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Centre grads swap busy pasts for bright futures

Staff writer

Centre does not name valedictorians, but seniors Matthew Basore and Brooklyn Smith will be graduating at the top of their class Sunday.

Matthew Basore

Matthew is headed for the skies. He already has completed paperwork to get his pilot’s license and will be attending flight academy this summer. His dream is to become an airline pilot.

His parents are Rick and Angela Basore of Burdick, and gives credit for his academic success to his mother, who teaches at Centre.

“My mother as my math teacher has helped me and other students more than anyone else at Centre combined,” he said.

Athletics isn’t his strong point, so he hasn’t received as much attention as some other students, but he believes in giving everything his best effort.

He participated in football, basketball, golf, trap, and skeet shooting. He placed first in the state in the fall season in trap and skeet. The spring season is ongoing.

Matthew also is a member of Future Business Leaders of America, FFA, student council, quiz bowl, robotics, and National Honor Society.

“If you try with all your heart, everything will be okay,” is the lesson he leaves with schoolmates.

His favorite subject is history, especially American government.

“I like preaching my political views and beliefs, but I love hearing others’ views on a subject to get a better understanding of it,” he said.

Matthew has three older sisters and admits they spoiled him.

“It sometimes felt like I had four mothers,” he said. “There was my mom, and then there were those three. I felt very taken care of.”

He will attend Fort Hays State University on an academic scholarship. He plans to participate in trap, skeet, and sporting clays and to major in business.

Brooklyn Smith

Keeping her grades up while fulfilling responsibilities in many extracurricular activities has been Brooklyn’s greatest challenge in high school. She has learned to manage her time.

She was class president for four years, cheerleader, student council president, National Honor Society vice president, student representative to the Superintendent Advisory Council, and vice president of Future Business Leaders of America in addition to participating in girls golf, scholars bowl, and swimming.

She found history and science were her favorite subjects.

“These subjects came the most naturally to me and they are the most fun to learn about,” she said.

She is an assistant to activities director Tim Vinduska and appreciates the assistance she received from school counselor Maranda McMichael in navigating through high school and planning for college.

Brooklyn was named a Kansas Governor’s Scholar and has received scholarships from Hillsboro Dental, St. Luke Auxiliary, and others.

She won a Hagan Scholarship that will provide $7,500 a semester and is renewable for eight semesters.

“I have definitely never felt more excited and honored,” she said.

She already is a certified nursing assistant and certified medical assistant and plans to work in those capacities throughout the summer.

Brooklyn knew she wanted to go into health care but didn’t know where she wanted to go.

“A friend then asked me to come with her to Rock Chalk Day at KU, and I fell in love with the campus,” she said. “After a few more college visits, I decided to attend the University of Kansas and major in human biology while on the pre-medical track.”

Brooklyn, daughter of Eldon and Kim Smith of Ramona, has two older brothers.

Last modified May 18, 2023

 

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