MAY – The May High School graduation ceremony for the Class of 2024 will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17 at the May ISD Gymnasium.

Johnna Maultsby, daughter of Gary and Tonya Maultsby, is the valedictorian while Brandon Beal, son of Joshua and Rachel Beal, is the salutatorian.

“It’s a really big honor,” Maultsby said of the valedictorian accolade. “I’ve worked really hard for it most of my life. I don’t play sports and I’m not really active in anything else in school, so it feels nice to be recognized.”

Beal said of being named salutatorian, “It just shows a lot of hard work. I worked pretty much full time the last two years, so juggling that with trying to be at the top of my class was a lot.”

Maultsby is headed to Tarleton State University to major in Bio-Medical Sciences after graduation.

“My sister worked at Smile Doctors for a really long time and she thought that would be something I would be interested in,” Maultsby said. “I looked into it more and I think I’ll really enjoy it and be good at it. Bio-Medical Sciences is a degree that fits both pre-med and pre-dental, I’m probably going to dental school, maybe medical school, so it gives me the option to do either one after graduation.”

The next step on Beal’s journey is Texas A&M University, where he intends to major in Construction Science.

“It’s been in my family for generations,” Beal said. “My granddad owns his own construction company, my dad’s been doing it forever, my brother’s a plumber, it’s just the way it is.”

Regarding the difference in attending May and a university, Maultsby said, “I think it’s going to be a little bit of adjustment going from a small school to a college campus. Things are pretty close knit around here. I’ve grown up with these people my entire life, so not seeing these people everyday is going to be a little bit different. I’m going to have a very difficult time adapting to not being as close to my teachers and not being as close with my classmates.”

Beal added, “I’m going to A&M which is substantially larger than here, just a couple thousand people, so it’s going to be difficult all around.”

As for what they will miss most about May, Maultsby said, “Being as close to my close group of friends. I have friends going to A&M and Tech, so I’m not going to see very many of my friends everyday. Other than that I’m really excited to get out.”

Beal echoed those sentiments, stating, “I’m going to miss having a close relationship with the teachers, being able to go get help whenever I need it for classes. I’ll also miss my friends. I’m going to go from knowing everybody to not knowing anybody.”

Both honor students also stated that will miss May ISD math teacher Ray Vanderford, but do not intend to lose touch.

“He got here our seventh grade year and we didn’t have his math class our eighth grade year, but whenever we got into high school he’s been our math teacher and he will help you in anyway,” Maultsby said. “He is what every teacher should want to be. I think pretty much everybody who was on Mr. V’s good side will attest to that.”

Beal added, “I know if I go down to college and need help in one of my math classes, I’m going to call Mr. V.”

Maultsby also thanked, “pretty much all the faculty and staff and the students,” for helping her throughout high school. “I’ve changed a lot, grown a lot and matured a lot in the last two years. It is not all rainbows and butterflies all the time. I thank them for allowing me to realize that and preparing me in that way to go out into the real world, where some people are not that prepared.”

Beal added, “I want to thank my parents, they’ve shown me a lot of lessons throughout my life about hard work, dedication, perseverance. Without them I don’t think I’d be here today.”

Along with excelling in the classroom, Maultsby took part in FFA for four years, One Act Play her first two years, Beta Club her sophomore, junior and senior years, Robotics, and UIL Academics – including being part of May’s UIL film that was one meet away from going to state. She also participated on the Media Crew.

For Beal, his extracurricular activities included FFA all four years, Beta Club three years, and Livestock Judging, Robotics, and Ag Mechanics for two years apiece.

Looking down the road 10 years, Maultsby said, “Hopefully I’ll be in a big city with a nice job and a family and hopefully my parents are close enough to where I can see them all the time because family is very important to me. But I see myself very far away from where I am right now.”

For Beal, “I see myself on a large job site, being a project manager with my family and everybody nearby.”