By John Hummer
IrishHillsLive.com/Exponent Editor

Kinsey Wagner, above, Onsted High School valedictorian for the class of 2020, has always had it in her blood to work in medicine.

“I’ve always been interested in the medical field since I was younger,” Kinsey said. She credits having taken a human body systems class for steering her in the direction of the health sciences.

“We did a lot of dissections in there and I just thought that was the most interesting class ever,” she said. She also enjoyed her biology and other science classes she took.

Kinsey plans to study nursing at Siena Heights University. She also earned a scholarship to play volleyball at Siena. Following her bachelor’s degree program, Kinsey plans to enroll in physician’s assistant school at a university yet to be determined.

So, what was Kinsey’s “secret to success” in school?

“My parents have always told me the importance of hard work and school since they’re both teachers,” she says. “Working hard, studying every night, and putting 100 percent into everything I do.”

Kinsey grew up in Onsted and attended Onsted Community Schools since preschool. Her mom, Rachelle, teaches kindergarten in Onsted Schools, so it was a no-brainer for where to send Kinsey and her siblings to school. Her dad, Mark, is also a teacher. He teaches high school math and calculus at Evergreen Schools in Ohio.

There are two teachers that Kinsey credits for the extra support and encouragement throughout high school.

Brittany Basch is an Onsted High School chemistry teacher who had a big influence on Kinsey.

“She just genuinely cares for her students’ well being,” Kinsey says. “She understands what students are going through and she’s just so supportive – she’s just there for everybody whenever they need someone.”

Another teacher who impacted Kinsey’s life is high school history and economics teacher Erin Richards.

“She made her classes really fun,” Kinsey said. “I would go in and talk to her every morning. She also understood what students were going through. She was just a blast to have in class.”

In addition to her studies, Kinsey played volleyball throughout her high school years. She was a member of the National Honor Society and the Onsted Academic Club. Kinsey was president of Student Council her senior year and on the council all four years of high school. She also participated in Youth in Government.

When Kinsey isn’t studying or playing volleyball, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family. In addition to her parents, Kinsey has an older brother, Chase, who is 22 and younger brother, Trey, who is 11. Chase works at the Jiffy factory in Chelsea.

Kinsey is an outdoorswoman who likes to hunt. She also enjoys swimming, watching Netflix, and taking naps.

Although the end of her senior year was cut short, Kinsey remains positive.

“I’m just looking back at all the good memories I had at Onsted and focusing on those and not how my senior year was cut short,” she noted. “I’ve made friends at Onsted that I’ll have for the rest of my life and I’ll cherish that.”

Kinsey is also very appreciative of things the community has done to honor the seniors like turning on the football field lights on Friday nights and putting up yard signs.

“That’s nice that they’re doing those little things to kind of help us out,” she said.

Following are the rest of the top 10, as well as a list of all the graduating students from 2020.

Congratulations!

The class of 2020

Noah Abbey, Jay Allen, Alex Ayala, Christopher Bannister, Parker Barnes, Rourke Barth, Tucker Bean, Kieley Bermudez, Zachary Beyer, Konnar Bockelman, Haven Bowers, Derek Boyce, Ryan Callahan Jr., Sean Carney, Brianna Chapman, Brendan Chmiel, Isaiah Christie, Rylee Clairday, Cameron Connett, Nicholas Davis, Mariah DeLaGarza, Sean Deland, Clint DeNudt, Trent DeNudt, Melisa Deneweth, Adeline Diehl, Christian Edwards, Tucker Francoeur, Hunter Gibbs, Devon Gillean, Brooke Gorney, Michael Gosselin, Joel Griffes, Arianna Grimmette, Ashleigh Groh, Hannah Hadden, Dylan Hancock, Dylan Hankins, Kaley Harsh, Tyler Haskins, Morgen Head, Travis Hill, Braydan Hiscock, Sierra Holbrook, Riley Huff, Tyler Hunt, Annalee Irwin, Alexis Jeffrey, Kaitlyn Kelley, Blake Klocke, Austen Konz, Cory Kozlowski, Brooklyn Kurowski, Cooper Lake, Lucas Lewin, Keegan Lipinski, Cierra Long, Imani Love, Jillian Macy, Ashlyn Malak, Maggie Malinczak, Paul Marks, Samuel Massnick, Myah McAvoy, Logan McRobert, Logan Merriman, Hayden Moore, Holly Morse, Tara Newsome, Brian Parks III, Matthew Particka, Andrew Pettit, Bryn Reidy, Jillian Roux, McKenna Russell, Graycie Ruttkofsky, Nicole Schuchard, Samuel Segrist, Adam Smith, Grace Smith, McKenna Smith, Dylan Stevens, Randall Strack, Sylvia Stroud, Larkyn Swimmer, Phoenix Taphouse, Yulizza Trejo, Jaiden Tyler, Karly Van Brunt, Joshua VanEtten, Kinsey Wagner, Gaberial Walter, Ivan Westgate, Logan Willett, Clare Williams, Madison Wright, Miranda Wright, Lily Youngdahl.

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The joy of the Lord is your strength. Neh. 8:10