HHS commencement exercises Friday

Hallettsville High School will hold its 2025 Commencement Exercises Friday, May 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Hallettsville Brahmas Memorial Stadium.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the HHS Gymnasium.

One hundred seniors are candidates for graduation and will hear from Dr. Jo Ann Bludau followed by the salutatory and valedictory addresses.

The Rotary Club awards will be presented by Matthew Jirkovsky, a representative of the club.

The graduation ceremony will be livestreamed over the NFHSNetwork.com.

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The Valedictorian of the 2025 HHS graduating class is Brenna Scott. Brenna is the daughter of Teddi and Trevor Scott.

Brenna has been an active member of many organizations including, Senior class president, Student Council (officer and event coordinator), FCCLA (president), Rotary Interact (vice-president), Yearbook (editor in chief ), HBNN (lead anchor and podcast host), Library committee (president), National Honor Society, Quill and Scroll club, Spanish club, and Academic UIL.

Throughout her high school career, Brenna placed first at State FCCLA for Teaching Strategies, and advanced to Nationals this past year. She place sixth in the State UIL Spelling and Vocabulary and third at State in High School Broadcast Anchoring. She, along with Adalyn Pohl created a podcast.

Brenna is the first student from Hallettsville High School to attend an Ivy League university and will attend Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where she will pursue a degree in psychology and neuroscience.

The Salutatorian for the 2025 HHS graduating class is Macey Pustka. Macey is the daughter of Angela and Scott Pustka, and granddaughter of Ronald and Gloria Kostelnik and Bob and Maggie Pustka.

Macey has received highest honors honor roll and maintained a 4.0 GPA through high school, while taking honors and college credit courses.

She has been involved in numerous clubs and community service activities including serving as president and secretary of her class.

Macey is a member of the Rotary Interact (treasurer and reporter), FFA (vice-president and reporter), Green Leaves 4-H Club (chairman, first-vice-chairman and reporter), and Lavaca County 4-H Council (chairman, first vice-chairman and reporter), Student Council, Library Committee, National Honor Society, Academic UIL Calculator and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

She has also participated in multiple of sports throughout high school including volleyball, basketball and softball.

She was a member of the 2022 state champion and the 2024 state semi-finalist softball teams.

Macey received All-District Academic honors all four years and was selected as a first and second team all-district infielder in softball.

Macey also has been very active in the FFA and 4-H the past 10 years and has received the FFA Lone Star Degree as well as the 4-H “I Dare You” National Leadership and Gold Star Awards.

She has advanced to the state level in FFA Skills and Demonstration, Dairy Judging, and Meat Judging.

Macey has participated in the Hallettsville Junior Livestock Show for many years raising both commercial heifers and goats. She won Grand Champion Commercial Heifer exhibitor in 2025 and also competed in the San Antonio and Houston Commercial Steer contests throughout high school.

Macey will be attending Texas A&M University in College Station where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a goal of working in the energy or agricultural fields.

The HHS Honorary Graduate for 2025 is Adalyn Pohl, who is the daughter of Brandon Pohl and Brandi Henke-Pohl.

Through high school, Adalyn has been a member of the Student Council, Library Committee, the Hallettsville Brahma News Network (HBNN), the Brahma Lariat and Rotary Interact.

Adalyn is a three-time state qualifier the UIL Academic Meet and was instrumental in starting the Brahma Lariat, the school newspaper.

She was a Varsity Cup Heart and Desire award recipient in 2024, and was presented the ILPC Individual Achievement Award Editorial Award in 2025.

Adalyn will attend the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia as a member of the school’s Bachelors of Psychological Science Honors program.

She plans to pursue a career in neuropsychology to work in child therapy and Alzheimer’s/dementia research.