Graduates hope to change the future

Lauren Statton, valedictorian. photo by Peggy Chesser Seated under the class motto, "Nothing we do can change the past; everything we do changes the future," the graduating class of 2004 looked poised to take on the world at Sisters High School's 56th commencement ceremony held Thursday, June 10, at the high school gymnasium.

About 90 minutes after it started, following speeches, a song and a special video, each graduate, diploma in hand, walked out of the gym and into the next stage of life.

The evening began with a brief welcome by principal Bob Macauley who went on to remind the seniors about lessons from "The Velveteen Rabbit" about what it is to be real and to have true lasting friendships.

"'Does it hurt?'" asked the Rabbit.

"'Sometimes,'" said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'"

Class president Nathan Teeny complimented his classmates as "talented and amazing" before presenting the senior class gift to the school. The class of 2004 will have a bench installed in front of the school with a stepping stone engraved with the class motto.

"It is our hope that classes in the future can add a stone with their class mottoes in the years to come," he said.

Graduates perform their original class song. photo by Peggy Chesser

A group of a dozen graduates proceeded to center stage to perform the class song, which was a collaborative original song led by Kerani Mitchell and Nick Berrey called "From Here to There." The song focused on moving on.

"We're moving up, we're moving on/Times are changing, it won't be long/So good-bye my friends/I'll see you again/Someday."

Salutatorian David King addressed the crowd next and shared some lessons he learned from his father and other men about being a man of character. He quoted John Luther who said, "Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece... thought by thought... choice by choice... with courage and determination."

Lauren Statton spoke first among the four valedictorians, all of whom maintained 4.0 grade point averages throughout high school. Her poetic speech included thanks to the parents, teachers, and other adults who provided support and encouragement over the years.

Randall McMillan implored his classmates to not dwell on the past and quoted from a proverb from the bushmen of the Kalahari desert.

"'Do not look back so that you may not come to remain utterly in your past.'" He suggested to his class to consider the journey, not the destination, as what is important.

Like Statton, Jason Pederson chose to present his speech in the form of an original poem. He provoked laughter with humorous anecdotes about teachers and classmates, but also conveyed thanks and appreciation for the talents and friendships of his classmates.

"Hold fast to the knowledge and wisdom we have gained/For they will help us reach even higher goals than we have already attained."

Andie Lesowske concluded the evening's speeches with an upbeat challenge to be true to oneself.

Students thanked the mother figures in their lives with the traditional presentation of flowers, and then everyone enjoyed a trip down memory lane with a slide show of baby pictures juxtaposed with senior portraits.

The evening culminated with the call of names for each of the 98 seniors and then amid the shouts of joy and flying mortarboards, Principal Macauley presented the graduating class of 2004.