Melissa Jewel Whitney hugged relatives who came to see her graduate from the licensed practical nursing class Tuesday night at High Plains Technology Center. Soon, she would receive her diploma.

“It feels amazing,” Whitney said, anticipating the end of 1,526 hours of study. “It’s finally over after 13 months. I’ve already got a job at a Waynoka nursing home. It starts Tuesday.”

Whitney was one of the 23 graduating students who received congratulations from High Plains staff and well wishers.

Among the people wishing them the best was guest speaker Dr. Brent Scott, DO, who told the students what they could expect in the future.

“You are now the medical experts,” Scott told them. You will be called by parents, brothers, sisters and friends, and they will expect answers.

“You will be called on for medical advice and for life and death situations,” he said. “But mostly, you will be expected to show you care. On a daily basis, you will have to reach down and pick someone else up.”

Scott said the new nurses would be spending much more time with patients than their doctors and asked that they not take their positions for granted.

“Your patients deserve attention to detail and excellence,” he said.

He lauded the graduates for their excellence in academics and clinical practice.

“In my four-and-a-half years of being here, this is the most impressive class so far,” he said.

The school’s director of nursing, Sue Mitchell, who also spoke at the commencement, praised people in the community who were willing to “work with our students.”

“These students started this program ... 209 days ago,” she said, in conclusion noting, “they are the one nurse who can make a difference.”

Summing up the graduation was a presentation of awards.

Winning the Academic Award was Tina Plummer. The Clinical Performance Award went to Michele Clepper, and the Best All Around Award went to Krista Haltom. Simmie Hill won the Attendance Award.

The Attendance Recognition Award went to Tara Arnold, Tina Plummer and Cruz Pando.

Chosen for the Elsie Smith Memorial Award was Krista Haltom and for the Winters Family Award were Tina Plummer and Michele Clepper.

Superintendent Don Bird praised the graduating students for their achievements following the graduation ceremony.

“This has been a really good class,” Bird said. “Usually, we lose one or two students, but this class stuck with it. They’ll be highly successful. We’re really proud of them.”

“They’re all unique,” Mitchell said during an interview earlier in the day. “They all made a lot of sacrifices to be here. Some students drove quite a distance to attend the classes.”

Graduates of the High Plains Technology Center Practical Nursing program were Tara J. Arnold, Jessica Avila, Kelli D. Burton, Michele J. Clepper, Alyssa Flores, Tandi Kay Hada, Krista Joy Haltom, Simmie Jo Hill, and Shannon Johnson.

Also graduating were Samantha S. Jones, Vickey L. Leech, Darla Huenergardt Mahaffey, Czarina Mae Martinez, Hailey Dawn McLain, Sabrina Diefenbach Moffatt, Rianne R. Murphy and Cruz Christina Pando.

Also graduating were Natalie Parker, Tina L. Plummer, Kristel L. Ross, Krystal K. Swink, Crystal Kim White and Whitney.

In the program provided to relatives and friends at their graduation, the class thanked those “who supported us and ... helped us make this event a reality. We are grateful and appreciate all those who made our dream come true.”