SI Honors
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The Southern Illinoisan • Friday, May 13, 2016
RICHARD SITLER PHOTOS, THE SOUTHERN
Members of the head table and student honorees listen to the speaker. Students from 30 Southern Illinois High Schools were recognized for their achievements in such areas as academic excellence, leadership, community service, and character, Tuesday, May 3, in the Student Center Ballrooms of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Planting roots
High-achieving Dongola senior hopes for lifelong connection to Southern Illinois MOLLY PARKER THE SOUTHERN
‘C
ountry Boys Can Survive,” is a song famously written and recorded by American country artist Hank Williams, Jr. It also would be a good mantra for Dalen Treat, a graduating senior at Dongola High School. He loves farming, hunting, fishing and the simple, country life. So it probably comes as little shock that he loves Southern Illinois. Treat is heading off to college in the fall at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. But he said he plans to make the roughly five-hour drive home at least once a month to see his family and friends, and tend to the Treat family cattle farm in rural Union County. And unlike some in his graduation class of about 24 seniors at Dongola High School who say they hope to leave Southern Illinois behind after they walk across the stage, diploma in hand, on Friday, May 20, Treat says he’s looking forward to getting through school so that he can return to the area and plant roots for good. “I’ve heard people say they want to go as far away as possible. I don’t understand all that,” Treat said, momentarily shutting down his tractor to speak to the newspaper. Explaining the noise in the background, Treat said, “We’re raking hay to feed the cows this winter. They have to have something to eat.” Treat was one of about 170 students honored May 3 for achievements in academics, service and
leadership at the 46th annual Southern Illinois Society for High School Achievement Banquet, a partnership between area high school guidance counselors and administrators, and The Southern Illinoisan. There’s been much handwringing of late about people feeling Illinois as the political climate here sours — and with good reason. Even before that, the rural “brain drain” — a phenomenon of the best and brightest leaving rural America in droves — has taken its toll on some Southern Illinois communities, and the region as a whole. The Southern Illinoisan’s 2015 series “Gone Generation” by reporter Sarah Halasz Graham included this startling statistic: Only New Jersey outstrips Illinois in terms of the rate at which young people are leaving the state. In 2012, Illinois experienced a net loss of 16,563 students, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. But among the troubling trends are still lots of bright students like Treat who plan to stick around, who still see a bright future for small map-dot communities across the region, and are willing to make a go of a career here. Treat, 17, is one of two boys in the family; his younger brother, Evan Treat, is 14. Treat was accepted into the high school early acceptance program for Southwest Baptist’s doctoral of physical therapy program. Of the 100 people in the program, 20 slots are set aside for incoming freshman, he said. The other 80 come from a pool of about 500 applicants annually hoping to get accepted. Treat will start school with
about a semester behind him, as he’s already earned 15 credit hours from Shawnee Community College. He said his goal is to complete his bachelor’s degree in about 3-1/2 years. After that, students move into the graduate portion of the program, which includes two more years of classroom work, and a year of clinical, he said. He’s earned a partial-tuition scholarship for his undergraduate work. Treat said that after graduation he hopes to be hired on at Southern Illinois Healthcare. If necessary, Treat said he’s willing to drive into Missouri or nearby surrounding states for work, but he intends to live in Southern Illinois. He became interested in physical therapy watching his mom, who works as a physical therapist assistant at SIH. Treat shadowed employees there before making a decision and studied the job market. It’s also a career he feels would make a profound difference in the lives of others so that they can make the best use of their bodies — no matter what challenges life may bring. Even on the farm working with cattle that are sometimes injured, Treat said he’s seen the healing power of physical therapy. Treat said if he were injured, he’d hope someone would be passionate about helping him recover in the same way he hopes to give back to others. “I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t walk and get up on my tractor and work with these cows,” Treat said. “Helping people with their daily lives benefits them, and benefits me as well.” molly.parker@thesouthern.com 618-351-5079 On Twitter: @MollyParkerSI
Honorees from Crab Orchard High School pose for a photograph before the start of the 46th annual Southern Illinois Society for High School Achievement Banquet Tuesday, May 3, in the Student Center Ballrooms of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. They are (not in order) Emily Mausey, Lauren Pavelonis, Stephanie Scholz, Hailey Sumner, Landon Svoboda and Bethany Throgmorton.
Jeff Morris speaks at the 46th annual Southern Illinois Society for High School Achievement Banquet, Tuesday, May 3. Morris was a high school educator for almost 20 years and now is dedicated to raising awareness about depression, mental illness and suicide.
Students from 30 Southern Illinois high schools were recognized for their achievements in such areas as academic excellence, leadership, community service, and character, Tuesday, May 3, in the Student Center Ballrooms of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Attendees to the 46th annual Southern Illinois Society for High School Achievement Banquet listen to speaker Jeff Morris, Tuesday, May 3, in the Student Center Ballrooms of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Students from 30 Southern Illinois high schools were recognized for their achievements in such areas as academic excellence, leadership, community service, and character.
Students from 30 Southern Illinois high schools were recognized for their achievements in such areas as academic excellence, leadership, community service, and character, Tuesday, May 3, in the Student Center Ballrooms of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.