Bentonville students celebrate graduation early

BENTONVILLE -- Two groups of high school students who overcame significant challenges on their road to graduation were recognized Friday.

Bentonville High School hosted a celebration for 11 special-education students who are members of the class of 2016. Gateway, the School District's alternative learning environment, honored the accomplishments of its 42 graduates during a separate event.

"There's a lot of kids who have overcome just incredible odds," said Erin Loncarevic, coordinator of the Gateway program. "We have teen parents, we have kids who don't live in typical family situations, we have kids who live on their own. And they've been able to overcome all of that in order to graduate high school."

Tyler Williamson, 19, didn't intend on returning to school when he moved to Bentonville from Ponca City, Okla., in 2014. He skipped a lot of school in Oklahoma, he said. He thought he'd go to work with his brother installing sprinkler systems.

"I just didn't care where I ended up," he said.

Williamson, however, did enroll at Bentonville High School. He soon found the size overwhelming, so he switched to Gateway, which offers small-class settings and alternative methods for students who have trouble learning in a traditional way.

Williamson moved in with his aunt and uncle, Isabel and John Withey of Bentonville, who helped keep Williamson on track.

"We're very structured," said Isabel Withey, who attended the Gateway graduation. "To miss school is not an option with us."

While adapting to a new school, Williamson also had to contend with the unexpected death of his father in October 2014. He had some trouble concentrating on his studies after that, but still managed to earn 21 credits in two years.

Lucy Shamblin, another Gateway student, said she moved to Bentonville the summer before her junior year. She found it a little too easy to skip school at the high school, a habit which led her to Gateway.

She praised the Gateway staff members during her turn speaking at Friday's graduation ceremony.

"It's not just about your grades. They genuinely care about you," Shamblin said.

Debbie Jones, the district's deputy superintendent, also spoke and congratulated the Gateway graduates.

"H.G. Wells said, 'If you fell down yesterday, stand up today,'" Jones said. "And you've done that."

At the ceremony for special-education students, the graduates entered the north building lecture hall as a stereo blared "Pomp and Circumstance."

Principal Jack Loyd asked the audience to give the students another round of applause after they had received their diplomas.

"That is just awesome," Loyd said. "I just look back and think about when they came in as ninth-graders and just the growth and maturity and all they have done."

Among the graduates was Morgan England, 18, who has cerebral palsy. England, who was in a wheelchair, smiled and waved as she crossed the stage to accept her diploma from Loyd.

It was a big moment for England and her parents, Daphne and Larry England of Bentonville.

"When she was born, we were given no hope," Daphne England said, wiping away tears. "So for her to be graduating today is a miracle."

Morgan England is severely limited in her speech and needs assistance with everyday tasks. Beneath her disability, however, is a very smart girl, Daphne England said.

The England family moved to Bentonville from Hope when Morgan England was in the seventh grade. During the summer of 2014, Morgan England was feeling depressed, her mother said. The family tried to come up with ways to get her more engaged in school.

They approached Bentonville High's cheerleading coach, Tracy Kaufman, about the possibility of allowing her to participate. Kaufman agreed. England was a cheerleader during her junior and senior years.

Kendra Skaggs, a special-education teacher who taught England during her senior year, called England "a ray of sunshine" who's always ready to work.

"Bentonville High School is something she's very passionate about," Skaggs said. "She's the greatest example of Tiger pride I can imagine."

England will be moving on to the Project Launch program, a collaboration between the University of Arkansas and Life Styles Inc., an organization that focuses on services for people with disabilities. Project Launch is designed for young adults looking for a collegiate experience that might not otherwise be available to them, according to the Life Styles website.

Like Morgan England, the rest of the special-education graduates know what their next step in life is, said Penny Graves, the school's transition coordinator.

"That's what it's all about, is getting them ready for that next step. So when they leave Bentonville High School, they know where they're going, and they're going to be successful when they get there," Graves said.

Each of the students who participated in Friday's ceremonies is also invited to take part in Bentonville High School's commencement, which is on May 21 at Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus.

NW News on 05/14/2016