H-BR graduates ready to face future

JEFF KRAGE/FOR THE DAILY-CHRONICLE Hinckley graduate Briana Rompf (center) looks up briefly while talking with Sarah Rooney (left) and Brittany Riforgiate in the library before the start of Sunday's graduation ceremonies. Hinckley 5/31/09

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

HINCKLEY – As he finished his final days of high school, Peter Groch found himself becoming nostalgic.

But as he remembered the good times with his 61 classmates in the Hinckley-Big Rock Class of 2009, he said also looked toward the future with optimism.

"I think we are ready, not necessarily ready to be done with high school, but we are ready to establish ourselves as individuals," Groch said during the welcome address during H-BR's 51st commencement ceremony Sunday afternoon.

"Any road you choose to go down is the right one," agreed Class Salutatorian Mark Klein during his speech. "Success is what we want it to be."

Sunday's ceremony was held in the high school gymnasium, which was filled with family and friends of the graduating students. The ceremony includes music by the high school band, and the high school chorus sang "In My Dreams," a song by Sally Albrecht and Jay Althouse that speaks of the potential students have to change the future.

Class Valedictorian Christopher Stola said the two words he had focused on while writing his speech were "unity" and "individually," two words that don't seem to have much in common.

But he argued that the Class of 2009 is made up of "strong individuals" that created a unique unity as they grew up together, supporting each other through tough times and celebrating accomplishments.

Faculty speaker Paul Taeuber urged the students to not let letters and numbers – their grades and grade point averages – be what defines them. What they do with the knowledge they've gained during high school, he said, is what is important, not what letter grade the received.

"Grades are great ... but they will never help you find out who you are," he said. "Make the most of you life and live your life with honors."