Murphy – In high schools across the country, students have the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of athletics teams, clubs and other organizations.
For the pair of top seniors in the Murphy High School Class of 2020, Grace Hill and Alyson Palmer, that variety of options led a ton of enjoyment – and a lot of varying hats to wear.
Grace Hill
Grace Hill, daughter of Frank and Jamie Hill, was a member of the Murphy High cross-country and track and field teams, including the Lady Bulldogs’ 2018 and 2019 state title-winning squads.
She was also a member of a large number of student clubs and organizations, including the Spanish Club, Health Occupations Students of America, Pep
Club, Video Club, National Beta Club and served as the community service chair for the National Honors Society.
Graduating from Murphy with both her high school diploma as well as an associates’ degree from Tri-County Community College, Hill is planning on pursuing a master’s degree in business from the University of Central Florida with the intention of working in the marketing field.
She also graduates as the top Career & Technology Education student out of the 89 CTE students in North Carolina.
Hill said that her favorite memories at Murphy were both of the state championships she won, plus just getting to walk down the hallways of the school and seeing people, which she will miss.
“I just had a good high school career,” she said of her experience at Murphy High. “There were so many things that I got to do and accomplish, people that I got to meet. It was a good experience, and I’m sad that it’s over.”
Alyson Palmer
Joining Hill at the top of Murphy High’s 2020 graduating class is Alyson Palmer, who was named the school’s 2019 homecoming queen in the fall.
Palmer, daughter of Tracy Radford Palmer and the late Donald Palmer, was a member of an outstanding number of clubs and organizations at Murphy, including serving as committee chair of the National Honor Society, president of the Video Club, vice president of the Pep Club, secretary and treasurer of the Bulldogs’ student government association, editor of the journalism staff and partook as a member of many other organizations.
She was also a member of the cheerleading squad at Murphy High. While there were too many favorite memories to count, her time spent at pep rallies with the rest of her fellow classmates and attending sporting events were some of her favorite memories as a Bulldog.
Palmer, who was named the female recipient of Murphy High School’s Citizenship Award, not only graduates from Murphy with her high school diploma but also with an associate of arts degree through Tri-County.
She will be attending Young Harris (Ga.) College in the fall, where she plans to earn a two-year degree before transferring to Western Carolina University to pursue a master’s degree.
“My experience at Murphy High School has been unforgettable,” Palmer said. “It’s given me many things, not only being an education that will open so many doors for my future, but a numerous amount of memories over the four years I’ve spent walking through the doors every weekday.
“I wouldn’t trade my experience at MHS for anything, and I’m beyond proud to be a Bulldog.”