GENEA CANNON . . . Teague valedictorian The top two spots in the Class of 2010 at Teague high school came down to one-tenth of a point when final calculations were made this spring.

Capturing the valedictorian honor with a 4.76 grade point average is Genea Cannon, and salutatorian Brittany Beasley posted a 4.75.

THS commencement exercises were conducted Friday at Lion Stadium, a week before Fairfield and Wortham graduation.

Of 75 seniors, 25 students earned a GPA of at least 4.0 to graduate with honors.

Joining the valedictorian and salutatorian as honor graduates were Amber Rae Allee, Emilee Rhea Allison, Mitchell Reese Amick, Shaneice Nicole Coleman, Brett Ryan Evans, Matthew Kyle Flori, Taylor S. Hamilton, Elizabeth Ann Hartley, Andrea Leigh-Ann Johnson, Allyson R. Monks, Jessica Ray Osborn, Dallis N. Poller, Morgan Rene Reed, Jordan Scott Smith, Richard Lee Stafford, Ragen Deann Thomas, Megan Nicole Venable and Jordan Elsie Watson.

BRITTANY BEASLEY . . . Teague salutatorian After starting school in Fairfield, Miss Cannon transferred in second grade to Teague where her father, Thomas, is an agricultural science teacher and her mother, Helen, is the high school secretary.

Miss Cannon was the top student in her class all through high school, but the race was close.

While in high school, the valedictorian played tennis four years and was a varsity twirler and captain of the twirling line her junior and senior years.

Sunday she headed to state twirling solo and ensemble contest to wrap up her high school career.

The student also was vice president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes her senior year and a member of Lions for the Lord, National Honor Society, American Sign Language Honor Society and band council.

Miss Cannon has shown swine in the Freestone County Fair the past several years, but is showing rabbits this month.

She plans to attend Stephen F. Austin State University to major in either nursing or fashion merchandising.

“I really like the whole fashion thing,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to own my own store.”

“I’ve always liked photography, too, and could put that in there,” she adds.

The valedictorian reports that home economics, which she took as a senior student, and sign language were her favorite subjects in school. She credits home economics for sparking her interest in owning a business.

Through dual credit courses at THS, Miss Cannon has earned 24 college hours.

She is an active member of Round Prairie Baptist Church of Fairfield.

In July, Miss Cannon is traveling to Romania for a 10-day mission trip, during which she will visit a pediatric hospital and help conduct Vacation Bible School at different orphanages.

Summer traveling also is on the schedule for Miss Beasley—-she is going to Hawaii with family and to Europe with her Spanish class for two weeks, visiting France, Spain and Italy.

High school was busy for the salutatorian who was a varsity volleyball player and cheerleader, ran track and was a member and officer of several school clubs.

On the volleyball court, she was an All-District pick three years, making first team as a senior and earning Teague Most Valuable Player honors. She also was captain of the volleyball team.

Miss Beasley made varsity cheerleader three years, was captain of the squad her senior year and has been chosen as a Centex Victory Bowl All- Star Cheerleader—-she will cheer at the Victory Bowl at Waco in July.

As a senior student, the salutatorian was FCA president, Spanish Club vice president, yearbook editor and business manager, National Hispanic Honor Society vice president and a member of National Honor Society and Student Council.

Miss Beasley started school in Red Oak and moved to Teague in third grade with her family. She is the daughter of Brad and Michelle Smith.

In fall, the THS salutatorian will start classes at Texas A&M University where she plans to major in kineseology and minor in biology.

“I’m, hopefully, going to go to grad school and get my doctorate in physical therapy,” she reports.

Her interest in physical therapy was sparked, in part, by knee surgery she underwent, and she has been volunteering at Lott Physical Therapy in Fairfield.

“I like the environment and like to see people make progress after surgery and injuries,” she says.

Miss Beasley notes that her favorite subjects in high school were mathematics and science.

The salutatorian will start college with 39 credit hours earned by taking dual-credit and correspondence courses while in high school.

THS commencement started with a processional played by Christina Mims and invocation offered by Emilee Allison.

Delivering speeches were senior class president Matt Flori and Misses Cannon and Beasley.

The class was presented by THS principal Darrell Evans and accepted by Teague Independent School District superintendent Ned Burns. School board president Jeff Gonzales awarded diplomas.

Commencement benediction was given by Jessica Osborn and the ceremony concluded with the school song.