My family left at noon for St. George. We met my mother's parents at the Temple Visitor's Center. My father's parents were already here and traveled with us. We went through the statue display that is completely amazing! Wow. If you haven't been, I highly encourage a trip to the Temple Visitor's center to see the statues.
After that, we traveled over to ye olde Olive Garden and had some most excellent comestibles (I just learned that word). In fact, I'm going to go have a left over breadstick immediately.
OK, I'm back.
So then it was time for graduation. We arrived at the Burns arena at roughly 3:30ish. It was a dreary day, but the weather's disparity with the elation floating in each of the seniors couldn't be greater.
I helped get the percussion ready for the two songs we were playing (A Pirates of the Caribbean medley and the William Tell overture). Then, I went and picked up my gold ropes for good grades and the National Honors Society cape thing. It was then just about time to line up. Jordan, Richard, and I were not allowed to walk in with our class, nor accompany anybody. We were honored, I guess, to walk in at the very beginning with Principal Hoyt, the School Board President, and other dignitaries.
The program proceeded as follows:
A Camber Choir piece called "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need"
The Pledge, led by McKay Butler, Student Body President
A Devotional/Prayer, led by Claire Chamberlain, the Seminary Vice President
The Introduction of the Salutatorian by Tia Beatty, Senior Class Secretary
Richard Wixom's remarks
The Pirates medley by the orchestra
Senior Class Officer Tyson Winder's introduction of Jordan and I
Jordan's and my combined speeches
The slideshow
A Salyce Scarth special presentation
The presentation, acceptation, and presentation of diplomas of and to graduates
The Turn Your Tassels/2008 Cheer and Hat Throw done by all of us Senior Class Officers
Overall it was a good length ceremony. Richard and Jordan both did fabulous jobs. Richard talked about how to be a star to others. Jordan recapped on some experiences and gave some great advice. Afterwords the slew of picture-wanting parents and friends we might not see again drew us into a constantly smiling photograph mode.
My speech went fairly well, I guess. At first I got up and said:
Good afternoon Principal Hoyt, administrators, faculty, families, and guests. To the class of 2008: Congratulations!
Jordan and I have been joking for a long time now that somebody would get up, introduce me, and then I would get up and for my speech introduce Jordan, and then he would take over. So – ladies and gentlemen: Jordan Hall.
I then sat down. You could hear an audible gasp come from the audience. When I sat down, Kirsten Helms leaned over to me and whispered, "are you for real?" in an amazed whisper. It was actually quite entertaining. Jordan got up and said his speech and then went to sit down, paused, returned to the microphone and told the audience he wasn't going to let me get away with that. He gave a few of my more humorous statements and then turned the time over to me. I got up and gave the rest of my speech. We had planned the whole thing from the beginning. After all, I decided, "It's me and Jordan, one of my best buds. Let's have some fun up here!" Besides, it's graduation! It was quite fun to be a part of and shock everybody like that.
Here is my whole Valedictorian speech from where I left off above:
It’s an absolute honor to be up here with Jordan and Richard, two of the greatest guys I know. They are a lot better than me. I can’t think of anyone better deserving of their numerous awards, including this one. I thank them for their example and friendship. I also thank the faculty and staff. Moreover – – – – you know you’ve been in English class for too many years when that slips out without even thinking about it – I thank my parents and my religion. Together they have at the same time both anchored and lifted me.
To begin I would like to share some memories that we have had together. Let’s begin with the faculty. They are the greatest, aren’t they? Learning mathematics from teachers like Mr. Esplin and Mrs. Kidd-Thomas allows us to plot the number of people that got Mr. Moore’s chemistry jokes on a nice graph and laugh at how it goes zero – zero – one – two – two – and then, all of sudden - twenty. Especially memorable is the librarians’ eagerness to open the doors of the library early on everyday but checkout day, when they look through the little windows at the massive crowd around the door and smile and wave, but make no move for the door. We have a great faculty and staff. I know that I particularly enjoyed the janitor’s clever announcement on free cleaning lessons during the summer to those interested in littering in the school.
Remember the good times and what our class has accomplished. Remember when Jared Behunin broke the school discus record and went on to take first in state. Remember when the girls attacked the high school with sidewalk chalk at Spirit week and the boys had an almost instant rebuttal. Remember when we buried Tyson in the sand at Senior Sunrise and Jake got stuck on the H at H day. Remember the procrastinators, those that would get up at four AM the day a five-page paper was due and have it done in time for school. I guess most of us are procrastinators – almost all of us have waited until the very last day of high school to graduate. I would tell you to stop procrastinating from experience, but…I won’t even mention when I wrote this speech. I’m doing well, though – I mentioned procrastination in the middle of the speech, not at the end.
At commencement our thoughts naturally turn to the future. Incidentally, it is these memories of the past, anecdotal and humorous though they may be, which link us to the future. The future is built upon the past. It is these past experiences that provide the framework for our current and future actions. Each experience tempers character like metal in a forge. Or like the construction of a golf ball. I learned this from my neighbor. Golf balls used to be smooth until it was discovered that the chinks or marks made in the ball made from hitting it would allow the ball to fly farther. So it is with us. Each experience molds our character and when applied appropriately helps us to fly farther and achieve greater heights. Let our experiences, and those of people gone before us, refresh our mind and help guide decisions for the future.
Stay loose. Don’t get so caught up in the system that you think you can’t do something you really want to do. Go for it anyway. We’ve seen in high school that the times we remember the most are those when something…unorthodox occurs. Unorthodoxy happens when we do not succumb to the unifying pressure placed upon us by fear. I am not advocating breaking rules or anything like that. Rather, take courage in pursuing your own dreams. Each of us has our own utopia. Define it and work for it. Seriously. Why shouldn’t that be our ultimate goal? Miraculous things can and will happen when you bend your will to accomplish something.
And remember that with the privilege of contentment, accomplishment and success comes an equally important obligation to perpetuate privilege for others. Success without service is like drawing interest on somebody else’s bank account. As part of that charge, may we always remember our alma mater, Hurricane High School, and give back to the school and community that sustained us.
We have an amazing class. I moved here a few years ago from Bountiful and so I could really see people’s character stand in sharp relief because I didn’t know anybody. You are great. I have seen deep compassion and kindness, acceptance, tolerance, a little mischievousness – especially when it comes to spirit week – and unity. These last few weeks have really shown how as a senior class we are all – well, most of us – friends. Despite our differences, we are one. We respect each other, know each other well, and have a bond. Look around. Smile at each other. 12 long years. We did it. Together. Once again, congratulations class of 2008!
