In the months leading up to the British Cemetery ceremony, Ocracoke School’s principal selects four seniors who will participate in the event. Two are ushers who greet guests, assist with seating, and hand out programs. The other two are tasked with reading to the audience during the ceremony. One senior reads the history of HMT Bedfordshire and why there is a British Cemetery on Ocracoke, and the next reads the names and ages of the Royal Navy Patrol Service sailors who were killed when Bedfordshire was sunk.

This year, Principal Walt Padgett selected Stacey O’Neal and Karen Perez to be the ushers, and Carson O’Neal and Dylan Sutton to read during the ceremony. It’s been nice working with the four soon-to-be-high-school-graduates who’ve been practicing their parts and asking questions. They’ve all also displayed positive attitudes, dedication, and have been reliable in regards to meeting and communicating, minus one day of confusion which was 100% my fault. I thought it would be nice for you all to learn a bit about these four young adults since they’re playing such vital roles in a military ceremony.

Carson O’Neal is a native Ocracoker and the son of Sue and Vince O’Neal. The 18-year-old has attended Ocracoke School his entire life and served as Captain to the Varsity basketball and baseballs teams. Carson was accepted into the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and will study Exercise and Sports Science.

17-year-old Stacey O’Neal is a native of Ocracoke and is the only child of Shirley Schoelkopf and Mike O’Neal. Stacey enjoys spending time with her friends, taking photographs, and baking special-order desserts. After graduation, Stacey plans to attend Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania where she will earn a degree in accounting.

Karen Perez has attended Ocracoke since she was in Kindergarten. The 17-year-old is an accomplished long-distance runner and basketball player, and enjoys running, going to the beach, and learning how to improve one’s overall health. This fall, Karen will attend Meredith College where she will earn a degree in Exercise and Sports Management and be a member of the college’s track and cross country team. Karen also wants to work with at-risk children.

Dylan Sutton has been the manager of the basketball team and played baseball for all four years of his high school career. This fall, the 18-year-old will attend North Carolina State University where he will continue to pursue his interests in science and math while earning a degree in Engineering.

The 2017 British Cemetery ceremony will be Friday, May 12th at 11am, with a lunch to follow at the Ocracoke Community Center. A special program is also offered on Saturday, May 13th at Ocracoke Library. Learn about Ocracoke's part in the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1942) from Ret. Commander Tom Cunningham, whose father is one of the four Bedfordshire sailors buried on Ocracoke.