If teachers at Straughn gave out gold stars for perfect attendance, Tyler Yelverton would have 13 of them — one for each year of school from kindergarten to the 12th grade.

Yelverton, who is the son of Steve and Sherrie Yelverton and graduated from Straughn last night, did not miss a single day of school — ever.

“I guess I’d have to say it was because I was never seriously sick,” Yelverton said. “I never liked playing catch up, so that was another reason I never missed a day. Of course with my mom, it was either you were deathly sick or you were going to school.”

Yelverton’s dad, Steve, said there were many times when his wife tried to get their son to stay home from school.

“All kids get sick sometime or another,” he said. “Sherrie tried to get him to not go, but Tyler — he’s a guy who follows the rules. At the (sports) banquet, Coach (Trent) Taylor described Tyler as ‘committed.’ And Tyler is. He always has been committed to what ever he set his mind to.

“(For him) to be healthy that long, the Lord blessed him,” he said.

During high school, Yelverton was a member of the varsity baseball and football team, the Spanish Club and the Honor Club, as well as included in Who’s Who Among High School Students, a Boys State delegate and a lifelong member of Bethany Baptist Church.

At this year’s award’s day, the A-and-B student’s perfect attendance record earned him a $100 bill from principal Shannon Driver. Yelverton said he could only remember twice in his life when he was “really, really sick.”

“Once when I was in the fifth grade, I got sick at school,” he said. “Mrs. (Jan) Kinsaul said I had been doing so good in keeping up my attendance. So, she just let me sleep at my desk.

“The other time was in the fourth grade,” he said. “I ate something in the lunchroom that made me sick, but I made it through to the end of the day.”

While it was a little early for Yelverton to consider if he was going to keep the streak running through college, he did say he’s excited to be continuing his education. He plans to attend Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in the fall on a baseball scholarship.

His goal is to become a veterinarian, and this summer he will work at Dr. Toby Atkinson’s office.