Cate Densham
Cate is the daughter of Tim and Tracy Densham. In high school she has been a member of the National Honor Society, participated in plays and musicals, HOSA with KCTC, marching and symphonic bands, and Odyssey of the Mind as both a competitor and judge.
Cate is passionate about being a blood donor and has given more than one gallon to Versiti Health Center. She also enjoys volunteering for the middle school plays. Her other hobbies and interests include cooking and baking, reading, gaming, collecting, crafting and artwork, and history and medicine.
She lists her greatest accomplishment in high school as making it to nationals in HOSA and placing third there. She also is proud of being on the highest honor roll for four years and being named a student of the month three times.
Cate plans to attend Grand Valley State University Meijer Honors College on the pre-med track with the intention of becoming an OB/GYN.
Lainey Guikema
Lainey is the daughter of Kevin and Jennifer Guikema. She has served as the National Honor Society president and has been a member of the symphonic, jazz and marching bands, tennis team, and crew member for TKHS musicals.
Outside of school Lainey plays cello and is a church volunteer. Her hobbies include music, skincare, tennis, reading, thrifting, and spending time with her friends and her dog.
She lists her greatest accomplishment in high school as being the NHS president and being part of the jazz band that won the best band overall at the CMU jazz competition this year.
Lainey plans to attend the University of Michigan to major in molecular cellular and development biology. She plans to be on a pre-med track and wants to become a dermatologist.
Luke Kaiser
Luke is the son of Mark and Tracy Kaiser. His numerous activities in high school include being a member of the soccer, basketball and track and field teams. In soccer he served as the varsity team captain this season and was named to the academic team all-state for the 2021-22 school year. He has been a member of the TKHS concert, symphonic, marching and jazz bands and is a National Honor Society member.
Luke is a National Merit Scholarship finalist, received the College Board National Rural and Small Towns Recognition award, earned the AP Scholar award and has been named a Rotary Student of the Month.
He lists his greatest accomplishment in high school as learning how to play a new instrument to join jazz band his senior year and then succeeding in jazz band both independently and as an ensemble. He also is proud of being able to balance a challenging class schedule with sports, extracurriculars, friends and family, and hobbies and interests. He also lists participating in the high school talent show with a group of friends his junior year as a top accomplishment.
Outside of school, Luke has served as an AYSO regional referee since 2019, worked at Riverdog Tavern, and has been part of Club Soccer with Midwest Galaxy and Thornapple Area Soccer Club for many years. He enjoys weightlifting, chess, cooking and baking, gardening, reading and card games.
Luke plans to attend Grand Valley State University to study physical education or exercise science. He hopes to continue his involvement in sports through college and eventually coach a high school or club sports team.
Andy Liu
Andy is the son of Yong and Lifang Liu. He has been active in National Honor Society, tennis, bowling and BPA.
Outside of school Andy works at China Kitchen and is a member of the Youth Advisory Council of the Barry Community Foundation.
He enjoys golf, tennis, fishing and playing Overwatch.
Andy lists his greatest accomplishments in high school as placing first in regional BPA contest and competing in the state competition.
He plans to attend the University of Michigan to study computer science.
Emelia MacDonald
Emilia is the daughter of Adam MacDonald and Shannan Baker. Her high school activities have included soccer, cross country, National Honor Society, Close-Up, and TK Packers. She has earned highest honor roll and been named Student of the Month twice.
She received the Lady Trojan Award in soccer and was named team academic all-state. In cross country she qualified twice for the state finals and was named once to the academic all-state team. In 2020 she was named OK Gold all conference, all Barry County, and the most improved athlete.
Outside of high school she is a volunteer coach with AYSO, a member of YAC, TATU, and works in the Davenport dining hall.
Her hobbies include running, soccer, hiking, playing with her cat, being with friends and going out to eat.
She lists her greatest accomplishments as making the top 10, being a two-time state qualifier and being named academic all-state in cross country and being awarded the Lady Trojan Award.
Emelia plans to attend Saginaw Valley State University to study exercise science with a plan to go to medical school for orthopedic surgery with a specialty in sports medicine. She will also be a member of the university's track and cross-country teams.
Payton Stahl
Payton is the daughter of Nick and Mindy Stahl. She has played basketball and softball in high school and received the “Miss Hustle” award in basketball her senior year. She is a member of the National Honor Society and attends KCTC taking health career foundations and patient care tech courses.
Outside of school, Payton has been a member of the Middleville Covers 4-H Club and has shown lambs and dairy feeders for six years. She is also a part of the Martin Reform Youth Group where she participates in volunteer and mission trip work.
She enjoys fishing, reading, thrifting, and being with friends.
She lists her greatest accomplishments in high school as being a top 10 student in her class and taking part in the Mary Free Bed internship as a nurse tech that she was granted through KCTC.
Payton plans to attend Ferris State University to double major in diagnostic medical sonography and health administration. She hopes to become an ultrasound tech in the future.
Graysen Stahle
Graysen is the son of Scott and Melissa Stahle. He is a member of the National Honor Society and varsity baseball team.
He enjoys baseball and playing guitar.
Graysen lists his greatest accomplishment in high school as being a top 10 student.
He plans to attend Central Michigan University to study law.
Dakota Troseth
Dakota is the son of Timothy and Patricia Troseth. He received student of the month honors in 2023 and has earned straight A’s throughout his high school career. He lists his greatest accomplishment as taking six AP classes during his high school career.
He enjoys watching YouTube videos on various topics including video games, shows, other media, history, science, writing and random facts. He also enjoys reading, playing video games and watching shows.
Dakota plans to attend Saginaw Valley State University or Davenport University to earn a degree in computer science.
Hope Vander Heide
Hope is the daughter of Keith and Alison Vander Heide. She is a member of the National Honor Society. Through high school engineering and CAD classes, she has won multiple CAD mechanical drawing awards at the MITES competition including a first-place award in the MITES live CAD competition.
Hope has worked as an intern in Bradford White’s product design engineering department for two years and is a volunteer at the Gun Lake Community Church.
Her hobbies include hunting, fishing, playing cards, and spending time with family and friends.
Hope lists her greatest high school accomplishments as acquiring an engineering internship as a junior in high school, and maintaining straight A’s while taking multiple AP classes, dual enrollment classes and working.
Hope plans to attend Michigan Technological University to study mechanical engineering.
Tessa Wenger
Tessa is the daughter of Phil and Becky Wenger. Her high school activities include marching, symphonic and jazz bands, vice president of the Student Council, member of National Honor Society, and being a stage manager for plays and musicals. Tessa received the National Rural and Small Towns Award through the College Board.
Outside of school, Tessa has participated and volunteered with her youth group at Middleville United Methodist Church. She has also volunteered at the United Way Day of Caring with the TK Student Council.
Tessa’s hobbies include reading, travel, drawing, watching plays and musicals, playing and listening to music, and spending time with family and friends.
She lists her greatest accomplishments in high school as being a top 10 student, earning student of the month honors, being in NHS, co-vice president of the student council, and being a stage manager for the plays and musicals.
Tessa plans to attend Western Michigan University to study arts administration and theater tech and design.
Thea Zellmer
Thea is the daughter of Bob and Becky Zellmer. Her list of high school activities includes tennis, volleyball, National Honor Society, Student Council president, honors choir, Close-Up, Mental Health Club, BPA, and being part of three high school musicals. In tennis she earned most valuable player awards twice along with most improved player. She served as team captain on the volleyball team, earned highest honors all four years and student of the month honors three times.
Outside of school, Thea has served as the YAC vice president and service chairperson, Leadership Barry County 2022 cohort, Leadership Barry County Board youth representative and YMCA board youth representative. She also has worked at the Curley Cone as a server.
Her hobbies include shopping, trying new foods, listening to music, figure skating, tennis, spending time with family and friends, joking around, and playing with her cat and dog.
Thea lists her greatest accomplishments in high school as being president of the Student Council and being able to offer opportunities to student that have not been offered in the past; trying a new club (BPA) and excelling to earn a first place in regional competition and fourth place (one place away from nationals) in the state competition; earning most improved and MVP in the same year for tennis; and making the top 10 in the Class of 2023.
Thea plans to attend the University of Michigan to pursue a degree surrounding political science, economics and public policy. She plans to take a semester in Washington DC where she hopes to intern with one of Michigan’s representatives. She would also like to study abroad to learn more about the way other country’s political systems work. She will be on the law/politics education track and eventually hopes to attend law school and work in prosecution or become a politician.