8A | JUNE 17, 2021 | AKHS COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL from A1 you enough because that in itself is the reason why I’m standing here today.” Dove also praised teach- ers who inspired her to continue learning and to persevere through hard- ship. “You’re all amazing and you’re all part of the reason this is the best school I’ve ever attended,” she said. Ketcher then introduced Owen Dragt, who she praised for using the school as a turning point in her life. “Th e progress that I have seen her make over the past two years deserves to be celebrated,” said Ketcher. Dragt refl ected on her time in a conventional high school, which she said she had diffi culty connecting with, and lauded Al Ken- nedy High School’s alterna- tive approach. “Th ey can apply diff er- ent teaching methods to individual students, which is something that you can’t really get at a bigger school,” she said. “I am so proud for this to be my school.” Graduate Joshua Cox took the podium next and led the audience on a light-hearted refl ection of society’s relationship to time. Quoting the movie “Kung Fu Panda,” he re- layed the wisdom of a con- templative character: “Yes- terday is history. Tomorrow over the school year. “Th ese chairs represent the loved ones that, al- though lost, have not been forgotten,” she said. “I imagine people sitting in these chairs being part of this important ceremony and this important stage of the students’ lives.” Following a moment of silence, AKHS graduates took the podium to refl ect on their lessons learned during their time at the school. Ketcher fi rst introduced Isabella Dove, who Ketch- er said had been a positive role model for her peers and a dedicated participant in the school’s conservation program. Dove spoke of her admi- ration for Al Kennedy High School and its teachers, praising the deep relation- ships and personal moti- vators a small school can provide. “I went to three diff erent high schools and Al Ken- nedy is by far the best,” she said. “I got more credits here in two trimesters than I did in my prior two years of high school.” Practical life skills were a part of her curriculum, too. “Th ey even taught me my rights in case I ever get arrested,” she said to laughs. “You guys let me be myself and I cannot thank is a mystery. But today – to- day is a gift and that is why it is called the ‘present.’” Th e perspective should fi nd relevance with stu- dents of AKHS, many of whom have had to over- come steep obstacles in their past. “Not many of us were cut out for the mainstream school experience,” said Cox. “And if it weren’t for Al Kennedy, we probably wouldn’t have made it.” Cox cautioned that brooding on the past must be tempered by extracting lessons from it. He encour- aged the audience to take command of their present to build agency for their own futures. One way to do this: appreciation. Cox listed his own rea- sons to be thankful for his environment and the teachers who guided him. “As for the future, I don’t think it’s quite happened yet. And I don’t think it ever really will because every time we get there, it just becomes the present again,” he quipped. “But with a group of young men and women like this, I’m sure it’ll be as unique as our pasts and as treasurable as our present.” Ketcher again addressed the audience and noted how diffi cult the past year of distance learning was for students who couldn’t take full advantage of Al Kenne- dy High School’s opportu- nities. A typical year would see around 40 to 50 gradu- ates, she said. “Graduates, no matter what diffi culties you may have faced to get here to- day, you should be fi lled with a great sense of happi- ness and accomplishment,” Ketcher said. “You have all put in so much eff ort to be able to sit here today and know that you’ve earned the right to sit here.” Like the students, Ketch- er praised the opportuni- ties the school has provid- ed despite a harrowing last year, including its GED program which helped sev- en students this year and “sustainability cohorts” which helped another sev- en students earn a high school diploma. Teachers then took turns to share their appreciation for each of the graduates in attendance, complimenting them one by one on their individual accomplish- ments. Many were praised for Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator REQUEST A FREE QUOTE! their persistence and deter- mination in the face of ad- versity, each noted for fac- ing their own challenges. Others were given encour- agement to follow through with their particular goals or applauded for various accomplishments while at- tending AKHS. “Remember everything that Al Kennedy means to each of you,” said Ketcher. “Because all of us at Kenne- dy will never forget any of you.” Th e ceremony ended with a recessional song re- corded by high school staff . As each of the 12 attending graduates walked one by one from the ceremony, personalized verses were sung to commemorate their achievements and highlight their personali- ties. FROM $ $ FREE Special Financing Available Subject to Credit Approval *To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. 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