Class of 2019 at a Glance
This Sunday, May 19, 54 Central Arkansas Christian high school seniors will leave Mustang Mountain as graduates.
From competing for multiple state championships and winning multiple district titles in athletics, to receiving excellent ratings at the Arkansas State Choral Festival, to earning millions of dollars in scholarships, these students have excelled in many notable ways. This year’s graduates will continue their academic careers at 18 colleges in 9 different states. With an average ACT score of 24, this class accepted $1,938,943 in athletic and academic scholarships.
Receiving the class’s highest academic honors were Salutatorian Hugh Miller and Co-Valedictorians Faith Elder and Luke McClanahan. Miller, Elder, McClanahan and Faith Carter were all honored in Little Rock Family’s Head of the Class special section this May.
National Merit Finalists:
Faith Elder
Luke McClanahan
Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship Recipients:
Faith Carter
Luke McClanahan
Tess Williams
Preston Rowland
In CAC Athletics, seniors Shelby Blakely, Bailey Jones, Claire Vest, Alyssa Pillow, Brynne Bell and Hallie Diles led the Lady Mustang volleyball team to the state tournament. Seniors Hugh Miller, William Word, John Dalton, Krishaun Watson, Seth Crews, Garrett Overstreet, Blake Smith, Sam Harper, Jackson Gay, Collin Johnson and Evan Weiner led the Mustang football team to the state tournament as well. Seniors Riley Shepard, Madyson Bowman, and Brynne Bell helped the Lady Mustang Basketball team to the state tournament for the second year in a row.
Spring athletics: The Mustang baseball team, led by seniors John Dalton, Troy Flowers, Davis Gatling, Jacob Hale, Collin Johnson, Hugh Miller, Garrett Overstreet, Preston Shockley, Levi Smith and William Word are set to play Harmony Grove for the State Championship Monday, May 20. The Lady Mustang soccer team, led by seniors Riley Shepard, Claire Vest, Molly Nickell, McKenna Moore, Lauren Johnson, Hallie Diles, KP Childers and Madyson Bowman are set to the play Harding Academy for the State Championship Monday, May 20. The Mustang Soccer team, led by seniors Patrick Weeks, Krishaun Watson, Hayden Young, Andrew Velek, Blake Smith, Matthew Kim, Eli DeMarco, Seth Crews and Haydn Burton are set to play Green Forrest for the State Championship on Monday, May 20. Nine senior athletes signed to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.
At the annual Athletics Award chapel, the Scholar Athlete Award was given to Hugh Miller, the Mustang Spirit Awards for outstanding sportsmanship went to Brynne Bell and William Word and Cheerleader of the Year went to Riley Shepard. Davis Gatling and Claire Vest were named Athletes of the Year.
Just like on the field and in the classroom, the Mustangs excelled in the Fine Arts as well. Chorus members Reed Wallace, Jessica Turner, Anna Rae Holley, Maddie Beaulieu, Cassidy Lamb, McKenna Moore, Preston Rowland and Anna Claire Williams led the high school chorus to perform exceptionally well at the Arkansas State Choral Festival. McClanahan and Wallace also earned All-State Choral status.
On stage, Maddie Beaulieu, Cassidy Lamb, Anna Rae Holley, Jessica Turner, Faith Carter, Tess Williams, Anna Claire Williams, Eli DeMarco and Hallie Diles starred in the beloved production of “The Little Mermaid,” while Kaitlyn Witherell, Brynne Bell and Madi Workman made sure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes. In the fall production of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Jessica Turner, Tess Williams, Faith Carter, Eli DeMarco, Madi Workman, Hallie Diles, Anna Claire Williams, Cassidy Lamb, Anna Rae Holley and Maddie Beaulieu were all integral members of the production’s success!
Advanced Art student Diane DeLuca, who will attend Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall, created multiple incredible pieces in various mediums, won awards, participated in the Paint Over Pain project and the Memory Project.
Tess Williams, Faith Carter, Luke McClanahan, Anna Claire Williams and Faith Elder led the Science Olympiad team to a 2nd place finish in the Arkansas State Tournament by excelling in various building, testing and lab events.
Each year, the yearbook staff announces the recipients of the school’s character awards. Krishaun Watson and McKenna Moore were named Mr. and Ms. CAC, and Luke McClanahan was also awarded Outstanding Mustang.
Included in the Mustang Roundup were Riley Shepard, Hallie Diles, Hugh Miller, McKenna Moore and Claire Vest.
As 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “…the greatest of these is love.” Of all these accomplishments, it is this class’s love for each other and those around them that our school takes most pride in.
This December, more than 40 seniors helped bring Mustang Christmas to children at the Southern Christian Home in Morrilton, and even more helped raise funds for the Lagosette School in Haiti and participated in CAC’s Access Gators Track Meet and Day of Service.
The accomplishments of this senior class are too numerous to mention, and this list represents just a sampling of its accolades. It is for that reason, and many more, we are proud to call these graduates Mustangs.
Congratulations, Class of 2019!