PERRYVILLE – Perryville High School health teacher Don O’Keefe has been selected by the Perryville High School Class of 2025 to deliver this year’s commencement address.
Mr. O’Keefe earned a bachelor of arts degree in social sciences from McKendree University, and a master’s degree in administration from William Woods University. He first joined the faculty of Perryville High School in 1999 as a social studies teacher. He then worked at Jackson R-II Public Schools before returning to PHS in 2022 to teach health. He is also the head baseball coach.
“It is an honor to be selected by the students,” he said. “I love teaching at Perryville High School because I enjoy having the chance to watch the students grow up and mature as they keep getting older. At some point, I know that they will have families of their own and I’ll get the chance to meet their children.”
Mr. O’Keefe said that his message to this year’s graduates will be that “the world is filled with pessimists. They want to tell you all of the things that you cannot accomplish,” he said. “Find a way to stay away from the negative and go after the goals that you want in life.
“I want our community to know that this group of graduates is filled with Perry County’s next successful citizens. They will be the ones that will help make sure that Perry County continues to grow and flourish. One day, many of them will have families that will grow up in Perry County. If they choose to leave this county, they will find a way to make other communities better.”
Mr. O’Keefe and his wife Carrie have two sons – Troy, who is graduating with the Class of 2025, and Colt, who is a freshman at PHS. He is the son of Susan O’Keefe of Perryville, and the late John O’Keefe.
Perryville High School’s graduation ceremony begins at 7 pm Friday, May 16 at Perry Park Center. It is a ticketed event, and not open to the public.