Where are they now? | Local News

As a multi-sport athlete, Kirkham played golf, basketball and volleyball. She received volleyball recognition as an All-Conference honorable mention her junior year and earned both All-Conference and All-State honors her senior year. After high school, Kirkham attended Lamar Community College on a scholarship. Impressively, she was ranked fifth in the nation for hitting percentage her freshman year and All-Conferenced her sophomore year.

Once Kirkham completed her Associates of Science degree, she then attended Brevard College in North Carolina where she was a Tri Betta member as well as a biology teaching assistant. Her experience as a TA helped her realize her excitement for teaching. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Health Science from Brevard in 2016. Following college graduation, Kirkham moved to Colorado where she worked as a certified nursing assistant and a qualified medication administration personnel.

To refine and continue her career, Kirkham returned to Sheridan to train, work and to obtain her Wyoming CNA license. At that time, her past high school coach encouraged her to apply for a volleyball coach position at SHS. Kirkham just completed her fifth year as the SHS sophomore volleyball coach, and coaching has now become one of her passions.

In 2021 Kirkham obtained her associate degree in nursing and then earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Wyoming in 2022. She recently accepted a position in the medical-surgical unit at Sheridan Memorial Hospital.

In her free time, Kirkham enjoys hiking (especially with her dogs Terk and Kala), reading, golf and doing small craft projects such as wood burning. She has recently tackled larger projects, which include designing and rebuilding her camper. She continues to participate in recreational volleyball, basketball and softball. Kirkham also enjoys visiting family in Las Vegas and vacationing in Mexico.

2017 Sheridan High School graduate and previous Summit Award winner, Zachary Gale, was very involved throughout high school. He participated in several different programs including orchestra, football and We the People.

As a member of the SHS symphony orchestra, Gale was selected for the All-State Orchestra four years in a row.

He played varsity football all four years of high school. Gale was a starter on the offensive and defensive lines in 2015 and 2016 and helped the Broncs win back-to-back 4A state championship titles. 

Gale was recognized as an All-State and All-Conference player both years. He also contributed to the 2015 We the People state championship and went on to compete at the national level in Washington, D.C.

Before his graduation in the spring of 2017, Gale began the lengthy process for the Wyoming Congressional Award, earning his bronze medal. He would go on to be awarded the silver and gold medals for his commitment to volunteer service, personal development and physical fitness while attending college.

Gale was awarded a full-tuition Daniels Fund Scholarship and chose to attend Montana State University in Bozeman. He studied secondary education while specializing in social studies. 

In his final semester at Montana State, Gale completed his student teaching at Sheridan Junior High School where he was offered a position as a social studies teacher upon his graduation from MSU in 2021.

Currently in his second year of teaching U.S. history at SJHS, Gale also coaches football and volunteers with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is now in the process of completing his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Western Governor’s University and plans to graduate in the spring of 2023.

Gale has achieved his goal to return his hometown and teach alongside the people who inspired him to enter the field of education. In his free time, Gale enjoys fly-fishing in the Bighorn Mountains and playing music in a band that includes his brother and their friends.