CRESTVIEW — Crestview High School senior Dalton Banach thought he was receiving only an Outstanding Student certificate at the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 31, but he got a bigger surprise.
Gulf Power employee Shaun Gunter also presented him with the Earnest Student Award scholarship, which included a trophy he made, $500 worth of electrical hand tools, an equal amount of spending money and an opportunity for a position as an electrical apprentice.
“It’s an honor receiving this scholarship,” said Banach, tearing up during the presentation. “I was in Mr. Cawthon’s class in my freshman and part of my sophomore years. He also taught my brother and impacted both of us. This is truly a nice way to begin my education and career. I will be forever thankful to Mr. Cawthon, Mr. (Joseph) Crain and Shaun for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.”
Gunter’s gesture was a way of keeping the legacy of one of his favorite CHS teachers alive. Ronnie Ernest Cawthon was the Electrical Wiring instructor from 1989 until he died from cancer in 2014.
Cawthon had a reputation for helping students, whether it was buying them steel-toed boots they needed to attend his class or giving one young man the white shirt off his back so he could have his senior portrait made.
When Gunter graduated in 2003, Cawthon presented him the Outstanding Student Award, and with his own money, he provided Gunter a full set of hand tools and a membership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. That paved the way to Gunter’s career in the solar energy field, which landed him at Gulf Power in July 2015.
That’s why Gunter created the Earnest Student Award, which defines the character trait of the recipient using a play on Cawthon’s name. The award recognizes a graduating student enrolled in the electrical wiring program who has demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship and who has dedicated his or her self wholeheartedly to the electrical trade.
Crain, who took over Cawthon’s teaching position, nominated Banach for the award.
“We have students who are hardworking kids,” said Crain. “Dalton has heart, and I got letters from his other teachers and coaches, and every one of them talked about how hard he works. That’s the trait Shaun was looking for.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview High student awarded scholarship that commemorates influential teacher