Cook County High School Class of 2015 graduates were all smiles as they left commencement exercises on Saturday, May 30. As Zack Anderson (left) and Rusty Day exited, Zack gave a celebratory wave—diploma in hand! See more of the CCHS graduation ceremony on page B5.
The motto of the Cook County High School Class of 2015 is Never forget who you are and where you came from. The thought was repeated a number of times during commencement exercises on Saturday, May 30, 2015.
As the Cook County Band played the traditional Pomp and Circumstances, the graduates entered solemnly. Principal Adam Nelson welcomed them and said he had a hard time coming up with what he would say to the graduates—until he realized he should look at the event program.
There, along with the lovely artwork by Ava McMillan and Brenna Hay, was the class motto, which Nelson said made him think of his family and where he had come from.
Nelson noted that life is only going to get busier and he urged the members of the Class of 2015 to get to know their parents; to be nice to their siblings. They are the ones who will always be there for you, said Nelson, adding, “Never forget who you are and where you came from.”
The band, with the senior band members playing with them for the last time, performed the thunderous music of The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings.
Student speeches followed, with valedictorian Andrew Thompson telling his classmates that graduation was the day for which they had waited for 4,272 days. Thompson noted that when they began school they never imagined what they would discover. “Especially in school lunches,” he joked.
He noted that 24 hours at a time, the years passed away. He said, “As you anticipated this day, find a new day to anticipate. If you know a day, or possibly a job title, that you want to hold in the coming years, what you need to attain it will become clear. When fixed upon a new day, you will have the knowledge to bring yourself to it,” he said.
Salutatorian Melanie Stoddard, recovering from knee surgery, went to the podium on a crutch, but spoke loudly and clearly. She noted that she was one of the speakers because of her grade point average, but she asserted that the graduation speech could just have easily been given by any one of her classmates. She shared some of the wonderful things members of the Class of 2015 have done or aspire to do and said there is no way she could speak for all of them.
Stoddard said, “There are only 26 letters in the English language. Every text book we’ve read; every essay we wrote was just a different combination of the same 26 letters.
“That fact is pretty cool in itself, but then you look up here and see the potential in each and every one of us—and we do number more than just 26—it’s hard not to imagine the possibilities. We’ve worked together within our class and our school to create some really great things,” she said listing sports teams, band ensembles, theater and more.
“Different combinations of the same people created those things,” Stoddard said. “Now we head off into the world to combine with 7 billion other people – the possibilities really are endless.”
After the student speeches, seniors Ashley Berglund and Danielle Hansen sang Never Alone, a beautiful song again reinforcing the class motto.
Language Arts Instructor Michael McHugh started his commencement speech with a big cheer for the Class of 2015. He thanked everyone in the audience for what they had done to help get the graduates to this point. He suggested the Class of 2015 give a round of applause for all who have supported them through the years. The graduates did so, clapping and smiling at friends and family.
McHugh said he was honored to be invited to be the commencement speaker. However, he wondered why, so he asked. He said a senior answered that it was because he is loud. As laughter filled the gym, McHugh said she had added, “And we won’t be bored.”
McHugh was anything but boring as he spoke, also touching on the class motto. There was some laughter and a touch of tears. He summed up his speech to “this wonderful collection of human beings” by saying, “I can give you no better advice than be yourself.”
The high school choir— again with the seniors for the last time—sang The Road Not Taken, followed by the senior slide show. There were cheers and more tears as images of the graduates through the years flashed on the giant screen.
It was time then to award diplomas with English Teacher Ivy Church calling graduates forward. Superintendent Beth Schwarz, Principal Nelson, School Board Chair Jeanne Anderson, Grand Portage Tribal Councilman John Morrin, teachers Mitch Dorr and Kathryn Ramberg and Counselor Kris Hoffman presented diplomas and gave handshakes and hugs.
When all the diplomas had been presented, Principal Nelson gave a final instruction to students. He told the graduates to move their tassels from the left to the right. They did, and then as Nelson affirmed that they were done, mortarboard caps were tossed into the air.
The band played the traditional recessional and graduates headed out, no longer solemn, but grinning and laughing, ready to face the world—but sure to remember where they came from.
To watch the commencement exercises of the Cook County High School Class of 2015, visit Cook County Schools – ISD 166 on YouTube
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