~from the Sturgis News
Kassie Wesley DePaiva was inducted into the Union County Public Schools Wall of Fame Tuesday morning, joining Freddie Cowan, Brenda Cowan and Mallory Ervin in this prestigious group.
In addition to the Union County High student body, dozens of DePaiva’s former classmates, family, friends and educators were on hand for the ceremony, and while her mentor Judy Woodring spoke, it was DePaiva herself who likely left a lasting impact on the student body. The soap star who was on Guiding Light from 1986 to 1991 and then joined the cast of One Life to Live from 1993 until the show went off the air, brought a down to earth perspective of her life to the program.
In her remarks Woodring, DePaiva’s mentor and former drama/speech teacher, recalled not the woman who has earned a named in television soap operas and in the music industry and who is also a talented musician and artist; rather, she recalled a teenage DePaiva. Woodring noted that DePaiva is a true celebrity to millions of fans, but “she was also a normal teenager who had talent well beyond the normal, and she had a little something special.” The former UCHS teacher recalled a young girl who “stole the show” in a one act play in which she had no speaking role--she was simply the face in the knot hole of a tree--but, Woodring said most of the comments following the play were about DePaiva’s performance.
“It took a lot of dedication and satisfaction to be part of the school’s drama and speech program. Students spent Saturdays performing and traveling across the country from competition to competition,” but DePaiva persevered in an activity that often had her earning awards and accolades.
As a senior, she was named Union County’s Junior Miss, and Woodring recalled her talent performance in that program as one that awed the audience.
While DePaiva has earned success in the acting and music industries, Woodring says she did so with “a practical, self-reliant and can do attitude. She wasn’t an outstanding student, but she was a solid A/B student who learned at an early age the importance of communication. She has always been tenacious, fearless and willing to work.” It is those attributes that helped propel DePaiva to the sets in New York and to the recording studios where she produced three albums.
Woodring continued, “Success requires training, discipline, hard work and a little something extra. Kassie is one person I know who has never let success or failure define who she is. She is successful because she has prioritized what is important in life. She defined her goals at age 17 or 18, and sometimes she grew weary, but you prevailed and that is why you are here today,” Woodring told DePaiva.
“I truly don’t feel worthy of this,” DePaiva noted in response to Woodring’s remarks. “I am truly honored to be here, but I have just lived my life.”
DePaiva recognized the Union County High School teachers and told the student body, “Know that these people, these individuals, want you to be successful and to be the best you can be.” She also praised Woodring for the impact her former teacher had on her life.
As a teenager, “I didn’t always make great judgment calls and I wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer,” DePaiva noted, “but I did want to make a difference and that placed me in a leadership role.”
Offering words of encouragement to the students, she added, “You can make a difference. The big question isn’t what are you going to do, but who are you going to be?” She added, “The biggest joy in my life is being engaged in life. I am passionate about life. Because I am on television (people call me) a star, but what made me happy was being engaged.”
The 1979 UCHS graduate urged students, “Do your work, show up, be present.”
Following her remarks, DePaiva sang “Remember Hope,” a song she co-wrote for her role on a soap opera, but never got to sing on the program because the series was cancelled.
UCPS public relations director Malinda Beauchamp and DePaiva unveiled the shadow box that will hang in the halls of UCHS. That box contains pictures of DePaiva as the county’s Junior Miss, copies of her three CD’s, a pictures of her with George Burns and her first cover photo from Soap Opera Digest as well as an acting award she won.
Following the unveiling, DePaiva told the student body that she had brought each student a copy of one of her CDs, but as they left the auditorium, she reminded them that she is from Union County, and “I am proud of my roots.”
Kassie DePaiva is the daughter of Quentin and Hildegard Wesley who reside in Morganfield.
In addition to the Union County High student body, dozens of DePaiva’s former classmates, family, friends and educators were on hand for the ceremony, and while her mentor Judy Woodring spoke, it was DePaiva herself who likely left a lasting impact on the student body. The soap star who was on Guiding Light from 1986 to 1991 and then joined the cast of One Life to Live from 1993 until the show went off the air, brought a down to earth perspective of her life to the program.
In her remarks Woodring, DePaiva’s mentor and former drama/speech teacher, recalled not the woman who has earned a named in television soap operas and in the music industry and who is also a talented musician and artist; rather, she recalled a teenage DePaiva. Woodring noted that DePaiva is a true celebrity to millions of fans, but “she was also a normal teenager who had talent well beyond the normal, and she had a little something special.” The former UCHS teacher recalled a young girl who “stole the show” in a one act play in which she had no speaking role--she was simply the face in the knot hole of a tree--but, Woodring said most of the comments following the play were about DePaiva’s performance.
“It took a lot of dedication and satisfaction to be part of the school’s drama and speech program. Students spent Saturdays performing and traveling across the country from competition to competition,” but DePaiva persevered in an activity that often had her earning awards and accolades.
As a senior, she was named Union County’s Junior Miss, and Woodring recalled her talent performance in that program as one that awed the audience.
While DePaiva has earned success in the acting and music industries, Woodring says she did so with “a practical, self-reliant and can do attitude. She wasn’t an outstanding student, but she was a solid A/B student who learned at an early age the importance of communication. She has always been tenacious, fearless and willing to work.” It is those attributes that helped propel DePaiva to the sets in New York and to the recording studios where she produced three albums.
Woodring continued, “Success requires training, discipline, hard work and a little something extra. Kassie is one person I know who has never let success or failure define who she is. She is successful because she has prioritized what is important in life. She defined her goals at age 17 or 18, and sometimes she grew weary, but you prevailed and that is why you are here today,” Woodring told DePaiva.
“I truly don’t feel worthy of this,” DePaiva noted in response to Woodring’s remarks. “I am truly honored to be here, but I have just lived my life.”
DePaiva recognized the Union County High School teachers and told the student body, “Know that these people, these individuals, want you to be successful and to be the best you can be.” She also praised Woodring for the impact her former teacher had on her life.
As a teenager, “I didn’t always make great judgment calls and I wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer,” DePaiva noted, “but I did want to make a difference and that placed me in a leadership role.”
Offering words of encouragement to the students, she added, “You can make a difference. The big question isn’t what are you going to do, but who are you going to be?” She added, “The biggest joy in my life is being engaged in life. I am passionate about life. Because I am on television (people call me) a star, but what made me happy was being engaged.”
The 1979 UCHS graduate urged students, “Do your work, show up, be present.”
Following her remarks, DePaiva sang “Remember Hope,” a song she co-wrote for her role on a soap opera, but never got to sing on the program because the series was cancelled.
UCPS public relations director Malinda Beauchamp and DePaiva unveiled the shadow box that will hang in the halls of UCHS. That box contains pictures of DePaiva as the county’s Junior Miss, copies of her three CD’s, a pictures of her with George Burns and her first cover photo from Soap Opera Digest as well as an acting award she won.
Following the unveiling, DePaiva told the student body that she had brought each student a copy of one of her CDs, but as they left the auditorium, she reminded them that she is from Union County, and “I am proud of my roots.”
Kassie DePaiva is the daughter of Quentin and Hildegard Wesley who reside in Morganfield.