PHOTOS: Plains High School celebrates graduation day
Plains High School's Class of 2023 valedictorian Kaylie Peele. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Salutatorian Ezibelle Crabb speaks at the Plains High School graduation ceremony. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Oceanrose Hyde receives her diploma during Plains High School's commencement ceremony. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
People stroll through the Columbia Falls Community Market on May 18. The Coop is in the background. (Chris Peterson/Hungry Horse News)
Plains graduate Mason Elliott shows off his diploma. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Plains teacher George Sherwood addresses graduates at the commencement ceremony. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Lillian MacDonald beams with excitement during the Plains High School graduation ceremony. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Plains graduate Levi Blood celebrates graduation. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Plains graduate Izibelle Crabb shows off her diploma. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Plains graduate Faith McGonagle leads the Pledge of Allegiance at the commencement ceremony. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Over 300 parents, relatives and friends spent Sunday afternoon sharing the next major step in the lives of 23 graduating seniors from the Plains High School.
Cheers from the audience welcomed the students as they marched into the room to take their seats near the stage. Student Faith McGonagle led the Pledge of Allegiance with school Superintendent Thom Chisholm introducing the speakers. It was Chisholm's last commencement address as he is retiring the end of June to start a new business near Bull Lake called 406 Cedars.
The first speaker, and his first time speaking during a graduation ceremony, was Plains teacher George Sherwood. He shared many inspirational thoughts with the students with many being humorous about past student interactions and many thoughtful quotes.
He said, “Nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take a risk. We all are capable of success and if you fall, fall forward.”
In years past, Chisholm recognized those students that had military aspirations in their future. This year, no students had the military in their future. Chisholm chose to have each veteran in the audience stand and be recognized.
Salutatorian Izabelle Crabb and valedictorian Kaylie Peele each took time to address the audience.
Awards were passed out and the presentation of diplomas were presented to each graduate by Ellen Childress. This year’s scholarships given out to the students amounted to $52,366.
The graduating class members were Piper Bergstrom, Levi Blood, Kallen Burrows, Kaedance Ciferri, Destiny Cheuvronl, Izibelle Crabb, Mason Elliott, Shylah Flynn, Gunnar Gannarelli, Lindsey Harris, Oceanrose Hyde, Montana Killgore, Felicia Loeher, Lillian MacDonald, Faith McGonagle, Kassidy O’Keefe, Kaylie Peele, Aaron Pfister, Joseph Pullen, Brady Schrenk, Carlie Wagoner, Jayden Weeks and Lillian Wells.
