Scott Swanson
On a balmy, summer-like Friday evening, the Class of 2013 said good-bye with memories of their experiences at Sweet Home High School, a pep talk from two of their teachers and plenty of tears and laughter.
The 150 graduates – plus one military veteran diploma who dropped out of high school to serve in World War II, heard from the four valedictorians, Samantha Ashlock, Megan Graville, Hailey Hummer and Zane Jackson and five of this year’s six salutatorians, Kendell Anderson, Nicole Bell, Brandon Combs, Brittani Crompton, Sabrina Davis and Kaitlyn Runia.
The graduates and faculty paraded into strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” performed by the high school band. Following an introductory welcome from Kristen Peterson, a member of the Senior Class Board of Directors, and a performance of the national anthem by the Symphonic Choir, Graville and Hummer welcomed the crowd and revisited some of their experiences at Sweet Home Junior High and the high school, taking a few pokes at teachers and other students along the way.
“From the awkward teachers to the achievement award trips, and making new friends, there are so many memories from junior high that it would take forever to cover them,” Graville said.
“High school will probably be one of the best and most memorable times in our lives but there always comes a time when we need to move on,” Hummer said. “Sweet Home has been a great starting place filled with people we love and care about, but we have outgrown it and we are ready to experience new places, whether it be an hour away or 10 hours away. Wherever we end up, we will never forget where it all started.”
Crompton thanked family and friends “for all their support and encouragement,” noting that she was sharing the experience at the podium with “my best friend” Ashlock, who noted that their friendship was a microcosm of their entire class.
“Just as our friendship has grown over the years, our class is one of a kind,” Ashlock said.
“The Class of 2013 is not only known for our athletic abilities and strong work ethic, but also for our tight bond.
“Our class may not be perfect, but the friendships that are intertwined hold us together.”
Jackson offered advice to students still in school: “Get in there, do the work, make the best of it. Doing the work is kind of the easy part. Making the best of it is where things get tough. Get involved in the school, do the things you love while you’re there because you might never get the chance again.”
Davis and Anderson acknowledged that “describing high school in one speech is nearly impossible” since each student’s experience is unique. They noted that, whether school was a positive or negative experience, students learned punctuality, integrity and perseverance.
Perseverence was also a major theme of the commencement address delivered by teachers and coaches Steve Thorpe and Steve Hummer, both of whom had daughters graduating Friday.
It was one of three “P’s of life” that Thorpe told the audience would be necessary to success in life: “poise, perseverance and a plan.”
Hummer told how he and his wife Ladema were leading a group of Josai program exchange students on a trip to Tokyo in 2000, when the plane developed significant problems just after takeoff – one of the Sweet Home students saw one of the engines on fire – and had to dump 30,000 gallons of fuel before it could land at the Portland International Airport.
“I needed poise,” Hummer said. “I smiled. I had confidence. I stayed calm. I had to. In order to get them through this I needed them calm.”
He also told how his father suffered a heart attack “19 years, six months ago tonight” and was expected to die. The family demonstrated poise, he said, as they made “the toughest decision for the toughest loss of our lives.”
Except, Hummer said, the end never came and his father “sits here with us witnessing his granddaughter’s graduation.
“You need poise to survive life’s tough times, you will need it to help each other, be there for each other. Your family, your children, your coworkers will need you to have poise one day to have success. Be there for them. Be calm, courageous and perform under fire.”
Thorpe recounted how, as a college wrestler at Oregon State University, he experienced extreme difficulty in preparing for his first match, which required cutting significant weight.
As he was battling over whether to just call it quits and go back to Sweet Home, a friend from high school who was also at OSU, Jeff Freeman, brought him a banner that contained a poem that encouraged him to stick it out.
“I have wondered many times what would have happened had I not persevered that night or if my friend hadn’t shown up,” Thorpe said. “What do you think would have happened if I quit. What if I would have gotten in my truck and come home?
“I fully believe that had I thrown in the towel that night, I would not be here in front of you, speaking. I would have never been a teacher. I would not have had the opportunity to coach and teach thousands of kids. I would not have the family I have now.”
He also noted that Freeman, who has become a top knife designer since graduating from OSU with a degree in mechanical engineering, got the banner from his brother when he was thinking of quitting.
Hummer quoted longtime Sweet Home business teacher Don Arndt, who used to tell his students, “People don’t plan to fail. They fail to plan.”
“Set a goal and then develop a plan on how you will get there,” Hummer told the students. “Along the way you will get kicked in the teeth. You will have duties and homework and job and family and… and… and… Have poise, do not panic when things go wrong.”
“Quitting cannot be an option. Work, work, work your plan. Refuse to quit.”
In addition to the 150 diplomas handed out by School Board members Jason Redick and Dale Keene, a veteran’s diploma was presented to Tom Hyer, who served in the U.S. Navy from April 1942 to April 1946 and, consequently, did not graduate from Sweet Home Union High School with his class (see related story).
Student Body Manager Taylor Thorpe, who was also Senior Girl of the Year, delivered the closing statement.
Also during the program, the band performed “Air for Band,” featuring seniors Hunter Burge, Michelle Carper, Taylor Dermates, Hannah Kelley, Brandon Ranua, Gavin Redick and David St. Onge, while the Chamber Choir, including graduates Kayla Daniels and Candalyn Johnson, performed “Let It Be.”
The final salutatorian speakers were Runia and Bell, who talked about some of the lessons they’ve learned.
“I’ve learned more about myself than I ever did about chemistry,” Bell said. “I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone and attempted new things I never thought I would. I have learned how to deal with adversity; I have failed many times and still managed to succeed out of all of it – that is what makes you stronger.”
Runia said she’s learned patience and “many lessons, most outside of the classroom.” Among them, “I’ve learned that a few great friends are better than a lot of mediocre ones,” she said. “I’ve learned to be nice to everyone, especially those who make it hard to be nice to them.”
“Lastly, I’ve learned that your life is what you make of it and not to let anyone drag you down. Use the negatives as motivation, not as excuses.”