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Erin Bavery, Valedictorian in front of a packed house, told classmates to "Seize The Day." Referring to a movie they had watched in Mr. Whitaker's class called The Dead Poet Society, Erin said, "Some very bright students are given a teacher who turns their whole world around." He tells them to live their own lives and find their inner voice, and Erin's advice was not to waste time doing something you don't love. "Find your passions."
She went on to tell the advice Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple said to graduates. "Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma-which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice... have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."
Shelby Crawford, Salutatorian said she doesn't believe that high school is the best years of your life. Though memorable, Shelby said "There is so much more we are destined for." She advised classmates to take some of what they have learned and apply it to their lives. She listed a few of the lessons learned and advised classmates to keep on taking advice, there is still a lot to learn. "Don't be afraid to make mistakes," she advised. "We all need to go through those times that knock us down, just so we can learn to get back up. We learn from our mistakes and become better people." Shelby thanked the entire staff of West Central. "We sure couldn't have done it without you." And to her classmates she said, "I hope that like me, you have learned something about yourself during high school. We all helped each other along the way."
Class President Koleece Gaskill, in her graduation speech said there are a lot of things we graduate from in life but today "We graduate from being cradled and shaded from the realities ahead:We now must start what is called, life. It's what you do with your life after today that will either make life worth living or you'll wake up everyday dreading it. Don't settle for less." She ended by saying, "Try your hardest to over come obstacles and make the best of everything that is put in front of you from this day forward."
Jesse Sams, Student Council, gave a light-hearted talk predicting in fun what some of his friends would end up being from professional football players to a John Deere spokesman. On a more serious note he told classmates, "We CAN do anything we put our minds to. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. We are all going to go far in life. We have the determination to."
"Keep in touch with your classmates and thank everyone who has ever helped you.....life is what you make it, so I say make it the most fun, outrageous, awesome, most terrorizing, back roadin', life you can."
Wade O'Neal and Luci Lox Student Council representatives gave last words of a very long time attending school, 2,340 school days, and then the "turn your tassels".