Thompson Falls seniors graduate

THOMPSON FALLS – Proud seniors walked into the gym at the Thompson Falls High School in front of a packed audience to showcase the end of an important chapter in their lives and the start of a new one.

Graduation day was finally here for the 53 graduates of Thompson Falls. With the gym decked out in the school’s colors, the band kicked off the event with a musical selection directed by Rebecca Haag.

Senior Class President and Salutatorian Allison Vaught welcomed the crowd that gathered, introducing Principal Jason Slater to the stand.

As Slater took the podium, he introduced Valedictorian Rehanna Nash-Burwell to the stage to present her speech.

Nash-Burwell began her speech by talking about how the class survived high school, what they learned and how their high school experience has helped them.

“We survived high school with energy drinks, all-nighters, sleeping in class, doing homework five minutes before it was due, and by getting those talkative teachers off topic,” said Nash-Burwell. “We mastered the art of deception and distraction and used it to our advantage so we could make up for the laziness and late night texting or video games of the night before.”

Her clever and humorous entrance translated into what the kids have learned, stressing that No Shave November was a serious holiday.

“But how we survived and what we learned isn’t as important as what we have,” said Nash-Burwell, entering onto a serious note. “What we have here is the support of family, friends, teachers, and a community that is behind us 100 percent.”

As she went into the details of how family, friends, teachers, and the community helped shape the students into who they are today, she stated the “most important thing we have here is you,” said Nash-Burwell speaking to the community that filled the gymnasium.

“Whether we’ve attended school here since kindergarten or just for high school, the support of the community has been unwavering,” said Nash-Burwell.

Nash-Burwell encouraged her fellow students to follow their dreams and pursue whatever it is that makes them happy.

“Get up when you fall, and stay strong when you make a mistake. Life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being you,” said Nash-Burwell.

After the valedictorian speech, Vaught took the stage once again to give her salutatorian address.

Once again the community was thanked for the attendance, helping the students close the lengthy chapter they have just finished.

“We are here at the realization of a goal that many of us have been working most of our lives to achieve,” said Vaught. “As we sit here today, together as one class, the moment is both joyous and bittersweet.”

Vaught stressed to the class to cherish the last few hours they have together because for many, this will be goodbye.

“From the beginning of school till now, we have made unexpected friendships and grown away from ones we thought would last a lifetime, have faced obstacles that threatened to crush us, laughed until we cried, become professional procrastinators, overslept, under slept, and then stayed up all night just to do it again,” said Vaught. “These obstacles have only prepared us for the long journey ahead.

Vaught encouraged her fellow classmates to pursue what makes them, keeping their heads up for this next chapter that is about to commence.

“We must stand strong, be strong, and remember that as long as we have these great memories, we can go anywhere and stand for everything – because as a great man once said, you can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore,” said Vaught.

Once Vaught congratulated her class once again, Glenn Garrison stepped up for the commencement address.

Garrison hoped the young adults graduating today would take some meaning from the words he was about to speak, thanking them for coming.

Garrison began to deliver what he called “guided thoughts” that might come in handy.

“Be imaginative, keep learning and stay young. Be kind to others. Know courage and how to use it to manage fear. Learn from history….know when to speak and know when to listen and…do the right thing,” said Garrison. Garrison dove into the meaning of each of these guided thoughts, elaborating on each one specifically and relating it to the soon-to-be graduate’s journeys and a few famous Americans Garrison respects.

Once Garrison finished his speech, Jodi Morgan awarded scholarships to the students. Overall, the 2013 graduating class earned $944,988 in scholarships.

The senior video then played providing laughs to the audience as they were shown baby pictures of the seniors and their graduating pictures, depicting their life transformations that occurred during their many years of schooling.

The diplomas were handed out to the graduating seniors and as the class was presented to the audience for the last time, caps flew through the air as shouts of joy could be heard from the excited friends and family in the crowd.