MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
B9
Prairie City
Class Motto: “Four years we’ll never forget, even if we did things we regret.”
Valedictorian Speech - Shaelynn Bice
Good evening and thank you for coming or
tuning friends and family of Prairie City. I would
like to express my appreciation to all my teachers
and family members who helped me get to where I
am now, standing in front of all of you. I would also
like to personally thank my mom and dad, as they
have been my inspiration of work ethic, strength,
love, compassion, and the glue that holds my family
together. I feel I don’t give them enough recognition
for all of the support that they have offered and given.
I would like to start this off, to set the mood and
Shaelynn Bice
reflect
on how my education career was so successful.
Valedictorian
“Great things come from hard work and perseverance.
No excuses” -Kobe Bryant. I didn’t get to the place I am today, without a lot of
hard work. As many of you may think, your grades in high school is when you
need to start caring. However for me, the hard work began when I was only in
7th grade. Being the new student at the beginning of seventh grade here in
Prairie City, I was completely out of my comfort zone. I viewed the challenge
of moving to a new town as a fresh beginning, and I was going to make the
most of it. It was from here on out that I dedicated all of my time to school and
the activities that were offered.
It was summer before my Freshman year, I took my first online college
class, from Eastern Oregon University. High school for me in a nutshell, was
school, work, cheer, FFA, and well more school. Anyone who knows me would
see this constantly, as I study every chance that I could get. Unlike most, this
was my hobby, and I was truly addicted to pushing my schedule to the max, to
make sure I was getting every second worth of high school.
Although it seems extremely stressful, hard work allows you to wear
whatever hat you would like. Due to my hard work and dedication, I am proudly
able to show that anything is truly possible if you put your mind into it. Student
body president, Varsity Cheer Captain, a FFA District Officer, being a student
representative for our school district’s strategic plan, Valedictorian, and lastly,
I am able to say that I have completed two years of my college degree. I would
like to show my appreciation to my coaches, mentors, teachers, friends, and
family, who pushed and knew that I had it in me.
Now, as many of you may be thinking, how do you have time to function or
even sleep with such a busy schedule? I simply answer that, well you don’t, but
a job at a coffee shop tends to get the job done! In all seriousness, there are a
few key words that I want you all to take from this speech.
Work ethic, organization, leadership, patience, fearlessness, perseverance,
and strength. Each and every one of us here today, has the capability to
surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish, with these 7 simple words.
Sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone is the key that we need to
unlock our inner motivation to do great things.
So, here’s to us, for one of the last times, we the class of 2020 started at the
bottom, and we may still be at the bottom. I suppose we can only go up from
here. May our hats fly as high as our dreams! Thank you.
Jo Ashley - Salutatorian Speech
On behalf of the graduating class of 2020 I’d
like to start off by thanking the Prairie City School
staff, our families, and our friends for making this
graduation possible. I think its safe to say that this
year’s graduation has been anti-climatic and a
little depressing for my class and I. We went from
complaining about having to attend school and the
next we were wishing we were back, something we
never thought would come out of our mouths.
When I answered the phone call that told me I
JoLynne Ashley
was salutatorian and I would have to say a speech I
Salutatorian
suddenly regretted all the A’s and B’s I worked hard
for in my classes. I didn’t know what to write or what I had to write, I doubted
my abilities to write a simple speech. This was either going to be a loss of
words or something that would really set the bar high for our graduation, but
either way my ultimate goal is to say thank you and welcome everyone without
forgetting how to speak English in my entanglement of nervousness.
While on my search to find inspiration for my speech I stumbled upon a
quote by Nishan Panwar who said, “Sometimes it’s not about the journey or
the destination but about the people, you meet along the way”.
My class and I have grown up together, we’ve watched each other struggle
and we’ve watched each other thrive. Together we have made it through all
phases of school, from our childhood stages of coloring out of the lines to
our sweaty and awkward middle school stages, and finally to the Redbull and
copy & paste stages of high school. Although we haven’t all gotten along all
the time I am still thankful I have had the chance to grow and graduate with
all of you today.
I wanted this speech to be for my class, a way to tell them that I am proud
of every single one of you and not just me but everyone here today and
everyone watching from wherever they are. This community has been nothing
but supportive and encouraging to us, always willing to lend a helping hand
and aid us in our journey.
As I bring this speech to a closing I want to send a big thanks to all of Grant
County, the family and friends even further out than that, who have made this
possible and wish you all good luck wherever the road takes you, now without
further ado I welcome Mr. Colson to award the scholarships.
Austin Catron
Christopher Deiter
(Cole)
Rilee Emmel
Emily Ennis
Jonathan Haskins Jr.
Aleah Johns
Connor Jones
Johna Michel Long
Kaden Madden
Shaine Madden
Jacob McClung
Opie McDaniel
Jake McHatton
Carson McKay
Lucas McKinley
Hailee Wall
Madalyn Way
Abby Winegar
William R. Young Memorial Scholarship - Shaelynn Bice
Juniper Arts Council Scholarship - Jolynne Ashley
Talents and Treasures Art Appreciation Scholarship - Jolynne Ashley
Cecil and Kathleen Jackson Memorial Scholarship - Johna Long
Oregon Trail Electric Co-op Scholarship - Shaelynn Bice
Bill Jackson FFA Alumni Memorial Scholarship - Rilee Emmel, Shaelynn Bice
Timbers Association Scholarship - Shaelynn Bice
American Legion Award - Carson McKay, Rilee Emmel
Blue Mountain Hospital District 2020 Scholarship - Aleah Johns, Rilee Emmel
M. Gregg Smith Scholarship - Maddy Way, Johna Long, Shaine Madden, Jolynne Ashley,
Rilee Emmel, Carson McKay, Cole Deiter
Tanni Wenger Photography Senior Team Community Service Scholarship - Maddy Way
Paul and Clara Beth Doe Scholarship - Shaelynn Bice
Rosa Ricco Buttedahl Scholarship - Maddy Way, Shaine Madden, Johna Long, Rilee Emmel,
Jolynne Ashley, Cole Deiter, Opie McDaniel, Carson McKay, Hailee Wall
Prairie City Teacher’s Association Memorial Scholarship - Shaelynn Bice
In total as of Today (PC Graduation) the total sum of scholarship amounts for our students is over $72,000!
S191582-1
