The Beacon
Port Clinton High School recently announced that Alaina Dackermann has been chosen to be in the Senior Spotlight for May. Dackermann has proudly represented Port Clinton High School as a student athlete throughout her four years of high school.
Each Fall season Dackermann was a dual sport athlete, competing in Tennis and Cross Country. She was part of the Sandusky Bay Conference Championship Tennis Team and received individual league honors during her junior and senior years.
Dackermann was the 2020 Tennis Team captain, and received the silver racket award her junior and senior years. As a Port Clinton High School diver, she set a goal as a freshman to qualify for the state diving meet all four years. She accomplished that, along with placing 12th as a senior. She was also 2020-21 team captain, SBC diving champion in her junior and senior years, and helped the swimming and diving teams earn two SBC championships.
Senior Spotlight: Ashlyn Beattie, Cherryville High
Ashlyn Beattie will graduate from Cherryville High School Friday, May 28.
Though she will miss her days getting lost in Cherryville High’s circle-shaped hallways, Beattie looks forward to one day living life in the air as a flight nurse.
Who has been your greatest influence and why?
BEATTIE: In a way, everyone around me. Between my hard-working parents and my loving friends, I have the best support group imaginable. However, my teacher, Donald McMillan has influenced me the most. He has not only been an outstanding educator, but a wonderful friend as well. He is the one that got me into EMS, and I´d like to thank him tremendously for that.
Senior Spotlight: Emma Hughlett, Forestview High
Emma Hughlett will graduate from Forestview High School on Friday, May 28.
Hughlett remained active throughout high school as a cross country athlete, Girl Scout, a volunteer of the BackPack Weekend Food Program and Tim Tebow’s Gastonia edition of the Night to Shine prom and board member of Teens Changing Gaston County.
Who has been your greatest influence and why?
HUGHLETT: My greatest influence in high school is John Hunsucker. Through the environment he created in the Forestview Cross Country team, I was able to become confident in myself to take off as an active student, athlete, and member of my community. Coach Hunsucker’s ideology of being a “lady first, scholar second, and athlete third” is one that I take to heart and choose to apply in my day-to-day life. The teachings of Coach Hunsucker have inspired me to stay strong when the going gets tough and not listen to “the monkey on my back,” as he would s
Senior Spotlight: Autumn Gardner, Gaston Virtual Academy
Autumn Gardner moved to Gaston County Schools Virtual Academy in November 2020 after attending Victory Christian Academy, where she played volleyball and was a cheerleader.
Gardner will be among the first graduates of the school, which opened in 2017, slated to cross the stage Wednesday, May 26.
Who has been your greatest influence and why?
GARDNER: There have been many people that have influenced me into who I am today but my mother without a doubt has been my greatest influence. My mom is the type of person that when she sets her mind to something, not only will she do it but she’ll go above and beyond to accomplish it. I am greatly inspired by her to work diligently toward my own goals, even through hardships that I may face. She always praises me when I do well, motivating me to do my very best, however she also will correct me when I do poorly, so I can make improvement and be the best version of