La Plata High School Class of 2013’s commencement on Tuesday, June 4 consisted of 354 graduates realizing the efforts of their high school years. Those efforts include $9.9 million in scholarships awarded to students. Twenty-two students will be serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
In her opening comments Vice Principal Veronica Crawford encouraged the graduates to “accept the new challenges and responsibilities you will face with grace, dignity and true warrior spirit” and to remember the class motto: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” (Henry David Thoreau)
President of the Class of 2013 Sarah Cheney welcomed the graduates and shared a story about retired USAF Col. Gail Halvorsen who served in WWII as part of the airlift recovery mission in Germany. Halvorsen started a mission that became known as the “Candy Bombers” which began as a simple and selfless sharing of his candy with hungry children near his post in Germany. His effort grew from a local donation drive all the way back to the home front, where American children would prepare packages of candy tied to parachutes for the effort overseas. These actions had such a substantial impact on the post-war perception of Americans that similar efforts by the US Armed Forces continue today.
Halvorsen’s motto was: “Get outside yourself and influence the lives of many.” Halvorsen said, “You drop a rock into a pond and you can see the effects go on and on.” Reciting the charitable efforts of the 2013 Class, Cheney said, “We dropped our own rock into the waters of our community.” She encouraged the class to work hard and accomplish their goals so that they can improve the lives of others and to “do well to do good.” Cheney will be attending Brigham Young University.
The first of La Plata’s co-Salutatorians, John “Jake” Bayer, described his classmates as nothing if not resilient, remarking that they have seen their share of heartbreaks on the sports field, in the classrooms and at home. Reminding them that, “Each and every one of you has the ability to change the world around you and that’s our greatest gift as human beings,” Bayer went on to talk about making mistakes, big and small, and that the most important thing is to learn from them. Reflecting on everything they’ve been through he told his classmates to “be proud that you are strong and have overcome so much to be sitting here. The real world’s out there waiting.” He added, “You have the tools to be successful. Use them to create something wonderful.” Bayer plans to study political science at Clemson University in the fall.
The second class Salutatorian, Suzanne Cahn, reflected on the many things learned throughout the high school years, stating that, “We know more than we’ve ever known before.” Cahn emphasized relationships as the most valuable things, from friendships to family, who have given their unconditional love and support through these years. Cahn noted how they have united in spirit and bonded as a class and th
