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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2009)
12 july 2009 VERNONIA HIGH SCHOOL class of 2009 The grandstands were packed, the local paparazzi was there, the rain stayed at bay, and one by one, the graduating seniors dropped marbles, into the hand of principal Nate Underwood... Thanks to you all for coming on this glorious day! Thanks to the parents, family, friends and community for being here to support us on this day of our graduation. You have been a major help in getting us to this day and we couldn’t have done it so gracefully without you. We are here today not just because we are graduating but also because we are celebrating the closing of a chapter in our lives. As we walk across the stage and do the ‘take and shake’ we will be passing from the ending of one part of our lives to the exciting beginning and possibilities of another. I like to think that everyone is interconnected in some way shape or form and since we are such a small class, school and community we have all been a part of each other’s lives in a big way. Looking back through the years, there are times when many of us were BFF with someone different than we are now: Cody, Tim and Eric, way back in the day; Byron, Caleb and Blake were also inseparable; Kahli and I were like ‘this’. Even though we aren’t BFF now, we can’t grow apart com- pletely because of those memories we share and the fact that we see each other almost every day. There are so many memories that this school holds for us all, wild games of chase and tag, our first BF’s/GF’s, thrilling basketball and football games and awesome Air Jams. Cheering like crazy when we won the Golden Axe (twice in a row) and all pretty devastated after the flood. We’ve learned lessons together that are invaluable, like to never take anything for granted. We all know now that gym floors, lockers and not having to experience the weather every time we change classes are true luxuries. However, most important- ly, we’ve learned, I hope, that we can handle anything that life throws our way. I know that maybe some of us are apprehensive about how to find our places in the world because we’re leaving all that is familiar. But I also know that we can handle it, come through with flying colors and all be happy, successful people at our 10 year reunion because of everything we have managed to learn from each other during these crazy years that we’ve all been together. So as I bid you all farewell I have the need to say, “May the force be with you,’” “Live long and prosper,” but always remember that “Tomorrow is another day.” -Samantha Lee, Co-Valedictorian CLASS MOTTO: “We were given an inch; we took a mile. That’s how we got so far.”