JACKSON COUNTY – 211 students walked across the stage at Northwest High School Thursday night to accept their diplomas and be celebrated as high school graduates.
The ceremony, which was held indoors due to cold weather, saw a packed gymnasium cheer on the graduates as their accomplishments were recognized.
Principal Scott Buchler addressed the class briefly, before handing the mic off to Student Council President Madison Dixon and her cousin, Vice President Blaine Anspaugh. Dixon borrowed the greeting ‘Better than good” from motivational speaker Keith Hawkins, whom she met recently at a conference at Northville High School.
“Hawkins told us that whenever he gets asked how he’s doing, he always responds ‘Better than good.’ Because he doesn’t want to focus on the negative, but rather what’s good in life,” she said. “Now, looking back on the memories I’ve made these past four years, I can proudly say my high school years were ‘Better than good.’”
The graduates then cheered on eight of their classmates – eight valedictorians and a salutatorian – each of whom delivered a short address. The speakers were Ethan Bailey, Alexis Barnett, Drew Clingerman, Jacob Haddad, Joshua Kraus, Melia Piloske, Kennedy Tapley, Annabelle Warner and Jaedyn Bartell.
History teacher Abby Tanner was chosen by the students as their guest speaker. Tanner drew on her experience leading courses covering everything from the history of American music to the Holocaust and genocide, reminding students to realize the highest potential in themselves.
“You are the sum of all your choices – and that should give you hope,” she said. “Even though we are all imperfect and make some bad choices, we can all do great things. Meaningful things.”
During her speech, Tanner signaled the Northwest High School Band, who played the refrain from Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” as she reminded students “Don’t worry about a thing.”
She tied her speech up with two requests, quoting U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
“There are two things I want you to make up your minds to,” she said, reading from Roosevelt’s address to a New York elementary school in 1898. “First, that you are going to have a good time as long as you live – I have no use for the somber-faced man. And next, that you are going to do something worthwhile. That you are going to work hard and do the things you set out to do.”
Each graduate was recognized by name as they walked across the stage, received their diploma, shook hands with faculty and were handed the class flower – a pink tulip – by Tanner.
The room echoed with the sound of Northwest’s fight song as graduates moved their tassels to the left and an audience of friends and family members cheered.
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