Inspired by 2021 Graduates

BY LURA ROTI

When Sir Edward Elgar composed “Pomp and Circumstance”, I wonder if he had any idea of the emotions his piece would evoke. As one of the many graduates who received her diplomas to this ceremonious tune, every time I hear it, I am overcome with memories.

Graduation is a momentous occasion. And 2021 graduates have a lot to celebrate. In addition to their degrees, they overcame unprecedented obstacles, figured out creative ways to live their new normal and discovered how to stay connected with those they love and care about.

These 2021 graduates inspire me.

In February, I began working on an “In Their Own Words” series for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, where I interviewed high school seniors from across the state to learn about them and how this pandemic has impacted their senior year. Working with an amazing sound engineer, Steve Munsen, I interviewed students via Zoom. And the mature thoughts they shared with me, not only gave me quite a bit to think about, but made me quite optimistic for our future.

Let me share a few of their thoughts with you.

“Treat every day like we’re going to get school called off again.” Carlee Hetland, 2021 Roosevelt Graduate

It’s amazing what you can learn from 18-year-olds.

Because of the pandemic, most of the students shared that they gained a new-found appreciation for living in the moment and not taking activities or time with others for granted.

When Carlee Hetland shared this with me during my first interview, I was in the midst of remote schooling our daughter, Parker, and had a bad attitude about juggling my workload while at the same time teaming up with my husband to help school her. After this conversation, I began to remind myself that this was a fleeting moment in my parenting career, and I needed to find the good to be thankful for.

“We lost our homecoming football game. We didn’t get to watch our boys and support the boys and our senior boys didn’t have the chance to play in that game because our opponent got COVID and couldn’t come play. So, it’s just things like that that are really eye-opening.” Holli Jark, 2021 Warner High Graduate

While adults were bickering about mask mandates, high school seniors I interviewed were encouraging their teammates to keep

up with CDC protocols, so they could keep their team healthy and not miss out on games due to quarantine.

In fact, it was an interview with Warner senior and volleyball player Holli Jark, that inspired this series in the first place.

I was struck by the commonsense way she and her teammates approached tough decisions, like staying home from large Thanksgiving family gatherings because they knew their volleyball team had a shot at making it to state. And they did. Their team placed second.

“Growing up as Lakota, it’s taught in our ceremonies throughout our entire lives, that you need to make sacrifices for people, for your people, especially in times of need, like this pandemic and my sacrifice is staying home to protect my community.” Summer Romero, 2021 Todd County High School Graduate

Another athlete I interviewed, Summer Romero gave up all sports, including rodeo because she did not want to bring COVID home to her younger brother who is high risk if he contracts the virus.

With her family’s safety in mind, Summer instead poured her energy into her passion for training horses while remote schooling. Now that she is vaccinated, this graduate is back on the rodeo circuit before heading to Colorado State University to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

Because these senior girls clearly understood why they were being careful, they were able to make tough decisions where COVID was concerned.

After talking with these teens, I sat down and re-evaluated my goals. Now that I’m vaccinated, I have done it a second time. Today, catching up with friends and family is our top priority. If I have to choose between a house or yard project and getting together with friends or family, friends and family will win out every time this summer.

Another 2021 graduate who inspired me this spring is my younger brother, Wayne Robison. Before he even graduated high school, he began his first career in the racehorse industry training and riding horses— he even rode as a jockey for a time. By 30, the work had taken a toll on his body. So, he began taking steps toward his second career and May 2021, with his wife and 10-month-old daughter by his side, he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from Iowa State University. He has already begun his new career as a veterinarian in a small animal clinic in Bellevue, Neb.

It’s not easy to start over. But he did. And today, if you ask him what he is most excited about, it is not his D.V.M. It’s his family.

During his graduation party, I asked him to pose by his cake for a photo. He was holding his sleeping baby daughter. I said, “Wow, what a great party.” And his response was, “Isn’t she amazing?”

I have a lot planned for 2021. I am trying to make up for all we missed in 2020. But thanks to these graduates, I am inspired to relish each moment and the people I get to spend them with.