Leena Baker is WHS valedictorian, Loren Negron is salutatorian

WAITSBURG-Fifteen seniors will mark the end of their high school careers with a walk down Kison Court during Waitsburg High School's 122nd commencement ceremony on Fri., May 31 at 8 p.m. A baccalaureate service will be held at the Waitsburg Christian Church at 7 p.m. on Thurs., May 30.

Leena Baker

Leena Baker is valedictorian of the Class of 2019 and Loren Negron is salutatorian. Kelsey Alleman and Mackenzie Alleman are honor speakers.

Leena Baker, daughter of Tim and Heather Baker, holds the top grade average of 4.0 in an extremely competitive class. She will finish earning her Associate in Arts degree at Walla Walla Community College and transfer to Central Washington University in the fall where she will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology. Her goal is to work in a hospital as a medical laboratory technologist.

Baker served as student council secretary for three years, ASB secretary for one year and National Honor Society secretary for one year and president for one year. She has been in knowledge bowl four years and served as team captain for two years and was yearbook club editor-in-chief for one year.

Baker is a scholar athlete, lettering in volleyball and track and field. She is first chair clarinet in high school honor band and is a member of the Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Baker has a strong interest in government and is the current Waitsburg City Council Student Representative. She was elected mayor at Evergreen Girl's State and has held multiple chairs in her four years participating YMCA Youth & Government.

She has received the Outstanding Community Service Award all four years in high school and was a Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Ambassador.

"I am deeply thankful for the help of Mrs. Wooderchak with Running Start. WHS is small, and while this has down sides, I am always impressed at the extracurricular activities that are provided. My fondest memories come from my involvement in clubs such as Knowledge Bowl, Youth & Government and especially band with Mr. Green. WHS is not perfect, but I am certainly satisfied with my time here," Baker said.

Loren Negron

Loren Negron, daughter of Kevin and Genevieve Negron, holds a cumulative GPA of 3.995 at WHS as well as a 4.0 GPA from Walla Walla Community College where she will graduate in June from the honors program with an AA degree.

Negron will attend Washington State University in Pullman as one of ten Distinguished Regents Scholars. She plans to double-major in Multimedia Journalism and Public Relations and hopes to one day work for National Geographic or the United Nations.

A Philippine native, Negron moved to the United States in 2015. Her family moved to Dixie and Negron opted to attend high school at Waitsburg "because it was smaller and seemed more friendly than Wa-Hi."

Negron quickly became involved in leadership and served as ASB treasurer in 2016-17 and ASB secretary in 2017-18. As a National Honor Society member, she served as president in 2017-18.

Negron played with the Waitsburg Pep Band and is a co-principal percussionist in the Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra. She has been very active in FFA and advanced to State for creed speaking her freshman year.

Negron was named a 2019 Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Academic All-Star, took second place in the 2018-19 Northwest Region FRA Americanism Essay Contest, was a Next Gen Personal Finance Payback Challenge Essay National Winner, placed 6th at State FFA in Prepared Public Speaking in 2017, and received the National FFA Creed National Competitor Bronze Award in 2016.

Negron also received the President's Volunteer Service Award (silver) in 2018 and the Watitsburg High School Outstanding Community Service Award in 2016-17.

"When I immigrated to the US from the Philippines in 2015, I remember choosing to attend Waitsburg because of its tightly-knit community. I was amazed by how kind and understanding the teachers were. My classmates helped me acclimate to a new culture. Their faith and constant support has contributed significantly to my achievements and growth," Negron said.

Mackezie Forney

Mackenzie Forney, daughter of Paul Forney and Dana Barnes, holds a cumulative GPA of 3.955. She plans to earn an agriculture business degree at Walla Walla Community College prior to majoring in political science at WSU Tri-Cities. She ultimately plans to apply to Gonzaga School of Law to focus on Agricultural Law.

Forney is a scholar athlete who lettered in volleyball, basketball and softball and was named Most Improved Basketball Player her freshman year.

She served as class president in both her sophomore and junior years and was FFA sentinel as a junior. Forney also served as National Honor Society president as a junior and senior and was Leo's club president her senior year.

Forney has received the Community Service Award all of her years in high school, earned her FFA Greenhand Award as a sophomore and the FFA Chapter award as a junior.

She is active in 4-H where she served as club president her junior and senior years.

Forney is a 2019 Columbia County Fair & Rodeo hostess.

Kelsey Allemen

Kelsey Alleman, daughter of John and Liz Alleman, holds a cumulative GPA of 3.948. She will attend Walla Walla Community College to earn an Associates in Applied Science before transferring to a university where she plans to earn a pharmacy degree.

Alleman served as ASB secretary in 2016-17 and vice president in 2018-19, as student council secretary in 2016-17 and president in 2018-19 and was class treasurer as a freshman and junior.

A scholar athlete, she lettered in volleyball, football and basketball cheer and softball. Alleman was cheer captain her sophomore, junior and senior years and was named Most Valuable Player in basketball cheer as a sophomore and senior.

She is a member of the LEOs service organization and, as a National Honor Society member, served as secretary in 2018-19. She is an FFA Greenhand and has been homecoming court princess, harvest ball princess, and prom princess and queen.

In 2018, Alleman was named the O'Brien Motors Student of the Month.