Class of 2020
Mr. Kehly Roberts, a member of the North Wilkes class of 2003, was a stand-out student and athlete during his time as a Viking. Mr. Roberts was a member of the football, baseball, and wrestling teams here at North. Mr. Roberts was a four-time all-conference, three-time all-region, and two-time state champion while a member of the Vikings’ wrestling squad, winning titles in 2002 and 2003. Mr. Roberts was also an Academic All-State wrestler, and a finalist for the Wendy’s Heisman award. Mr. Roberts also made the all-conference team in both football and baseball, and was a member of the school’s Academic Beta Club. After graduating with honors from North Wilkes, Mr. Roberts attended Appalachian State University, where he studied Graphics Arts and Imaging Technology, graduating from Appalachian with a Bachelor of Science degree. Mr. Roberts currently serves as an online order management specialist for Lowe’s Companies. In his spare time, Mr. Roberts has served as a head coach and organizer for the Atlas Wrestling Club, and as a baseball coach for a local youth recreational league.
Mr. Mark Shumate has been a student, athlete, coach, and educator at North Wilkes High School since first coming into the school as a freshman in 1971. As an athlete, Mr. Shumate was three-year varsity football player, a two-year varsity basketball player, and a four-year varsity baseball player. His athletic accolades include being named a member of the All-Conference team as a senior in basketball and football and as a junior and senior in baseball, and he was a member of the All-Tournament basketball squad as a senior. Mr. Shumate also won the Viking Award in 1975. Mr. Shumate was a member of the 1972 conference champion football team, the 1974 conference champion baseball team, and the 1975 conference champion basketball team. Mr. Shumate was also the Vice-President of both the Student Council and the Senior Class as a student. As a coach, Mr. Shumate has been the head coach of the boys’ varsity and J.V. basketball teams and the softball team, and currently serves as an assistant for both varsity football, a position he’s held since 2006, and varsity boys’ basketball and as head coach of the golf team. Mr. Shumate is currently employed by Wilkes County Schools at North Wilkes as the lead instructor of the school’s ISS program.
Mr. Larry G. Thompson first joined the North Wilkes Athletic Booster Club in 1978, making Mr. Thompson a dedicated supporter of North Wilkes athletics for the past 41 years. Mr. Thompson served as both vice-president and, on two separate occasions, president of the school’s booster club. Among Mr. Thompson’s many contributions to the Booster Club over the years, he was instrumental in the development of both the new Thompson Station concession stand located near the school’s football field at Raner Wiles Stadium and the Thompson Memorial Wall located on the bank overlooking the football field. These beautiful additions to the campus were named for Mr. Thompson’s son, Chris, a North Wilkes graduate and Navy corpsman killed during a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. Mr. Thompson also helped establish the Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament, an annual tourney that helped to pay off the cost of the Memorial Wall in 2018. Funds from the golf tournament now go to maintenance costs and to a scholarship fund for North Wilkes graduates. Mr. Thompson is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 1142, the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 33, and the Viking Crew.
Mrs. Angela M. Vandett taught English at North Wilkes High School for 16 years. She also served as a statistician for both the J.V. and varsity football teams and the girls’ varsity basketball team. Mrs. Vandett was an English teacher for 32 years, including stops at South Granville High School, West Wilkes High School, and Hickory High School. Among Mrs. Vandett’s many honors in her illustrious educational career, she was the recipient of the North Wilkes Teacher of the Year award, the Hickory High School Teacher of the Year award, the North Wilkes High School Technology Teacher of the Year award, and served as a North Carolina National Beta Club State Sponsor. Mrs. Vandett has been a member of many educational organizations, including NCAE, the NEA, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, and the Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization for Women Educators. Mrs. Vandett has contributed to various service organizations as well, including Meals on Wheels and as a member of both the Patrick Beaver Learning Center Board and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of St. Luke’s Methodist Child Development Center. Mrs. Vandett also taught at Appalachian State University and as the Director of Teacher Education at Lenoir-Rhyne University for five years.
Mr. Mark Shumate has been a student, athlete, coach, and educator at North Wilkes High School since first coming into the school as a freshman in 1971. As an athlete, Mr. Shumate was three-year varsity football player, a two-year varsity basketball player, and a four-year varsity baseball player. His athletic accolades include being named a member of the All-Conference team as a senior in basketball and football and as a junior and senior in baseball, and he was a member of the All-Tournament basketball squad as a senior. Mr. Shumate also won the Viking Award in 1975. Mr. Shumate was a member of the 1972 conference champion football team, the 1974 conference champion baseball team, and the 1975 conference champion basketball team. Mr. Shumate was also the Vice-President of both the Student Council and the Senior Class as a student. As a coach, Mr. Shumate has been the head coach of the boys’ varsity and J.V. basketball teams and the softball team, and currently serves as an assistant for both varsity football, a position he’s held since 2006, and varsity boys’ basketball and as head coach of the golf team. Mr. Shumate is currently employed by Wilkes County Schools at North Wilkes as the lead instructor of the school’s ISS program.
Mr. Larry G. Thompson first joined the North Wilkes Athletic Booster Club in 1978, making Mr. Thompson a dedicated supporter of North Wilkes athletics for the past 41 years. Mr. Thompson served as both vice-president and, on two separate occasions, president of the school’s booster club. Among Mr. Thompson’s many contributions to the Booster Club over the years, he was instrumental in the development of both the new Thompson Station concession stand located near the school’s football field at Raner Wiles Stadium and the Thompson Memorial Wall located on the bank overlooking the football field. These beautiful additions to the campus were named for Mr. Thompson’s son, Chris, a North Wilkes graduate and Navy corpsman killed during a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. Mr. Thompson also helped establish the Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament, an annual tourney that helped to pay off the cost of the Memorial Wall in 2018. Funds from the golf tournament now go to maintenance costs and to a scholarship fund for North Wilkes graduates. Mr. Thompson is also a member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 1142, the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 33, and the Viking Crew.
Mrs. Angela M. Vandett taught English at North Wilkes High School for 16 years. She also served as a statistician for both the J.V. and varsity football teams and the girls’ varsity basketball team. Mrs. Vandett was an English teacher for 32 years, including stops at South Granville High School, West Wilkes High School, and Hickory High School. Among Mrs. Vandett’s many honors in her illustrious educational career, she was the recipient of the North Wilkes Teacher of the Year award, the Hickory High School Teacher of the Year award, the North Wilkes High School Technology Teacher of the Year award, and served as a North Carolina National Beta Club State Sponsor. Mrs. Vandett has been a member of many educational organizations, including NCAE, the NEA, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, and the Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Organization for Women Educators. Mrs. Vandett has contributed to various service organizations as well, including Meals on Wheels and as a member of both the Patrick Beaver Learning Center Board and as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of St. Luke’s Methodist Child Development Center. Mrs. Vandett also taught at Appalachian State University and as the Director of Teacher Education at Lenoir-Rhyne University for five years.