Friday, June 17, 2016
Iroquois County’s Times-Republic
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Iroquois County schools’ 2016 valedictorian and salutatorian graduation speeches Page 16 — Milford High School Valedictorian Jade Davis Elizabeth Duis Salutatorian Hannah McCalla Page 17 — Christ Lutheran High School Valedictorian Shelby Spitz Salutatorian Jessica DeBella Page 18 — Iroquois West High School Valedictorian Cecilia Canizela Salutatorian Emily Vaughn Page 19 — Donovan High School Valedictorian Rebecca Martell Salutatorian Candace Martell Page 20 — Watseka Community High School Valedictorian Cody Carley Salutatorian McKensie Hagen Page 21 — Central High School Valedictorian Brooke Schafer Salutatorian Luke Vaughn Page 22 — Cissna Park High School Valedictorian Samantha Hasselbring Salutatorian Theresa Trask
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Iroquois County’s Times-Republic
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Friday, June 17, 2016
Milford High School Jade Davis Valedictorian Speech I would like to first extend a welcome and thank you from the class of 2016 to our amazing families, friends, faculty, and administration. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that no one would be sitting on this stage tonight without someone in the audience cheering them on. Now, before we leave this building, never to all sit in the same room again, I would like to share with you some advice that I’ve been given over the last few years. Earlier this year, our class voted on students for the senior superlatives – “Mr. and Mrs. MHS”, “drama king and queen” – and took pictures of the students for the yearbook. Imagine my surprise when Tyler Callahan and I were voted “Most likely to leave and never come back”. I will admit, I wasn’t surprised about Tyler, but I thought it was weird that people thought I wanted to “leave and never come back”. Then I realized that wanting to go out and see the world is not something that should be delegated to just two people out of 45, but a concept that everyone should embrace. So I now ask of
you, fellow class, to go out and do something crazy. Take risks. If you can, leave the world of your comfort zone, maybe even leave your world of Milford, Illinois. As the writer Alan Alda said, “Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory. Be brave enough to live life creatively. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.” Don’t look back when you’re 40 and regret not doing anything. Because the regret you’ll have for not doing anything will, 9 times out of 10, be worse than the regret you’ll have if you do something. While you’re out doing something crazy and getting out of your comfort zone, you will probably, at some point, think that you’re not good enough for whatever you’re trying to do. But it’s not as bad as it seems. When you think everyone else around you has gotten it together and you’re a mess – think again. Three quarters of Harvard Business School students feel like they got in from some failure of the admission process. 75% of some of the most brilliant minds across the world are still feeling like they’re an impostor – because as pastor Steven Furtick
Elizabeth Duis Valedictorian Speech I would like to begin by thanking everyone who took the time to attend our graduation ceremony this evening. Your support is much appreciated. And now to my fellow 2016 graduates: Congratulations! We did it. The day we have equally pined for and anxiously awaited is now upon us. So now what comes next? The answer to this question will be very different for all of us. In fact, we are all staring at a blank page that is just waiting for us to begin writing our stories. With this is mind, I would like to encourage my fellow graduates to keep a few things in mind. First: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” These are the inspirational words of Walt Disney. As we look ahead to our futures, we have to keep an open mind. Just because we plan on one profession right now, does not mean that we will end up in that profession later. We have yet to experience everything this world has to offer us. Keep an open mind and do not be afraid to pursue your dreams. I was told by an acting instructor once that “you will never get 100% of the roles you don’t audition for.” Similarly, Michael Jordan is known for saying “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” This saying rings
Hannah McCalla Salutatorian Speech I recently watched Disney’s 2002 movie Lilo and Stitch. As you may remember a destructive alien, Stitch, escapes from his prison and lands on earth and gets adopted by Lilo, a Hawaiian child. Lilo lost her parents and lives with her older sister. Throughout the movie we see Lilo and Stitch grow closer and become a family. At the end Stitch shows that he has learned the true meaning of family by saying “This is my family. I found it, all on my own. It’s little, and broken, but still good.” This line got me
once said, they’re comparing their behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel. Even I, as someone in the top of our class, often do not “have it together”. For example, when writing this speech, I kept putting it off, telling myself that I work better under pressure. But when the time came that I actually needed to start writing it, every time I sat down with my computer to try to write it, my keyboard and mouse would magically wander to Pinterest, my email, other homework – anything. To make matters worse, the night before the speech was due to be given to Mr. Zecher, I looked on the internet for advice for writing a valedictorian speech and I was promptly told by ehow.com that I as a valedictorian was given this great honor because I have proven that I am mature and can handle adult responsibilities. And I was definitely feeling the impostor syndrome then, just like almost all of us are either feeling right now or will feel at some point soon in our lives. But it’ll be okay, because you’re not alone. And one more thing to remember: people always say that high school will be the best four years of our lives. For all of our sakes,
I hope not, and not because these years weren’t great, but because we will create more that are even better. That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t remember our experiences throughout high school and learn from them. When you’re out trying to figure out how the world works, remember the things you learned, not only from class but also from the basketball team, the theatre department, the yearbook staff. Remember when you wanted to be a baseball star, or a lawyer, or a Broadway actress, or a doctor, or the president,
true for more than just theatre or basketball. It should inspire you to do what you love, for, if you do not, you will always regret not trying. We are each responsible for writing our own definition of what success looks like.
learn anything.” Oprah Winfrey was publicly fired from her first television job as an anchor in Baltimore. Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” What lesson can we learn from these well-known individuals? We cannot be afraid to fail. Rough patches will occur in all of our lives, but the important thing is that we learn from those mistakes we do make. As a sign in Mr. Johnson’s shop wisely points out: “Your greatest teacher is the last mistake you made.” Let both your successes and failures fuel you to accomplish your goals. And lastly, do not think that when you graduate you need to have your entire life planned out. No one expects you to completely uproot yourself and forget the memories you have made in this chapter of your lives. In fact, I hope you remember everything you have experienced here. I hope you remember what it felt like to spike a volleyball or hit a homerun. I hope you remember what it felt like to shoot a three-pointer or make an amazing put. I hope you remember what it felt like to cheer on a winning team or score a touchdown. I hope you remember what it felt like to take your final bow at curtain ELIZABETH DUIS call. I hope you remember what it felt like Second: Let me share a few stories with to get a great grade on a test or complete a you. J.K. Rowling was a single mom living Yearbook page. I hope you remember what off welfare when she began writing the first it felt like after you performed a piece in “Harry Potter” novel. Thomas Edison’s band or choir that teachers told him he was “too stupid to sounded beautiful. All of these experiences
thinking about how this school has provided its students with many opportunities. Many of us sitting on this stage have been involved in one activity or another. Whether it was a sports team, FFA, Scholastic Bowl, Theatre Department or another club the school offers. We have found family all on our own: A family away from home; a family we can count on; a family we can go to with our problems and our achievements; a family we know is going to give us advice, support, and a shoulder to cry on; a family that will listen to us, no matter what. Like all families we have our problems and drama, but
we can look past these when someone comes with another problem. These families help us get through the tough and stressful times. We have laughed and cried with them and we appreciate all they do for us. Like the famous line from Lilo and Stitch “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” We will be going on and making new families along our journey and in the next steps of our lives, but the connections we made here will always go with us and we will never forget the people that we connected to. Thank You.
or a princess, or whatever you wanted to be, and let that propel you to your goals. It’s going to be pretty rough out in the real world, and many of us even still have a long road to get there. So, like I said earlier, don’t be afraid to leave. But don’t forget where you came from. Thank you.
JADE DAVIS
and more are worth being remembered. Some of you will go on to continue these exhilarating things. I know I sure am going to try. :) But most of all, I hope you remember what it felt like to do these things with the people on stage with you right now. Your team mates, cast members, classmates, and friends. I know I will never forget squeezing the hands of Jade and Hannah during the beginning of our favorite musical, Wicked. I will never forget peppering with Ali during volleyball season. And I will never forget meeting my absolute best friend. As we go out into the world from this place, I want each and every one of you to remember how blessed we were to share these moments together, for they will never happen again. But, you know, I think that’s why they were such beautiful moments... because they ended. I know it sounds ridiculous, but think about it. If it would have gone on forever, we never would have appreciated how beautiful our time was wearing our uniforms or costumes or jerseys. We would have gone on dreading practices or rehearsals instead of wishing we could just have one more minute back on the court, field, stage, and so on. These short-lived moments become the best of memories. I would like to close by encouraging you to look forward with the utmost amount of hope and curiosity, to not be afraid of making mistakes along the way, and, finally, to remember the moments we have shared. Thank you.
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Christ Lutheran High School Shelby Spitz Valedictorian Speech
to laugh at herself and her own jokes…even when they aren’t that funny. Her laugh is contagious, and pretty soon everyone around her is laughing at a joke that wasn’t even funny in the first place. Haley is a friend to everyone, and her kind spirit will greatly benefit her in the future. She will
Good evening, everyone! And thank you all for being here with us to celebrate our achievements. Tonight is a special night as we celebrate the completion of our first twelve years of schooling. Even though we are here to commemorate the end of our time in high school, we’re also celebrating the beginning of the rest of our lives. You see, we aren’t at the end. We’re at the threshold of an amazing journey that begins as we walk off this stage tonight. Let me tell you a little bit about the amazing young women up here with me. Jessica DeBella is one of the most determined people I know. If she sets a goal for herself she will push her limits, step out of her comfort zone, and work incredibly hard to reach that goal. She is extremely dedicated to learning, which is a very good thing as she plans to become an attorney. Jessica has big dreams, and I know that she will work exceedingly hard to realize them. She is incredibly intelligent, funny, and capable, and I am so excited to see what she does in the future. If I had to choose one word to describe Sadie Koschnick it would be “talented.” Sadie can pick up any hobby, activity, or sport and be good at it. She is extremely creative, and she can build anything, paint anything, and make any kind of plant grow. She doesn’t just depend on her talents, though. Sadie has an amazing work ethic, and I truly believe that she can achieve anything that she sets her mind e to. Sadie plans to become a dental - hygienist, and there is no doubt in my mind that she will be the most amazing dental hygienist that we’ve SHELBY SPITZ ever seen. Where do I even begin to describe study Agriculture Education, and she will Haley McCormick? Haley is so funny, so sweet, and so kind. She would help anyone, be hugely successful in her chosen field. All of us have gone to school together six and even though she might threaten to fight years, and I believe (and our teachers can you, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. One of my attest to this) that we spent about five and a favorite qualities about Haley is her ability half of those years laughing. We were prob-
ably sleeping during the other half year. I have so many amazing memories with these ladies I will carry them with me for the rest of my life. One of my favorite memories came in April of this year. We had been assigned a project in Physics. It was a big project. We were to create a twenty-step Rube Goldberg machine that opened an umbrella. We were allotted about two months to work on the project, but, as Seniors do, we procrastinated and didn’t work on it until there were two weeks to the due date. We poured all of our creativity into those two weeks and made a really cool Rube Goldberg machine that successfully opened an umbrella. The end results were an “A” on the project and one really funny Snapchat story that I’m sure Haley would love to show you. I believe that the way that we worked together under pressure cemented our friendships and made them even stronger than they were before. I would like to take a few moments to thank just a few of the people who supported us on this journey through high school. First of all, we are all extremely grateful to Pastor Flynn for coming to speak at our graduation ceremony. It means so much to us that you’re here tonight. Thank you to all of our teachers, who poured so much of their time and energy into helping us learn over the past four years. Thank you to Pastor Deen and P-Hahn for faithfully teaching us about God and His Word. Thank you to Mrs. Southe for putting up with our chattiness in Foreign Language and our groaning in CrossFit. Thank you to Coach Luhrsen for coming up with fun, challenging games for
PE, and for jumping into the role of Athletic Director with both feet. Thank you to Mrs. Liston for helping our choir bring joy to so many people in the community. Thank you to Mrs. Spitz for helping us solve problems about aliens, lake shakes, men living in trees, and a guy sitting in a barrel on top of a flag pole. Oh! And for teaching us that gravitational acceleration is…Haley? (9.81 m/s^2) Thank you to Mrs. Wacker for helping me survive calculus, and for helping us create musical fusion every week in handbells. And thank you, thank you, thank you, to Dr. Good for reading countless scholarship essays, and for giving us candy every day. I know I speak for all of us when I say that your dedication to us inspired dedication to our work. That dedication is something that we will carry with us throughout our lives. One phrase that has popped up quite a few times over this school year is, “You guys, what if we never see each other again?” Well, I sincerely hope that that never happens. But if it does, there is one thing I want you, my fellow graduates, to know. I am so incredibly thankful that God put you all in my life. He really proved His sense of humor by planting all of us at Christ Lutheran High School. You’ve become my best friends, my partners in crime, and the sisters I never had. I am a better person because of all of you. You’ve advised me, tutored me, pushed me, supported me, annoyed me, laughed with me, laughed AT me, and made fun of me, and I’m grateful for all of it. I couldn’t have gotten through the last four years without any of you and all of the laughs that you provided. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. As we end our high school careers, there might be some fears and anxieties about what the future holds. But I know that if we keep in mind the words of our class verse, “all things are possible for one who believes,” we have nothing to fear. Any battle, obstacle, or challenge that could get in our way has already been conquered for us by Christ. We have God on our side and He will help us through any situation. He has overcome the world. In the immortal words of Semisonic, “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” This is the end of our time four years at Christ Lutheran, but it’s also the beginning of the rest of our lives. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us. Thank you.
Jessica DeBella Salutatorian Speech
e
Hello, and welcome to the class of 2016’s graduation ceremony. I can’t express how thankful I am that each and every one of you are here to see the four of us graduates off as we go on to the colleges of our choice and begin our lives in the real world and begin “adulting” – even though it definitely still scares us at least a little bit. A painter named Damien Hirst once said, “But I think it’s more that when you’re young, you’re invincible, you’re immortal – or at least you think you are. The possibilities are limitless; you’re inventing the future,” and the fact is, in this moment, we are limitless. We’re now going to be creating our future, and there is nothing that can hold us back from doing whatever we strive to do. We have been set up to be great, to succeed, to thrive, and I am so excited to see how far these three girls go in their fields. Growing up with them has been an adventure to say the least, and it’s such an incredible honor to be able to stand with them one last time as a class. The amount of friendships and memories I’ve made over the years will be ones that I’ll hold onto for life. When I started as a freshman, I didn’t know what to expect, but I definitely didn’t expect to create such incredibly strong bonds with the students – and even the staff – here. This school and my classmates had become a home, a safe place, and I still can’t believe it. I didn’t think it would be so hard to say goodbye to a building, but now I know, as the four of us prepare to say goodbye to Christ Lutheran, we’re not actually saying goodbye at all. We’re saying “see you later,” because the bonds the four of us have created are ones that will last so much longer than high school, and go so much deeper than just the building. So, even though we don’t get to throw our caps up in the air like in High School Musical 3, this is the most exciting day that we’ve been waiting for since we began school. I think we were so used to procrastination – and trust me, this class put the pro in procrastinate – that now that it’s here, I don’t know if any of us expected it to come up on us so fast. But anyway, Mrs. Spitz, thank you for giving us a high school experience that we wouldn’t trade for anything. Thank you, Dr. Good, for making gerunds a little bit more fun by bringing in the best cookies known to mankind. Mrs. Wacker, I cannot thank you enough for directing handbells. The math part, we could have gone without, but major props to you for dealing with your handbell choir again. Mrs. Southè, thank you for being infinitely patient with us as you forced us to get into shape using what you call “cross-fit” and what we like to call “torture.” Thank you, Mr. Wagner, for always being ready with a hug whenever. They were always the best. And lastly, thank you once again, everybody, for coming to see the four of us depart. Congratulations, girls. You earned this.
A
JESSICA DEBELLA
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Iroquois West High School
Cecilia Canizela Valedictorian Speech
Once, we were seven years old. Back then, none of us dreamed of being exactly where we are today. High school graduates, almost holding our diplomas, and ready to start a new journey. Always giving our best has finally paid off! Our moms told us to strive for success, which is what we are finally celebrating today. Graduation is a ceremony that honors all the accomplishments we have achieved. Once, we were eleven years old. In elementary school, we would rush to read books to fulfill our AR point assignments. Some tears were shed along the way because we actually thought AR points would be the challenge separating us from graduation. Then we encountered Mrs. DeFauw in high school and the challenges grew! Whether at age seven or eleven we have always had dreams: to pursue a career, give back to the community, or to grow closer to loved ones, Iroquois West is where we were given the opportunity to achieve those dreams. During the past four years we were faced with a few too many standardized tests and far less snow days as we had hoped. Despite the many hurdles we had to jump over, and the many new staff members that we welcomed , we have to remember that everything happens for a reason. Those events are what made these four years to be the best yet. It was impossible to walk down the Iroquois West hallways without hearing the accomplishments our class has achieved academically, musically, and athletically. Being one of the most talented classes, we earned state titles and made history. Ladies, Let’s also keep in mind our many powder puff victories. These years flew by as students embarrassed themselves in Mr. Raider, showed off musical talents in Raider Idol and enjoyed leadership experiences in FFA and FCCLA. These are only a few of the ways our class has bonded over the years. Not to mention, post prom and float decorating during homecoming season. We also participated in
Emily Vaughn Salutatorian Speech
There is a common trend on Instagram some of you may know that lies somewhere between Man Crush Monday and Woman Crush Wednesday. This trend is known as #transformationtuesday where one would post a picture from years past and one similar from present time side by side for their followers or supporters to admire. Now, this may not be a Tuesday and we all may not be looking at a phone screen, but sitting in front of me is the perfect photo. A group of individuals who have truly transformed since August of 2012, four years ago. And here we are today, class of 2016, surrounded by those we can call followers, supporters, family, and friends who are sitting in the audience admiring the transformation they have helped make possible. A big thank-you is extended to those individuals who have made an impact on each one of us including the school board and high school administration, Dr. Dvorak and Mr. Houberg, Linda and Nancy, Ms. Redwitz, all of the Iroquois West teachers and staff beginning in Kindergarten, family, friends, and mentors, and the community members who have never failed to show their unending support. It is because of people like you that we have been able to accomplish the greatest successes
the Real World Demonstration, which was an eye-opening experience into understanding the value and challenges of everyday life. Tradition is a strong bond at Iroquois West. Our traditions range from hearing Nancy’s voice in the morning to homeroom meetings. Hometown donuts will no longer be a traditional breakfast before school, just as McDonald’s will no longer be the hangout spot after sporting events. Although some of us are moving away and traditions will no longer be the same, we should remember that good things come to an end only so better things can take their place. We will not only miss the friends we spent these traditions with, but we will miss the person we were in those moments. Our families are a very important part of our lives, however, our friends are a close second. After being a family of friends for so long, the Class of 2016 will finally move on with our lives. We will no longer be forced to see Gabe Mansfield’s not-so-stylish father wardrobe every day. The time to go out into the real world is now. As we start this new journey, remember that home is where you make it. Although we are graduating today, we should continue to work hard to achieve all our dreams. We cannot simply expect our dreams to happen. As much as we hate to admit, we will miss the chromebooks and the overflowing water fountains. I can’t guarantee we will miss the cafeteria food, but we will definitely think about it when someone mentions wheat products. In the years to come, earn respect and trust, start each day with a grateful mind,
possible throughout our high school careers. To my fellow graduates, take a moment to reflect on the transformation you have been through. Each one of us was unsure about this experience when we first walked through the doors as a freshman. Reflect on yourself now. Cherish the teams, organizations, moments and memories, accomplishments, or special person who has allowed each of you to be the best you, you can be. Who have allowed you to keep achieving your goals and reaching your dreams and thank them for always seeing the best in you because we could not have done this on our own. The past four years that we denied would go by so quickly certainly did and now we all know not to take any day, opportunity, or person for granted. Lastly, Congratulations. You have worked so hard to achieve this milestone in your lives and each one of you deserves this accomplishment. I hope the future holds many great things for all of you and knowing this class we will never stop short of achieving bigger and better things. So the choice is yours class of 2016. Years from now, how will the Iroquois West community remember you and how will you shape your future? Make your next transformation even better and great enough to show the world. Oh, and don’t forget the hashtag. Thank You
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and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable when exploring new boundaries and exploring new adventures. Mistakes should not frighten you, they should encourage and push you to be
lipstick. I am so privileged God brought me to this R school and allowed me to meet so many V caring people. Our community is all here watching us today, just one more symbol of their endless support. As they t have inspired all of our lives, e we will take the lessons we have t learned from them to better our- t selves and those around us in the w future. Whether you are going to t a college or university, whether w you’re going into the workforce t or military, there is a world of e numerous opportunities to leave g your mark, just as you have left t at Iroquois West. y Thank you to all teachers and w staff who have made these years t run so smoothly. Linda and Nan- t cy, thank you for all the laughs. W Mr. Houberg, Dr. Dvorak, and a Mrs. Redwitz, thank you for the m endless support. Mr. Alvarez y and Mr. Vergara, thank you for n the work you’ve done. To Mrs. t Sigler, thank you for being a s second mom. To everyone’s w family, thank you for all the en- t couragement. To the community, y thank you for the dedication. u You all do and have done so o much for our class and you will a never know how thankful we d truly are for you. I CECILIA CANIZELA As Trace Adkins sang to us t on Tuesday while we were on T successful in whatever path you choose to our senior trip at the Grand Ole Opry in b walk. Keep making your mistakes, because Nashville, u overcoming them is what leads you to a w better future. “You’re gonna miss this t Soon, we’ll be thirty years old, and hopeYou’re gonna want this back w fully, we will still be learning about life. You’re gonna wish these days t Although we will still be learning, we will hadn’t gone by so fast t also be passing on to our children the same These Are Some Good Times f values and virtues Iroquois West taught us. So take a good look around t We will then be sharing with future generaYou may not know it now y tion the memories we once made. Although But you’re gonna miss this.” p I should be telling you the future isn’t scary, f it is. Mostly because thirty years from now Thank you for unforgettable high school m you might be running into Angel Lopez memories. Class of 2016, I wish you the a wearing a fedora or you might encounter best of luck. u Darlin Gonzalez still wearing olive green t w a w f b
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Donovan High School
Rebecca Martell Valedictorian Speech
Thank you. Thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to come here and support us as we graduate this evening. I would like to start by thanking Mr. Bauer and the administration. Without the work you put into this school, we would not have the opportunity to even be up here graduating, so I thank you all for your hard work. I would also like to thank the staff and the school board. Without the help and encouragement from all of you, we would not have made it through our high school years. I would like to thank you all for your patience with us because I know our class was not always easy to deal with. Lastly, I would like to thank our parents. They have always been there to help us with anything we do or want to be a part of. I would like to take the time to also thank each of you for your patience throughout the years, whether it is waiting for us to get in position for a picture, or us trying to decide what we wanted to dance to for puttin’ on the hits. All of you were always patient and made the best out of it. Most importantly I would like you all for your support and encouragement you have offered to us over the years. You are the reason we are up here ready to graduate and move onto the next chapter in our lives. I would especially like to thank my parents. You guys have always been there for me to support me and push me further with anything I chose to do. You both have done so much for me and have always made sure I was where I needed to be on time and with everything i needed. I want to thank
you for all the time you took to come to all my games and drive me to and from practices, as well as supporting me with extracurricular activities. You are the sole reason I am up here today. You never let me quit or back down and you taught me to take everything head on and give it the best I have. Thank you for everything you have ever done. I love you both to the moon and back.
Now, I would like to share some things I have learned throughout my years in high school. Your freshman year counts way more than you think it will; it is not the best idea to delete your entire paper a week before it is due, sometimes you just have too many Wheaties. Make memories while you can; it’s okay to be yourself, Mr. Lacher loves group projects and you will learn to hate them, always do extra credit, even if you don’t think you need it, Tristan should not call 911, it is okay to ask for help and, when someone calls your name you better cover your neck. I have also learned that procrastination will either be your
best friend or your worst enemy, Mrs Stevenson isn’t really as scary as she looks; she really is a nice person, always read the directions, there is some useful information in there, sometimes having a few close friends is better than having a lot of random friends, you can ask Mrs. Petyko just about anything and she has to answer it, it is not a bad thing if you ask a lot of questions, also Homecoming week is probably the most competitive time of your high school years, it is not a good idea to wait until two weeks before a paper is due to finally pick a topic, it is smart to take a break and have fun sometimes, just don’t over-do it, Mr. Lacher’s classes are probably some of the most fun classes you will take, don’t be afraid to ask a teacher for help, they are there to help you learn and to make sure you understand, it is not a good idea to interrupt Eric while he is singing because he will only sing louder and make it more obnoxious. I have also learned that we will never be able to look at the number 209 without laughing. Most importantly I have learned that it is all over in the blink of an eye, so enjoy it while you have time and make the most out of it. Finally I would like to take the time to REBECCA MARTELL congratulate our class. This is it; we are officially done with high school. We made it. I would personally like to wish you all good luck in whatever it is you choose to do after this, whether it is going off to college, joining the military, or working, I hope each and every one of you finds what is is you want to do and have the time of your life doing it. I can honestly say I will miss you guys, most of us have been together since kindergarten or first grade and it will be different but it is time for us to go out and find our own path to take. With that being said, I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors. And finally, once a wildcat, always a wildcat. Thank you.
Candace Martell Salutatorian Speech
Tonight as our families prepare themselves to watch their loved ones graduate, I would like to inform you all that it is with respective honor I stand here and present to your the class of 2016. This all feels surreal. Many years ago we were all leaving our parents for the first time to go to school. Mom and dad, I can guarantee you that I did not want to go, but now I do not want to leave. Isn’t that ironic? This is probably the toughest thing I have had to do. Standing here and giving a goodbye, see you all in the future speech, that is. But this is not the ending. It is the beginning of our next chapters in life. Most of us have definite goals and plans after high school, but for the ones who are still unsure, I want you to understand that sometimes we have to figure out who we really are in order to get to where we want to be. Since we have made it this far, I know we are all capable of having the motivation and determination to move forward. I do not doubt that we will make many mistakes along the way, but what is success if you never learn from the mistakes made? To the teachers and faculty of Donovan, no words can describe how lucky I feel to have been taught by all of you. Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. Lacher, and Mrs. Caise, I think it is pretty cool to have had you throughout my high school career. All of you have watched me grow as an individual and that can be a rare opportunity. To the class of 2016, good luck and do not get discouraged if your plans crumble. Pick up the pieces and build a new foundation for yourselves. To my parents, grandfather and my sister, thank you for standing by my side through all of the choices I have made. Class of 2016, let’s go ahead and smile and take pride in our accomplishments tonight. I will miss seeing all of your bright faces every day. Thank you for making high school a memory that can never be erased. Congratulations guys! Thank you.
CANDACE MARTELL
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Watseka Community High School Cody Carley Valedictorian Speech Well, I’m sure Mr. Bunting is sweating right now thinking about the past couple of valedictorian speeches. I decided to try and give him a break this year. When I asked my brother for some help, the only advice he gave me was “don’t screw up.” I want to start this speech by thanking this class that I have spent that past four years with. Coming from Crescent City, I did not know many of you. I was so scared on my first day of band camp because I thought I would be a small fish in a huge sea of flesh eating piranha. I remember someone approaching me on that first day and asking “Are you Dillon Carley’s Brother?” I thought to myself, now how should I answer this? I finally said yes, and they said “Oh, you must be the better looking one!” I remember this moment because all that time of stress and nerves was finally put to rest. I did not feel like an outsider and was welcomed into my new Watseka class. Our class is filled with people that care about one another, something I find myself extremely lucky to be a part of. I’m not saying that we were all shooting rainbows one hundred percent of the time, but we have always stuck together in the end. So I thank you all for creating a supportive team that has helped us get to where we are today. However, we certainly did not get here without help from outside sources. Each and every teacher throughout our elementary and high school years has given lessons to take with us. No, their goal was not to destroy our weekend plans without a purpose. Their goal was to give us the tools we need to reach our many aspirations in life, whether they may be college, army, or workforce related. I have found that in order to reach any goal, there are three essential qualities that you must embody. The first of these qualities is hard
work. How many times have we had this over-used term preached to us? Think about when we have studied and studied for that upcoming test, just to walk out of the class thinking “bombed that one,”? We have all seen hard work fail before, but you must be persistent. If you try our hardest in every opportunity that presents itself. your triumphs will overpower your failures on a grand scale. someone that is very near to me and that has influenced my life said something that I have held with me throughout my high school career. He said “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Now that we are one step closer to the recipe for success, I find it important to say that no quality can stand alone without the others following closely behind. Hard work loses meaning in the real world without the next essential quality: kindness. I have been told on numerous occasions that you cannot be best friends with everyone. This is one of the truest lessons I have learned. This fact, however, is by no means an excuse yo stop being kind whenever possible. Using my previous band camp example, I could not tell you what that person was wearing, what they looked like or who their friends were, because all that mattered was their kindness. You never know when someone could use a small act of kindness. Although it may seem minor, it could mean the world to someone else. The third and final quality, most often the hardest to obtain, is passion. Finding what you love is often very difficult because there is usually not a roadmap, which may be a good thing in my case because I am awful with directions. Hard work, one of our previous qualities, is often required to find what you love. Steve Jobs once said “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” The only change iI would make to this statement is the word work, because when you find what you love, its not work, it’s your passion. Once you find your passion, you ultimately have happiness. So, thank you all for a wonderful past four years and I wish that you are all able to find your passions after high school and have happiness in your future endeavors. Thank you.
MCKENSIE HAGEN
CODY CARLEY
McKensie Hagen Salutatorian Speech Good evening everyone. My name is McKensie Hagen and I am the Salutatorian for the Class of 2016. As many of you may know, I am an avid reader. While many of my classmates probably disagree, especially knowing how much they loathe AR, I consider reading a vital part of life. Life is like a book, and this date marks an important and meaningful closing of one of the chapters of our lives, and the beginning of another. What feels like the end is often the beginning and this new chapter we are starting, whether it be college, the workforce, or the military is a new, fresh beginning to the rest of our lives. High school is not supposed to be the main part of your story. It is simply the rising action in our plot, and the time for major character development, both internally and externally. The past four years have shaped each of us into who were are today, from walking on the wrong side of the hallway as freshman, to suffering from crippling senioritis these final months of high school. Our teachers, friends and family are the supporting characters in this chapter, and were a vital part in discovering who we are and the daunting task of figuring out what
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exactly we want to do with the rest of our lives. Since I am the type of person who always needs a plan, I knew what my next step after high school was and found what I am passionate about. Those of you who may not know yet, do not worry. It has always seemed a bit ridiculous to me that 17 and 18 year olds are required to have the rest of their lives planned out by the time they graduate. Once senior year hits, all adults ask questions about is the future. If I had a dollar for every time I was asked: “Where are you going to school?” or “What are you studying next year?”, I would have college paid for already! Everyone is in such a hurry to grow up, but don’t forget to enjoy being young. Relish in your selfies. Snapchat pictures of your food to your friends. Shamelessly love our generation’s commodities, exactly how our parents loved their commodities like disco or hammer pants or whatever else was cool in the 80’s. Do not let adults and the rush to grow up take away your chance to experience the uniqueness of right now. This next chapter will be filled with exciting new adventures and experiences, but the memories made in high school will stick with you forever. So wherever this new chapter takes you, don’t be scared to thumb back through previous chapters to reminisce about the friends you made, the memories you created, the accomplishments or even the mistakes, because they are what got you to where you are today. Thank you!
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Central High School Brooke Schafer Valedictorian Speech Hi. I’d like to start by thanking everyone who has made this possible for us- Mr. Shaner, Mr. Burke, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Krones, all of the teachers and staff, our families, and the community. Personally, I’d also like to thank my friends, brother, and parents for always supporting me. And mom, thank you for explaining science to me when I was lost and making sure I understood it. Many of us in this class have been together since kindergarten, with some additions along the way. We’ve had good and bad times as we’ve grown and changed, realizing our passions and strengths, but also our weaknesses. Now, 13 years later here we are. After today, we won’t be seeing each other everyday, confined to the same 70 classmates we have known for most of our lives. While some of us have created some great friendships that will last for years after we leave Central High School, there will be so many more people that we will meet and learn from as we take our next steps into the world. We will be taking those steps into the real world where we won’t have to raise our hand to go to the restroom, have our hand held through life like little Johnny and little Susie in Mrs. Swigert’s stories, or wait for the verbal to leave a classroom. We will have the ability to make our own paths and choose what we will bring to the world. Now, I’m not going to feed you the graduation cliche of how we have our whole lives in front of us and that we can all change the world. Honestly, it’s not realistic to say each one of us is going to change the world. While I am an optimistic person, sometimes so optimistic that it gets on my brother’s nerves, I am not going to try to sell that one. There is one part of the cliche that is true however. We do have our whole lives ahead of us. Contrary to what many teenagers seem to believe, how you are in high school will not determine your whole life. It is no longer up to our parents and teachers to guide us step by step through life; we can look to them, but ultimately it is on us. While we all will not change the whole worldand that is okay- we can choose to make our own lives great. It is up to you to work hard and to choose to be a good friend, coworker, citizen, and role model. You can choose how you live your life, whether you want to spend it here, in a city, or isolated in a forest. Whether you want to be a farmer, a lawyer, a nurse, firefighter, or teacher. It is up to you. So don’t leave here focusing on on how great, or terrible high school was for you. Leave here knowing that your are only about 18 years old and have a long life left. Spend it how you want to live and in a manner that you will be proud of. We can’t all change the world, but we can all choose to change our lives to how we want to live them. Thank you and congratulations Class of 2016– we did it!
BROOKE SCHAFER
The 2016 salutatorian for Central High School is Luke Vaughn. The salutatorian at Central High School does not give a speech at its graduation ceremony.
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Cissna Park High School
Samantha Hasselbring Valedictorian Speech
When I sat down and started to write this speech, I had no clue where to start. I couldn’t put on paper how I felt. And when I didn’t know what what to say, I turned to the only thing I knew could express my feelings better than myself, and that’s music. I’m going to play three songs that described my feelings for high school and don’t worry, I want to get out of this crowded gym as soon as possible too, so this will be short... (Sorry mom). “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Although this song is known for being a women empowering anthem, I’m going to make it apply to my high school career. Respect has played a big apart of my time at Cissna Park Schools. Not only were my classmates and I taught respect at a very young age, we were treated with respect by our teachers, administration, and peers. I would like to thank Cissna Park Schools for teaching us this valuable asset, for it will be in us for the rest of our lives and all of our future endeavors. “Shout” by the Isley Brothers. I think my classmates would agree with me that we have shouted a lot in high school. To sporting events, cheering on our friends on the court, to pep rallies and variety shows. On the other hand, we have been shouted at more times than we can count in the time span of high school. (Sorry parents, teachers and staff we did stupid stuff, but that’s what high school is about right?) I wouldn’t take back my horse strained vocal chords for anything, all that shouting created memories, and those memories I will hold dear for the rest of my life. “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge. Not only is this my mom’s favorite song, but it’s the perfect one to sum up my high school career. I have been blessed with 30 amazing classmates that I am proud to call my family. Most of them I’ve been with since the age of 5, we’ve watched each other love, fight, and go through that awful Jr. High phase. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for being my family, may your lives be full of happiness and love. Class of 2016, although our high school career has ended, I know your drive, passion, and work ethic will not. My final thought while leaving this gym is simple and is a well-known quote from a movie we’ve all watched. “Ohana means family, family means nobody is left behind or forgotten”, I will never forget my time with you all, my family. Thank you.
SAMANTHA HASSELBRING
Theresa Trask Salutatorian Speech
Lastly, I would like to show my own personal gratitude to my class. Thank you for putting up with me these past years, and for always being there for me in one way or another. Thank you for providing me with a second family, because that’s what we’ve become. I know that sometimes we don’t always get along, but what family does? I am so proud to Well, here we are, the class of 2016. I’ve been with this class, more or less, for fifteen years. Let me tell you, this class has done some stupid things in its time together. But we’ve have been a part of this class for all these years. It has helped build me into the person I am. You have all taught me just as much as the parents, the staff, and even the teachers. I also done some great things. And sometimes it’s a mixture of both. don’t know who I would be today if it weren’t for all of you. I will be forever grateful for For example, back in fifth grade my class organized what is quite possibly Cissna Park’s the experiences I have had with each of you, and I know that next year I am going to miss first, and last, lunch boycott. In fifth grade, my class spontaneously decided that we no every single one of you terribly. Yet while I am sad to say goodbye, I am so proud of what longer liked the school lunches, and we weren’t going to put up with the cruel and unusual each of you has and will accomplish, and I just want to say thank you for giving me these punishment of having to sit and eat them. So we took a stand. For weeks we schemed and planned until the day arrived. When we got to school that morning and our respective teach- past fifteen years. Thank you for the past, now, here’s to the future. ers took lunch account, we all kindly declined. Every single fifth grader that day brought their lunch, or was sharing with a classmate. We were all pretty impressed with ourselves that day at lunch, and looking back on it I’d say it was pretty impressive if you know how hard it is to get a fifth grader to remember something like bringing their lunch, let alone thirty of them. Anyways, the next day we went back to eating school lunches like normal, but we were perfectly content knowing we had stood up for ourselves and made a statement. Now, the moral of this story is not that school lunches are gross and not to eat them. In fact, after seeing other school’s lunches I’d say we’ve been spoiled here and I know each of us is thankful for that now. the point of telling this story was so each of you could get a glimpse of what this class is like. This class is something special. We are just the right balance of rowdiness, independence, kindness, initiative, and so many other adjectives. For all of these reasons and more I know that this class is going to do great things. I cannot wait to see what each of these individuals is going to do in life in these coming years because I know that every single one of them is going to do something incredible. However, we’d never have gotten to where we are now without a little help. We owe a huge thank you to all of the parents, the staff, and most importantly, the teachers. So, to the parents: Thank you for always putting up with our whining, complaining, and let’s not forget our sass. You have helped us through a multitude of teenage nightmares from English projects to relationship problems and everything in between. You have always encouraged and supported us, even if that meant driving us to five a.m. practices or sitting through our music concerts all these years. You have always been there for us, and not just for your own child, but for all of us. We have all been able to count on so many of the parents here tonight time and again. So thank you to the parents for everything you do for us, not because you have to, but because you want to. To the staff: Thank you for every little thing that you have done for us growing up, because we know it’s a lot. The term “staff” is a broad word and concerns so many people. It includes the cooks, the bus drivers, the custodians, and so many others that I wish I had time to mention. So thank you to all of those listed and more for all that you do. Thank you for doing it with the love, the passion, and the patience that you give to us. Thank you for taking us under your wing, befriending us, and teaching us in ways we wouldn’t expect. Teaching us to be kind to others, that it’s okay to be silly, to take interest in other people’s feelings. I have learned all of these things and more from the staff that lies in the halls of this school. So thank you. To the teachers: Thank you for going above and beyond with your jobs. Thank you for teaching us and holding us accountable as expected, but also thank you for going the extra mile to make sure we understood. You have been great role models and mentors for us as we went through what seemed like one of the most confusing and trying times of our lives. Thank you for always steering us down the right path, and for helping us find our way back when we go down the wrong path. You made learning fun, and showed us that school isn’t all that bad. Thank you for showing us that we really can do THERESA TRASK it, and for getting us to where we are today.
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