By Harper Stephens

Editorials Editor

A senior girl and a senior boy are recognized every year as Jags of the Year, an award given to those students who show responsibility and represent South as a whole.
For the class of 2016, Rachel Keeling and Dominic Dempsey were selected as this year’s Jags of the Year.
Dempsey said he felt very surprised when he was awarded Jag of the Year.
“It was a great accomplishment, and it was really unexpected,” Dempsey said.
Keeling says being recognized as Jag of the Year was a huge honor.
“There’s just so many deserving people out there who don’t get recognized for things, who just do an awesome job at this school, so it’s a huge honor to be representing what South means,” Keeling said.
Dempsey and Keeling and the rest of South found out at Senior Awards Night, a night for honoring seniors and their many accomplishments.
Keeling felt thrilled when they called her name as Jag of the Year.
“I was just really surprised and really happy, it was just really cool to be able to stand up there,” Keeling said.
Keeling and Dempsey said they both found out beforehand they were being awarded something bi; they just didn’t know what.
“I kind of knew towards the end that something was coming, but I did not know what it meant when I got it,” Keeling said.
Being Jag of the year, students have to show the student body and the community what it means to be a Jaguar. This includes doing well academically and being involved around South.
Dempsey stays busy by being involved in Student Senate, DECA, cross country, and track.
Keeling is also in Student Senate as secretary, sings for A Cappella Choir, and was a South cheerleader for three years.
There are big things in store for Keeling and Dempsey. Both plan on going to the University of Missouri. Dempsey plans on majoring in business, while Keeling plans to major in elementary education.
Keeling says she would love to come back to Blue Springs to teach, and she is really going to miss South next year.
“It’s the best place I could ever be, I think. I am very blessed to be at this school,” Keeling said.
The two students have a lot ahead of them after they graduate at the end of the month, but that doesn’t mean they won’t miss South.
Dempsey says when he leaves South, he’s definitely going to miss the people the most.
“Seeing my teachers every day, and my closest friends,” Dempsey said.
Keeling, like Dempsey, is going to miss the people from South the most.
“I’m going to miss so many things about [South], but probably the teachers and the people,” Keeling said.
Not only will these students be leaving behind their legacy as Jags of the Year, but they also lefta few words for the underclassmen.
According to Dempsey, the key to high school is to be yourself and to find yourself.
“Just try to get involved with everything and talk to the people you usually wouldn’t talk to,” Dempsey said.
Keeling says to make sure to treasure every moment of high school.
“People always told me that [high school goes by fast] but I was always like ‘oh, sure, I’m just ready to leave’, but it really does go by so fast,” Keeling said. “So, definitely take advantage of every little moment you have.”