Graduating seniors at lowest count in a decade

The number of seniors graduating at Thayer County schools was down considerably this year; in fact, the county witnessed 64 seniors – down from 107 in 2012 – graduate from five area schools including Bruning-Davenport, Deshler, Meridian, Shickley and Thayer Central. It is the lowest number of seniors to  receive diplomas since 2003.

In the past decade the number of graduating seniors has been in a steady decline, but not necessarily at an alarming rate, until this year. Deshler and Meridian saw the biggest decrease losing over half their graduating classes from last year. Deshler patrons witnessed 11 seniors graduate this year, down from 29 last year. Meridian had eight seniors walk the path, down from 25 last year.

On average since 2003, Thayer Central High School sees 34.7 seniors graduate each year. Its biggest class in the last ten years was in 2003 when 46 seniors received their diplomas. It was the second graduating class following the consolidation of Hebron and Chester-Hubbell-Byron. This year’s graduating class and the class of 2007 had the least amount of seniors graduate with 26.

Deshler Public Schools has traditionally seen an average of 27.7 seniors receive diplomas since 2003, and has maintained that average until this year. Its largest graduating class  was in 2008 when 32 seniors received diplomas; its smallest prior to this year was in 2009 when 23 seniors graduated.

Bruning-Davenport has seen an average of 16.8 seniors graduate each year since 2003. In 2009 patrons watched the most graduates, 26, receive diplomas while the Class of 2013 had the smallest with 10.

For all five high schools in the Thayer County area, 2003 had the most seniors graduate with 128, while, prior to this year with it’s lowest turnout, the class of 2011 had  95 seniors graduate.