Memorial Day ceremony to be held for fallen heroes

Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

(Seguin) – Those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms will not be forgotten this holiday weekend. The memories of all those who have served our nation and who have since passed on will be at forefront of this year’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony scheduled for Monday at the Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park.

Every year, veterans groups gather at the local cemetery to pay tribute to all who have sacrificed. The memorial park will also be hosting a free lunch to all those in attendance. A special drawing for a free giveaway will also be held.

The event begins at 11 a.m. Monday at the cemetery located at 2951 State Hwy. 46.

Matadors, continued.

“This year’s Class of 2023 is a very special class. I think they’ve been through a lot with COVID for one. But I think they persevered that. They are a phenomenal group. They are going to do some amazing things and I believe Seguin will be reading constantly about what they are doing post high school. I believe in them so much, have so much confidence that they are going to be successful in anything that they do. I’m very proud of them,” said Esquivel.

This year’s graduation ceremony, however, will be bittersweet for the longtime educator who is set to retire this summer.

“It’s always difficult when you’ve been at the same place for eight years and I think when you pour you heart into what you do. It becomes very personal and I’ve very proud of what we’ve done here at Seguin High School and I’m more than confident this will continue with our new principal. But I’m very proud of Seguin. I will always be a Matador fan and just excited for this opportunity that Seguin gave me eight years ago and I couldn’t thank the community, the board, my staff enough for this. I leave on very good terms and very excited for what is going to be happening next for Seguin High School,” said Esquivel.

Esquivel says his departure from Seguin High School makes this class even more special.

“I’m very proud of them. I’m very proud to walk my last class and I’m glad it’s them because ever since they’ve been freshman, they have been an amazing class. I tell them that they are the best I’ve ever had but I would make everybody else upset but deep down inside, my first and last class will be memorable to me,” said Esquivel.

Leading this year’ class will be Valedictorian Kaden Legore, the son of Dave and Judge Kirsten Legore. He will be accompanied on stage by this year’s Salutatorian Anastasiia Berezovska, the daughter of James and Marianna Nolte.

Families and friends are reminded about the stadium’s clear bag policy. Also, no large bags, backpacks, balloons, noise makers, signs, gifts or parcels will be allowed into the stadium. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will follow at 8 p.m.

Those unable to make it to Matador Stadium are encouraged to cheer on their special graduate by watching along via live stream. That link can be found on the Seguin High School Facebook page.

Panthers, continued.

By only focusing on doing the best she could, Salazar says appreciates the results of her hard work.

“For sure I definitely went into high school hoping to be at the top of my class to do well in class and get good grades, but I wasn’t expecting to be in like the top individuals of people. It wasn’t shocking but it was very exciting to realize that ‘oh, I’m actually doing a lot better than I thought I was’ and that I was ranked so high among my peers,” said Salazar.

Like Herrod, Salazar will also be provided the chance to share a message with her peers as they prepare to venture out on their own paths. She says her main message is to be happy and to know that each day we all can get better.

“My message to them is to look back and be happy of who you were but be happier of who you are now and to be able to look at your past mistakes and laugh at them and to really enjoy the growth that we’ve undergone these past four years,” said Salazar.

Salazar’s future has her attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where she will be studying psychology, putting herself on a premed track.

Excited about introducing this batch of candidates for graduation is Navarro High School Principal Clay Scarborough. Scarborough says 161 graduates will be earning their diplomas on Friday night. He says after some very challenging years, they are each very deserving of this accomplishment.

“This is the class that went home for COVID their freshman year, so they had to overcome that. That is obviously huge. Of all the years to have it, freshman year is a rough year because of all that you have to get and look at them now,” said Scarborough.

The graduation ceremony at Navarro High School is set for 8 p.m. Friday at Erwin-Lee Stadium. Gates to the football field open at 7 p.m. A link for a livestream of the ceremony can be found on the Navarro High School Facebook page.