Heartland's Best Students - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

KFVS12 recently honored nearly 100 of the Heartland's Best students at a banquet ceremony and videotaping of the area high school valedictorians.

Click here to see the list of the 2012 Heartland's Best Valedictorians

Use the video thumbnails on the right to watch the valedictorian greetings and the public service announcements.  To download a .wmv copy of these videos use the link below the pictures on the right.

The ceremony was held in the University Center Ballroom on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. Corporate sponsors for this year's Heartland's Best are:

• Southeast Missouri State University
• Southeast Health
• Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety
• The Law Offices of Burns, Taylor, Heckemeyer, and Green
• Larry Hillis Dodge
• Banterra Bank

All Heartland valedictorians and their parents were invited to the ceremony. Students who attended the event recorded greetings that will be featured in special announcements scheduled to air throughout the summer on KFVS12 and The Heartland's CW.

Valedictorians from four states were treated to lunch with featured speakers Mary-Ann Maloney and Jeff Cunningham of KFVS12's Heartland News, and Dr. Debbie Below, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Director of Admissions for Southeast Missouri State University.  KFVS12's Director of Marketing, Paul Keener, served as master of ceremonies. 

"I always look forward to the Heartland's Best Banquet," stated Maloney. "It's truly inspiring to meet and honor young people from all over the Heartland who've worked so hard."

"Of all the public service events we sponsor each year, this is one of my favorites," said  Keener. "It involves positive young people who've worked hard to be the best of their class. We hope, that by honoring their efforts, we'll help inspire other Heartland students."

Also honored at this year's banquet were 12 of the Heartland's Best Teachers along with their principals. 

"The response from the teachers portion of our Heartland's Best campaign continued to be overwhelming," continued Keener. "We feel like teachers are the unsung heroes of these students' success. By honoring the efforts of area teachers, our Heartland's Best program has gone full circle in stressing the importance of education as well as highlighting positive aspects of the system."

Click here to see the Heartland's Best Teachers for 2012. 

This is the 25th anniversary of the Heartland's Best campaign on KFVS12.

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Click here to see the 2011 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2010 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2009 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2008 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2007 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2006 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.
Click here to see the 2005 Heartland's Best Valedictorians.