Graduation different in midst of pandemic

CHANCE BOELTER

Valedictorian

Family, friends, faculty and staff, welcome to the commencement ceremony for the graduating class of 2020. Thank you to those that were able to make it today, and I am so sorry to those that aren't able to join us under these special circumstances.

Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in time of challenge and controversy."

This could not be more true in the times we are living in. I never thought we would be graduating in the middle of a global pandemic, but here we are, sitting feet away from one another when we are used to our tight-knit group and our day-to-day shenanigans. I also never thought we would be graduating in June.

Even though our big year isn't finishing out how we had planned, I know we are onto greener paths. Nevertheless, the camaraderie and the closeness are what makes this special. How many people can say they have graduated with just six guys in their class?

I am beyond humbled to be able to speak to you all today and share the excitement of our accomplishments. Lastly, to my classmates, through it all, we have and will surpass it all. Have faith in yourselves and never give up. I wish you all the best of luck.

Milestone accomplished

GAGE CLIFTON

Salutatorian

Good afternoon, everyone.

First, I would like to thank you all for coming today. You have all had a major impact on the students graduating today.

Well, we did it. We accomplished one of the major milestones of our lives ... high school graduation. We didn't know if it was going to happen or not, but here we are. We have all worked hard to get to this day.

Today means something different to each of us. All of us are looking forward to our futures. Whether we go to college or begin a career, we will all be successful in our own way. I could stand up here all day and talk about my amazing teachers, awesome friendships and unforgettable memories, but I'll end with my biggest accomplishment of high school: being the only student in my class to not get an in-school suspension.