Zach Larke
Abram Martin
Abby McGuire
Maris Meelimae
Savannah Norman
Emily Obenauf
Jacob Pasko
Cierra Premo
Kylie Scott
Kendra Stefan
Isaiah Thompson
Laura Tonnung
Jade VanPelt
Jenna Watson
Tyler Wolf
Radek Zikmund
Farewell
I wanted to start off by saying thank you
to everyone who’s come before me to speak
today. It’s not easy to come up here and talk
in front of so many people, so let’s give them
another round of applause. Family, friends,
faculty, coaches, neighbors, and everyone
in between, thank you so much for making
it out today to be here with us for this really
important day. The support and excitement
from everyone so far has made this experience
so much fun for me and I just want to express
how grateful I am. So, from the bottom of my
heart, thank you.
Over the past few months, I have heard,
“This is our time.” I’ve heard that being said
to graduates for years and I’ve never really
thought much about it. Since becoming a
senior myself, it’s finally started to sink in.
What is it my time for anyways? Have these
past 18 years not been my time? And as
seniors in high school, we’ve all been subject
to advice, both optimistic and pessimistic
about what is to come for us now that we are
becoming adults or young adults or just high
school graduates. I don’t know what I would be
considered at this age quite yet. Some people
will tell us how excited they are for us and
others will remind us of how difficult life is
about to get. Rather than assuming just one of
those people has to be right, I’ve come to the
conclusion that they both are.
See, for the past 18 years, we have been
guided by family and educators and loved ones
around us. They have shared their wisdom and
insights and they have raised us and taught
us in the way they deemed best. Our single
most significant role as individuals has been
just to learn. Our job has been to be students.
While I would like to congratulate everyone for
concluding their time as students, I know that
this isn’t what’s happening today.
Because regardless of the paths we
take, whether it be college, trades, armed
forces, the workforce, wherever you may be
headed, as fresh high school graduates we are
just beginning our time as students.
As I have thought on what it means to
be on my own once I graduate, I realize that I
am not losing a role, but rather taking a bigger
one on. We have been students, observing,
learning, and growing for every single day for
the past 18 years and we will continue to be
students for the rest of our lives. I don’t know
if this role has an expiration date or if we will
ever grow out of being students, but as far as
I know, that time, it isn’t ending today. As we
step out as students into the classroom of the
Principal Nate Underwood
Class President Charity Coleman
Guest Speaker George Spaulding
world, we have a whole new curriculum and a
pursue well-paying jobs and shiny things, I
whole new set of lessons that life will come to
ask you to not place the value of your physical
teach us.
possessions over the value of that in life which
Under the care of our families and
cannot be bought. Believe me, I know how
educators, we have been pushed to do this
corny that sounds, but it’s true. I ask that we
learning. The thing about being a student this
not be so arrogant to believe that we have
time is, we aren’t going to be forced to do it.
nothing to learn from life and especially from
Sure, the real world will force you to learn how
others. I believe in our class as a whole and I
to do your taxes and get a job, but I’m talking
am confident in the students we are and the
about the other stuff. Life is not going to force
teachers we will become.
you to learn to be a kinder person. Life is not
Now I want to say thank you to all of
going to force you to learn how to live joyfully.
the people who have provided us with the bits
Life is not going to force you to learn how to
of wisdom to help us succeed in life thus far.
pursue your passions. When people say it’s
To all of the parents, stepparents, step-in-
our time, I think part of what they mean is
parents, and all other parental figures; thank
that it is our time to take complete charge of
you! This day is a milestone not just for us, but
our personal growth and learning from here
for many of you too. All of the time, money,
on out. But that is equally exciting as it is
and energy that you have all put into making
nerve-racking and it will be just as much of an
a day like today even possible does not go
adventure as it will be a challenge.
unappreciated. To Mrs. Hyde; I know that she’s
I think we will all soon come to find
not here but I wanted to thank her for being
that with each encounter, experience, and
the driving force to get many of us out of here
relationship comes a lesson of some sort.
and onto our next step of life. Thank you for
Regardless of if you choose to look for it, I
helping us smooth out the kinks in our plans
promise that it’s there. We are still so young
and thank you for always making us feel like
and we have so much left to learn, so my piece
we had someone on our side. To Ms. Safier;
of wisdom on being a student is this; you will
thank you for your patience with us. Thank you
get what you seek from your experiences in
for speaking your truth with conviction and for
life. Keep your head up and your eyes open,
teaching us the lessons that aren’t quite in the
because the lessons tend to breeze by quickly
books. To Mr. Brown; thank you for teaching us
or at least until you learn them.
to seek the full truth. My time as your student,
Now I know that everyone learns in
especially this year, has pushed me to broaden
different ways, and most people learn only
my perspective and question my beliefs in
through personal experience, but I do have
pursuit of the whole picture. To Mrs. Titus;
some quick lessons or words of advice that I
thank you for your unwavering kindness. I
think will really help us all in the coming years. can genuinely say that my day was brightened
First off, and this one is really important to
every time I saw you in the library. A heart
me; treat others with the understanding that
like yours is so hard to find, and Vernonia
we are all struggling with something. We get
High School is beyond lucky to have you. To
so wrapped up in our worlds and we forget to
Vernonia; thank you for holding a place for us
just be kind to each other. Have some empathy, to grow into the people we are today. Thank
broaden your perspective and understand how
you for teaching me that I will always be more
your negativity affects others. Not everyone
than just how others view me. Although many
can handle it. Just do everyone,
of us will be heading off soon,
including yourself, a favor by
regardless of how ready we
choosing kindness. On the
might feel to get out and explore
topic of perspective; I think
more of what the world has to
it’s best that we just swing that
offer, I think that many of us
door right open because there
are leaving a piece of our hearts
is a whole world out there and
here. I know I sure am. Lastly,
you’ll spend your whole life in
to the class of 2019 as a whole;
the living room if you don’t get
thank you for your open heart.
out there, and I don’t mean that
It’s been a pleasure learning
literally. There are so many
alongside you all and after all
lenses in which life can be seen
of this time, it’s bittersweet
through. Life is so beautiful,
to see these days coming to
but sometimes it just takes the
an end. With that being said,
right lens to truly see that.
congratulations guys, we made
Class of 2019, as we go
it!
Savannah Norman
into a materialistic world and
Valedictorian
