A range of emotions for 2020 Hot Springs graduates

Hot Springs High School made the most of its outdoor graduation ceremony Sunday, May 24.

Held on the football field to accommodate social distancing guidelines, the grads, friends and family members were treated to a comfortable, sunny day.

There was a bittersweet element to the day with a balloon release in memory of Hot Springs’ Harlee Salmi, the six-year-old girl who had recently passed away from a rare form a brain cancer.

Emotions also ran high when students presented their parents with a white rose as a thank you for everything they had done for the respective graduates.

Jenny Scrivner was the class valedictorian while sisters Sage and Sydney Jackson shared salutatorian honors.

Former Savage Heat athletic standout and current history and physical education teacher Andrew Leichtnam was the guest speaker and offered his many memories of the class.

Savage Heat students also did well in earning scholarships. Nine received some type of scholarship to help them further their academic studies.

Scrivner, who plans to complete basic training and advanced individual training for the National Guard before attending Missoula College to become a paramedic, received more than $7,500 in scholarships.

Sydney Jackson is planning on attending Montana State to become a nurse, earned more than $9,000. Sage Jackson is also planning on attending MSU to study animal science, earned more than $7,000.

Laci Ann Lien earned more than $9,000 in scholarships while Brianna Lee Gray had more than $7,000.