14 area graduates earn MPCC honor cords

Six Perkins County High School graduates and eight Wallace graduates were among 321 who earned the right to wear blue and gold honor cords from Mid-Plains Community College at their graduation ceremonies. 

Students from PC included Jaden Dietlein, Emma Schrotberger, Aryn Seiler, Hailey Snyder, Beau Wood and Peyton Woodmancy.

Wallace students were Alexis DeCent, Haylee Lopez, Cameron McClintock, Chevi McClintock, Meredith McCoy, Blake Pelster, Hannah Robertson and Micah Swedberg.

The total is up 260 seniors from last year and 225 in 2017. Becky Barner, MPCC area career coach, said a number of factors have contributed to the increase.

“Since we started distributing cords a couple years ago, we’ve had a lot of high school students who make it their goal to receive that cord upon graduation,” said Barner. 

“The college also has made it a point to be flexible about the delivery of college classes and increasing the number of classes available through online and distance learning methods - making them more accessible to high school students. 

“In addition, high schools are making it a priority to get their high school staff qualified and approved to teach college-level courses, which means those teachers can teach college classes right in their own high schools.” 

The purpose of the cords is to recognize students who have taken the initiative to pursue college credit while still in high school.

To earn a cord, students must have successfully completed 12 or more credit hours of college classes through MPCC.