Air Force-bound Trent Bierman is first CHS graduate

The full Chester High School commencement has been postponed to August, but the U.S. Air Force can't wait that long for graduating Yellow Jacket Trent Bierman.

Bierman is scheduled to report to the Air Force on July 7, and Chester High School held a special commencement ceremony on Friday for him alone.

By the time the rest of the Class of 2020 holds commencement, Bierman expects to be well into basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He enlisted in 2019, and his eventual assignment with the Air Force will involve medical materials.

"I am excited and ready to report to Lackland, but my recruiter said that if the coronavirus causes an overflow of inductees, some of us may have to report to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi," Bierman explained. "Either way, I'll miss my graduation at CHS."

CHS Principal Missy Meyer offered to set up the early ceremony.

"Trent is a great young man," said Meyer. "I wanted to make sure he received his diploma before he reports to serve his country, so we arranged for him and his family to come to the school office for a brief ceremony and receive his diploma."

The presentation took place at 2 p.m. Friday, June 26, with Bierman, his father John Bierman, stepmother Cassie Bierman, and little brother Aaron Bierman. John and Cassie Bierman say they are very proud of Trent, and they look forward to watching him grow and mature as a member of the Air Force.

Meyer and Assistant Principal Jeremy Blechle made the presentation.

Bierman was an outstanding athlete and excellent student at CHS. He ran cross country and track, and was the boy's Most Outstanding Player in cross-country last fall. He would have been one of Chester's top track runners this spring, if the season hadn't been canceled by the pandemic.

Officials say Bierman was also an excellent student who was regularly on the Honor Rolls, and was well-liked by teachers, staff and fellow students.

Bierman added he is "quite a gamer" and enjoyed playing tabletop games with fellow students and friends.