NORTH MANCHESTER – Erica McKinley and Thomas Naragon have been named valedictorian and salutatorian respectively for the Class of 2013 at Manchester Junior-Senior High School. McKinley has a 10.86 grade point average and Naragon has a 10.74 grade point average after seven semesters. McKinley has earned Academic Excellence and Highest Honor Roll honors through junior and senior high school with perfect attendance since first grade. Athletically, she has been named TRC Academic All Conference and team captain as a soccer player. In other extracurricular activities, she has participated in Science Olympiad, Key Club, student council and was the 10th- and 11th-grade class treasurer. She was elected to the National Honor Society and was a member of the Crossroads Junior Board of Directors for two years. She also has been a Sunday School teacher and vacation bible school crew leader at her church as well as a community youth soccer coach. She has also danced at Terri Eckert School of Dance since ninth grade. After high school, McKinley plans to attend Taylor University to major in public health with a double minor in Spanish and intercultural missions. She plans to later earn a master’s degree to become a pediatric physician’s assistant. She is the daughter of Mike and Lucy McKinley, and the granddaughter of Robert and Beverly Yates, of Rosemount, Minn. Naragon has earned academic honors in academic excellence, honor roll and National Honor Society. Active in track, swimming and soccer, Naragon has been named TRC Academic All-Conference in swimming, track and soccer, the Squire Award in track and soccer and the MVP and team captain in soccer. Other activities and honors include Science Olympiad for three years where he placed sixth at state in 2011, Model UN for two years, band for three years and the school play for one year. In community activities, Naragon has studied violin and performed with the Manchester Symphony for two years. He has also been a coach in the community youth soccer league. With his environmental science class, he helped to implement a small prairie ecosystem in the community. After high school, Naragon plans to attend St. Olaf or Trinity College to major in computer science, mathematics or neuroscience. He is the son of Steve Naragon and Pam Higgins and the grandson of Ralph and Becky Naragon, Dick and Ramona Naragon Sive and Eleanor Higgins.
