Moments and milestones
It is an honor to stand in front of you all here today as part of the Graduating Class of 2022. And to my fellow classmates, today is the day. This is the moment we have been waiting for, for quite some time now. Everyone tells you that once you get into high school, time flies, and before you know it you’re at the end of your senior year. Standing here now, I realize that they were right. We made many memories over the past thirteen years. There are moments I can remember like they were yesterday. And many I know I will never forget.
But like any group of people, we had our challenges. However, we showed up for each other when it really mattered. Our high school experiences have been interesting, to say the least. I think the most obvious obstacle we faced was the Covid-19 Pandemic that started the spring of our sophomore year. We lost a lot that year, and even in the time following things were not the same as we once knew them. In hindsight, there were many good moments to come from that, even though it didn’t seem like it at the time. We learned to not take things for granted and to make the most of the time we are given.
As we face this milestone, I can’t help but think about those other “big” moments in our lives. When we were in elementary school, you were a big shot if you got to be the hall monitor for a day. There was nothing more rewarding than telling your friends who were talking to be quiet or allow someone in the line to stop next to you while they tied their shoe. In such a small role, you felt a great responsibility. Another great job was the teacher’s helper. It was a proud moment to be able to help with the jobs in the classroom. You were a “big deal.”
The transition between elementary and middle school was also quite the experience. The first battle that we faced was trying to open our lockers. It was a daily battle for some, and for others, it continued to the final days of this year. In middle school, we started to learn more about who we were and how we fit in with the world around us. We began to find out what we enjoyed doing. As we came into high school, we all gravitated towards something- leadership roles, music, art, plays and performing, sports, clubs, and more. Then, you knew things were getting serious as we all started to get our driver’s license. It seemed as though every few weeks a couple more of us would come rollin’ in with our car or truck. And in no time at all, we were taking the ACT. That was an experience that we all were glad to have behind us as we watched this year’s junior class disappear for those long hours in back in March.
I think it’s safe to say that we have come a long way since freshman year. And now today- graduation. It is exciting to think about all that we have ahead of us. Some of us will leave this small town and go on to college, start a new job, or even travel. Some of us will stay here, continue to be part of this community, and figure out what’s next.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all for this stage of life. There is so much more to come, and it isn’t going to look the same for everyone. It’s exciting to think of all the other possible milestones ahead of us. To my fellow classmates, I would like to congratulate you on achieving this big milestone.
I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors, wherever they may lead. Thank you!
— Kylee Goodrich-Valedictorian
