Held at the RBHS gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, will be the Salute to Seniors award ceremony. The school has held this event for more than 13 years. “About 50 percent of seniors who were invited last year attended” says David Bones.

Last year there were 42 community Awards and Scholarships given to seniors and 14 Departmental Outstanding Student Awards. 55 students received RBHS Scholar Athlete Awards, 56 were given the George Washington Carver Award and 147 were given the Presidential Excellence Award. For the Academic Honors there were 10 people who received  2013 National Merit Scholarship Award Finalists, 14 people received 2013 National Merit Commended Scholars, 1 person received 2013 National Merit Achievement Award, 2 people received Missouri Scholars 100, 2 people received Presidential Scholars Candidates and 1 person received Appointment to United States Air Force Academy.

This year at the ceremony more than 150 seniors will be given awards or scholarships, most will receive more than one award. To know if anyone that will be attending this special ceremony they will first be given an invitation.

Only the students and their families who receive an invitation are invited.

“It is a great honor to be invited,” said David Bones, activities assistant principal, who set this event up with counselor Leslie Kersha another manager and also a guidance counselor.

“It’s my second year,” Kersha said. “It’s very enjoyable, but you have to be very organized.”

Hannah Cajandia was one of the seniors that were invited to Salute to Seniors.

“I was pretty excited when I found out,” she said. “I brought my mom, my dad and my step mom.”

She found out that she was invited when she went to the activities office.

“I was suppose to receive it in the mail, but they messed up so I went to the office,” Cajanida said.

All the Seniors that are going found out by mail at the end of April and the beginning of May.

“I actually expected it because I’m in art and get really good grades,” senior Trisha Chaudhary another senior who was invited, said.

Like Cajanida, Chaudhary found out by going over to the activities office but Chaudhary went to the office because she knew when they were posting it.

“I felt happy when I found out I got an award,” Gallagher said. At the Salute to seniors ceremony one of the awards that were given out was the Departmental Outstanding Student in Business Education award that was given to a senior named Jake Gallagher.

By: Breana Williamson