76 seniors are recognized for future plans following graduation
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Chester High School seniors will graduate Sunday May 17, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Several years ago CHS began a tradition of recognizing every senior in a school-wide assembly titled, “Senior Signing Day”.
During that assembly each student is introduced and his or her future plans are announced to highlight what “life after high school” will be for that student. According to design, the assembly serves two primary functions.
The first is to help seniors celebrate the conclusion of their careers at CHS and announce what their immediate futures have in store for them. The second function of honoring the seniors is to help set an example for the remaining underclassmen at CHS to encourage them to strive for similar goals in their remaining three years of high school at CHS.
The annual “Senior Signing Day” assembly typically takes about 45 minutes-to-an-hour and is led by Chester High School Principal, Jeremy Blechle. Blechle serves as Master of Ceremonies for the event which includes all students at CHS. Parents are invited to attend the event as well as members of the community in general.
The 2026 CHS Senior Signing Day took place Wednesday May 6 at 11:15 a.m. There was a large group of parents and community members in attendance as well as all CHS seniors and underclassmen. Seniors were seated front-and-center in Colbert Memorial Gymnasium, on Rocky Bridges Court.
CHS Technology Advisor, Dwight Lochhead, utilized the huge video screen that was recently installed in Colbert Gymnasium as a backdrop for the event, and as each individual was announced, he or she came to the front of the presentation area in front of the audience and signed his or her specially designed Signing Day Certificate in front of the crowd.
Every student in the Class of 2026 was honored and recognized. Students were brought to the signing tables located along the sidelines of Rocky Bridges Court, in groups, determined by what the individual future plans of each group were.
This year, student groups included students going to 4-Year Colleges or Universities, students who will attend 2-Year Junior Colleges, students joining the United States Military, students taking a “Gap Year” (taking a year off to decide what their future plans will be), Students going into Trade Schools, and students going into the Work Force.
In the Class of 2026, the There are 28 students that will attend one of 13 four-year colleges. There will be 15 students attending 2-year colleges, for a total of 43 students going to academic colleges or universities. Six students will join branches of the United States Military, Three students will go to Trade Schools. There will be 21 students entering the work force, and three students have decided to take a gap year to ponder their future endeavors.
In the 4-year college or university category, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale has the most seniors entering its doors in the fall of 2026 as nine seniors will go to SIU-C. Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) has the second biggest number CHS seniors heading its way with 11 students registering there. The work force has 21 students entering its career choice.
The 13 four-year colleges or universities and their respective numbers of CHS freshmen entering their ranks in fall of 2026 include Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (9), McKendree University (3), Southeast Missouri University (3), University of Illinois (3), Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (2), and eight other universities that have one CHS students each attending including Columbia College, Greenville University, Howard University, Jefferson College, Millikin University, Missouri Baptist University, Murray State University, and University of Northwestern Ohio.
The three two-Year colleges and their number of incoming Chester freshmen next fall include Southwestern Illinois College (11), John A. Logan College (3), and Rend Lake College (1), for a total of 15 students from CHS going to SWIC.
Three CHS seniors will attend a trade school including the Renaissance Beauty College (2), and Penn Foster College (1).
Seniors names and their respective immediate courses of action appear below.
4-year colleges or universities
The 46 CHS senior students going to a 4-year college or University include the following (in alphabetical order):
Columbia College (1): Annah Helvey-Ahring.
Greenville University (1): Morgan Miers.
Howard University (1): Skyla Walker.
Jefferson College (1): David August.
McKendree University (3): Gabriel Coffman, Ethan Colvis, and Jonathan Hayer.
Millikin University (1): Megan Zimmer.
Missouri Baptist University (1): Lexie Mott.
Missouri State University (1): Trevor Keeton.
Southeast Missouri University (3): Natalie Guetersloh, Southern LaChance, and Maggie Caby.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (9): Morgan Absher, Hayden Cartwright, Anthony Hernandez-Huert, Kylie Hicks, Rylie Myers, Kaylee Rogers, Jason Sibley, Mason Straight, and Jessica Stumpe.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (2): Emily Gruenewald and Camryn Wolff.
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (3): Addison Gottschammer, Erin Liefer, and Elizabeth Wilson.
University of Northwestern Ohio (1): Liam Holland.
2-year colleges
John A. Logan College (3): Brenna Astin, Alexander Partin, and Brayden Tucker.
Rend Lake College (1): Reed Creason.
Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) (11): Aaliyah Berkbuegler, Jacob Casteel, Alyssa Coffey, Caleb Coffey, Callie Davis, Lillian Diskey, Ivan Hobbs, Kylee Kempfer, Robert Myers, Madison Stauffer, and Olivia Vasquez.
Trade Schools
Renaissance Beauty School (2): Aubrey Coleman and Riley Lochhead.
Penn Foster (1): Macy Bert.
United States Military
Navy (2): Roman Carter and Derrius Shoemate.
Army (2): Luke Hobeck and Luke Kennedy.
Marines (1): Santino Decker.
Coast Guard (1): Isaac Sims.
Work Force
The following 21 CHS seniors plan to enter the work force after graduation. Lucas Chandler, Amelia Crawford, Mackenzie Deimund, Peyton Dickson, Carlos Jimenez, Franklin Jimenez, Brayden Juenger, Ryan Junger, Trayton Peters, Caleb Richmond, Jacob Shields, Konner Schroeder, Isac Smith, Jonathon, Snow, Larry Sorto, Jacob Stueve, Camden Ward, Drew Wilderman, Gavin Wilderman, Adyn Winchester, and Gage Yankey.
Gap Year
The following three CHS seniors will take a Gap Year from school to determine the path they wish take for their future endeavors. Bralynn Astin, Brayan Cates, and Sunny Jausel.
Chester High School Senior Signing Day was deemed a huge success by students and parents alike! Hats off to the CHS Class of 2026 and best of luck in all of your future endeavors!
Jeremy Blechle, Chester High School Principal, was Master of Ceremonies at the 2026 CHS Senior Signing Day event. Jim Beers Photo
At the conclusion of the 2026 Chester High School Senior Signing Day assembly Principal Jeremy Blechle meets with his Class of 2026 for the final time prior to final exams. Seniors had final exams a week earlier than underclassmen and were released from school. Friday May 8 was the last day of school for the Class of 2026. Graduation is Sunday May 17 at 3:00, p.m. Jim Beers Photo
This is the left half of the CHS Class of 2026 that were recognized and honored at the 2026 CHS Senior Signing Day event held Wednesday May 6 at CHS at 11:15 a.m. All seniors were introduced and honored during the evet. Jim Beers Photo
This is the other half of the CHS Class of 2026 that sat on the right side of center court at Chester’s Colbert Memorial Gymnasium. The event was Senior Signing Day 2026 when all seniors were introduced and praised for their intentions to pursue individual post-high school goals. Jim Beers Photo
Anah Helvey Ahring will attend Columbia College. Jim Beers Photo
Morgan Miers will attend Greenville University next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Jonathan Hayes, Ethan Colvis, and Gabriel Coffman will attend McKendree University next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Megan Zimmer will attend Millikin University next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Lexie Mott will attend Missouri Baptist University next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Trevor Keeton will attend Murray State next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Southern LaChance, Natalie Guetersloh and Maggie Caby will attend Southeast Missouri University next fall. Jim Beers Photo
CHS will send nine students to Southern Illinois University next fall. In no particular order are Morgan Absher, Hayden Cartwright, Anthony Hernandez-Huerta, Kylie Hicks, Rylie Myers, Kaylee Rogers, Jason Sibley, Mason Straight, and Jessica Stumpe. Jim Beers Photo
Emily Gruenwald and Camryn Wolff will attend Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Addison Gottschammer, Erin Liefer, and Elizabeth Wilson will attend the University of Illinois Champaign next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Liam Holland will attend the University of Northwestern Ohio next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Alexander Partin, Brayden Tucker, and Brenna Astin (not pictured) will attend John A. Logan College next fall. Jim Beers Photo
Reed Creason will attend Rend Lake College. Jim Beers Photo