Crowds of families and friends cheered as 129 newly minted Sweet Home High School graduates turned their tassels and flung them skyward at a graduation ceremony Friday evening, June 9, at Husky Field.
The four class valedictorians each took turns addressing their peers one last time in commencement speeches.
“I hope the class of 2023 leaves high school and is happy,” Brooke Burke said. “Whether you are going to college, working or anything else, I hope we all choose happiness.”
Amadia Newcomer advised classmates to “be thankful for the people in your life. Then remember the people you are thankful for and aspire to be someone that they’re thankful for.”
“It’s the experiences we’ve had and the teachers that picked us up every time we fell down that created a place for us to learn and grow,” Evan Towry said.
Zoey Erevia struck a memorable note of gratitude, quoting Pitbull and Ne-Yo’s 2014 hit, “Time of Our Lives”: “Been there, done that. And every day above ground is a great day. Remember that.”
She wasn’t the only one to offer a lyric or two. The ceremony also featured Tristan Nichols, father of 2023 graduate Brady Nichols, and Sweet Home High School language-arts teacher Cy Maughmer, who performed a rendition of Drake White’s 2018 song “The Coast Is Clear.”
The class of 2023’s motto found inspiration in the words of late, legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: “Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.” Its official flower was a carnation, while its color was purple.
Keynote speaker Michelle Snyder gave outgoing students a resonant message in the digital age, imploring them to look away from screens to take in life.
“Whatever you do after you leave here, put your phone away,” the Sweet Home High School science teacher said. “Talk to people. We can learn so much from those around us. Interact with one another in a personal way. The world is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. Experience it. And not from behind a screen, and do it without a soundtrack blaring in your ears.”
“Social media is a lie,” she continued. “People post pictures of their vacations, but they don’t post the pictures of the extra shifts at their job that they had to work to afford it, or the second job that they took so that they could afford that vacation. Don’t measure your successes or failures based on what you see on other people’s social media. Nothing comes easy, no matter what the picture looks like that people are posting.”
“Expect more of yourself and work hard to get what you want,” she advised. “Don’t quit if it gets hard. Work harder. You will fall down. Rise up. If you need help, ask. People see asking for help as a weakness. I’m here to tell you it’s a strength. And finally, own it. This is your life. There will be mistakes. Own them. There will be successes. Own those too.”
“Here you all are – through ups, through downs, through good times, through tough times – and you lasted to the finish,” she concluded. “You have learned that tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”
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