradition with change for graduation ceremony
Saturday morning’s graduation ceremony for the Breckenridge High School Class of 2020 combined long-held traditions with some new practices.
Axel Puebla, the BHS 2020 Valedictorian, addresses his fellow students and the crowd of parents and friends in Buckaroo Stadium at Saturday morning’s ceremony. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The 91 graduates had one of the most unusual senior years on record when the second semester was interrupted by the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. The threat from the global pandemic led state and local leaders to enact strict guidelines to try and slow the spread of the disease. That included canceling in-person classes in mid-March and conducting the rest of the academic year via online classes.
By the end of May, the restrictions had been loosened up some, and the Breckenridge Independent School District was able to plan a graduation ceremony, following the rules of the Texas Education Agency.
In order to provide enough space for the families and friends of the graduates to practice proper social distancing, the ceremony was held in Buckaroo Stadium. To avoid the high temperatures expected later in the day, the graduation was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, June 6.
As the students walked around the perimeter of the football field, waving to the crowd, “Pomp and Circumstance” played over the speaker. Then, they took their seats on the field, with each chair placed six feet from the next. One noticeable change from previous years was that the graduates were allowed — even encouraged — to decorate the tops of their mortarboards, so many in the class wore unique caps for the ceremony.
BHS Class of 2020 Salutatorian Liberty Blades gives her speech at the graduation ceremony on Saturday in Buckaroo Stadium. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Class of 2020’s group picture was taken by a drone flying overhead. Kooper Shook gave the invocation, and McKenly Roberts gave the benediction.
Because the annual awards ceremony for the school year was originally canceled due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the scholarships and other awards were announced at the beginning of Saturday’s ceremony.
Following speeches by Valedictorian Axel Puebla and Salutatorian Liberty Blades, BISD Superintendent Bryan Allen presented the Class of 2020 and announced that the students had met all the requirements for graduation. Then, BHS Principal Dr. William Paul announced each graduate individually, and they received their diplomas from Graham Reaugh, President of the School Board, or other school board members, as desired.
After they received their diplomas, the graduates participated in the traditional mortarboard toss and then sang the school song to close out the ceremony.
One thing the 2020 graduation ceremony wasn’t short on was photographers. To see more photos from the event, click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery. Additionally, photographer Rachelle Perry took photos of the graduates as they received their diplomas. On her Facebook page Saturday, Perry announced that she will be giving those images to the students and their families via digital download at no charge. The details on how to get the photos will be available on her Facebook page and through the school as soon as the pictures are ready.
Also, the ceremony was broadcast live on YouTube by BISD, and that video is still available for viewing. Check out the video at the end of this article.
The Breckenridge High School Class of 2020 graduates
Hade Marcelina Alvarado Quinonez
Yadhira Alvarado
Katlyne Lashay Andrade
Ariel Dillan Arreola
Erynn Adryana Arreola
Raelyn Charise Baird
Mariah Guadalupe Baladez
Micaela Siobham Baldwin
Justin Ray Bell
Victor Manuel Benitez
Chance Everett Benton
Liberty Monique Blades
Kyle Andrew Canada
Kayleigh Abigayle Cantrell
Tanner Chase Cantrell
Celeste Cardona
Azucena Hernandez Casillas
Tanner Ray Chambers
Jaydon Thomas Cooper
Kaitlyn Ann Crook
Erik Antonio Diaz
Gabriela Duenez
Sidney Grace Durham
Kassandra Abigail Duron
Jacob Dean Escalon
Elisa Escobedo
Tristian Alex Fincher
Jasmine K. Fraley
Nicholas Lebron Franco
Dakota Lee French
Eduardo Daniel Gallegos
Kelsey Genaro Gallegos
Rolando Gallegos
Vihasi Utpal Gandhi
Daniella Arias Garcia
Haleigh Nichole Garcia
Tristan Alex Garcia
Shelby Jo Givens
Bianca Alessandra Guillen
Tyler Ray Hamblin
Bailee Marie Heatley
Jacob Xander Hernandez
Layni Brooke Hinson
Cynthia Karina Huerta
Mia Chere Hughins
Taden Trey Hunt
Jose Arturo Ibarra Rocha
Cecil Ray Isham
Marissa Pazquala-Kay Jimenez
Hailey Opal Jones
Kinley Rhea Kanady
Calista Dawn Lambert
AAliyah Keyera Lawson
Levi Owen Lechner
Danial Derryl Love
Kortni Shaylene Low
Mason Blake Manuel
Quentin Keith Matthews
Austin Michael Mayfield
Rianna Nicole Maynard
Arlis Zane McKay
Aaryn Juan Medina
Miriam Itzelle Mendoza
Nayeli Giselle Mendoza
Kade Tyler Mercer
Logan Ryan Moore
Kolton Ray Myers
Alyssa Monique Opel
Christopher Lynn Otts
Gerardo Palacios
Johnathan Boyd Perez
Axel Octavio Puebla
Shayden Alexis Ramsey
Garrett Wade Raymond
Anna Victoria Reaugh
Ricardo Trejo Reyes
Britney Michelle Roberts
McKenly Lynn Roberts
Hailey Breabb Robertson
Johnathan Tanner AaronRobertson-Caraway
Angelina Marie Ruiz
Moises Anthony Ruiz
Patrick Kooper Shook
Madison Mayes Stanley
Cesar Adrian Torales
David Alejandro Torales
Hannah Jordyn Valdez
Abbegayle Brooke Vega
Payton Michael Whitaker
Owen Simmonds Woodward
Mason Lane Woolsey
Saturday morning’s ceremony closed with the recent graduates singing the BHS school song. For more photos from the ceremony, click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Scholarships
At the ceremony, the following scholarship awards were announced:
Valedictorian by First National Bank
Axel Octavio Puebla
Salutatorian by Breckenridge InterBank
Liberty Monique Blades
Adam Nicholas Garcia Ag Memorial Scholarship
Jake Escalon
BISD Scholarship by Rotary Club
Liberty Blades and Kolton Myers
BLOC Scholarship
Angelina Ruiz, Layni Hinson, Anna Reaugh and Daniella Garcia
BLOC & MOB Flag Runner Scholarship
Kayleigh Cantrell
Bowers Memorial Scholarship by First United Methodist Church
Levi Lechner
Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
Kinley Kanday, McKenly Roberts, Axel Puebla, Mia Hughins, Cynthia Huerta and AAliyah Lawson
Breckenridge Elks – Floyd Watts Scholarship
Kaitlyn Crook
Breckenridge Golf Scholarship in Memory of Ken Blades
Owen Woodward, Jake Escalon and Kooper Shook
Breckenridge Lion’s Club Scholarship
Rolando Gallegos, Sydney Durham and Mia Hughins
Breckenridge Masonic Lodge Scholarship
Kolton Myers, Rolando Gallegos and Axel Puebla
Casey Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship
Tristan Garcia, Mariah Baladez, Layni Hinson, Sydney Durham and Kyle Canada
Cindi Woodward Breckenridge Buckaroo Cheerleader Scholarship
Layni Hinson, Anna Reaugh, Angelina Ruiz and Hailey Robertson
Class of 1960 in Memory of Deceased Classmates
Kolton Myers
Class of 1961 in Memory of Margie Warren
Liberty Blades
Class of 1965
Anna Reaugh
Class of 1974
Sydney Durham
Cody Owen Memorial Scholarship by First United Methodist Church
Levi Lechner
Copperleaf Properties Johnny Lewis Memorial Scholarship
Sydney Durham and Kinley Kanady
Dee Escalon Scholarship
Owen Woodward, Jake Escalon, Aaryn Medina, Kyle Canada, Tristan Garcia and Kooper Shook
Frank Casey Memorial Scholarship
Axel Puebla
Friends of Johnny Corbett and Mitchel Sullivan Memorial Scholarship
Kaitlyn Crook and Calista Lambert
Furr Scholarship by First United Methodist Church
Levi Lechner
Howard Pardue Memorial Scholarship by Paige Townson and Leigh Murray
Calista Lambert
Jerry Tubbs Scholarship
Axel Puebla
Jimmy McCullough United Girls Softball Association Scholarship
Kaitlyn Crook and Bailee Heatley
Joe Crousen Memorial Scholarship
Aaryn Medina
John and Kate Bailey Memorial Scholarship
Kinley Kanday and Kolton Myers
Kimberley Brooke Pardue Memorial Scholarship by Lois Smalley
McKenly Roberts
KLXK/Lance Kitchens Scholarship
Sydney Durham and Hailey Robertson
Larry Parker Memorial Scholarship
Owen Woodward, Aaryn Medina and Kinley Kanady
Lester Clark Leadership Scholarship
Axel Puebla
Little Bucks Volleyball Scholarship
Kinley Kanady, Calista Lambert and Aaliyah Lawson
Margaret Hallauer Memorial Scholarship
Levi Lechner and McKenly Roberts
Marylyn Arnot Leadership Scholarship
McKenly Roberts
Maude Allison Memorial Scholarship
Levi Lechner
Marquis Martin Memorial Scholarship
Jake Escalon and Kinley Kanady
Mitchel and Terry Sullivan Memorial Scholarship by Rotary Club
Kaitlyn Crook
Owen D. Woodward Memorial Scholarship
Owen Woodward, Anna Reaugh, Tristan Garcia, Madison Stanley, Kinley Kanady and Kooper Shook
Pamela Pardue Midkiff Memorial Scholarship by Lois Smalley
Madison Stanley
Ron Downing Memorial Scholarship by Rotary Club
Jake Escalon
Rotary Club Academic Excellence Scholarship
Axel Puebla
Scotty Brown Memorial Scholarship
AAliyah Lawson
Stephens County 4-H Scholarship
McKenly Roberts
Stephens County Farm Bureau Scholarship
Kolton Myers, McKenly Roberts and Kinley Kanady
Stephens County Jr. Livestock Show Scholarship
Kaitlyn Crook, Jake Escalon, Kinley Kanady and McKenly Roberts
Stephens Memorial Hospital Foundation Scholarship
McKenly Roberts and Calista Lambert
Tanner Ray French Memorial Scholarship
Axel Puebla, Sydney Durham, Kinley Kanady, Kyle Canada, Kolton Myers and Vihasi Gandhi
The Way and Recovery Outreach Ministry
AAliyah Lawson and Azucena Hernandez Casillas
Turner/Williams Memorial Scholarship
Jake Escalon
University of Texas Exes Scholarship
Axel Puebla
Weldon Edwards Memorial Scholarship
AAliyah Lawson
Woman’s Forum Scholarship
McKenly Roberts
Video of the Breckenridge High School Class of 2020 Graduation
(Video courtesy of Dwayne Dove/Breckenridge Independent School District)
Story by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Breckenridge High School seniors Jaydon Cooper and Tristan Garcia congratulate each other after receiving their diplomas in Buckaroo Stadium on Saturday morning, June 6. For more photos from the graduation ceremony, click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
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