The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Graduated Sixty Students May 19th
The traditional processional of "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edgar was played by the West Central High School Band on Sunday afternoon, bringing sixty seniors down the aisle to receive their high school diplomas finishing their final day as a West Central student.
The packed gymansium of families and friends were welcomed by West Central Seniors and Student Council members: Secretary Kaari Durr and Historian Corinne Booton with Corinne's speech as follows:
"Good afternoon family, friends, faculty and fellow classmates.
"It is an honor for us to welcome you to the West Central Class of 2019 Graduation Ceremony. First, would you join us in a word of prayer.
"This is a special day in the lives of the graduates. As they embark on the next chapter in their lives we pray that the same hand that has kept them thus far will continue to be in their lives.
"As we prepare to watch the graduates walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, we want to take a moment to thank you for keeping them safe and guiding them to this point.
"Lord, we pray that you touch them with wisdom to be able to handle the next stage of their lives, and to set them on a path of success. Amen
"Resistance is what leads to change. The things in life that have pushed against you have made you stronger.
"Our first experiences with resistance were rules and standards set by our parents for us to follow. We thank you for not always saying yes, but also for saying no.
"I also want to thank our teachers and staff for creating resistance by pushing us to learn more everyday and never giving up on us.
"To my classmates, our resistance was created by our competitive nature in the classrooms and on the court. All these things are what made us stronger.
"After graduation, we will go on our own new paths of resistance. Remember that the resistance you face will build your life.
"Congratulations to all our classmates, West Central's Class of 2019!"
After the National Anthem was performed by Senior Harrison Fisher, Mr. Jason Kirby, principal, introduced the seven school board members: Mrs. Jodi Arnold, President, Ms. Malinda Clark, Secretary, Mrs. Sarah Bigger, Mr. Steve Lumbeck, Mr. Mike Lenahan, Mr. Bryan Spence, and Mr. Brendan Schaley.
The Senior Class Officers Address was given by Senior Class President Danielle Rhinehart and Student Council President Jacob Keever as follows:
"To the Class of 2019, we are proud of all of you for coming this far. When people look back on the students of 2019, I can proudly say that we are strong, independent, and thriving students that West Central will never forget.
"Our class has been through ups and downs through the years, but when it comes to sporting events, we put our differences aside and show our heat spirit. Just look at the student section, for example.
"We were loud, helpful, and encouraging to our fellow classmates when we had a home game. Not many schools can compete with our level of commitment we have for our sports teams.
"We also broke the record our freshman year for the best hallway during homecoming. And winning powderpuff and power buff for our final year in school.
"Another example of our qualities is our communication with each other. Even though there are rough edges on some relationships we have with each other, we can put that past us when the time is needed.
"For example, think about when we created sandbags this past semester, people were in need, so we put aside our ego and showed up to help.
"But the most redeeming quality we have is our sense of humor. Rather that's creating memes of each other or teachers, like in middle school when we created the farmersonly.com meme with Mr. Helt and Mr. Nichols as the couple, to creating snapchat groups specifically for memeing each other.
"With this talent, it made us a more happy and sincere group because we knew how to make each other laugh and understand our boundaries if we pressed the envelope of roasting too hard.
"Even through all the roasting of the past and curtain years there is no denying that us, Class of 2019, are and always will be Mr. Kirby's favorite senior class of West Central High School.
"It helps that we were one of his first senior classes as a principal, but the memories he will hold of our class will stay with him for many years."
The West Central Choir performed "Pure Imagination" arranged by Jay Althouse.
After Academic Awards of Valedictorians - Molly Christine Parsons and Jenna Rose Robertson and the Salutatorian - Bradon Scott Annegers, recognition of the Top Ten Graduating Seniors was given:
Molly Christine Parsons
Jenna Rose Robertson
Bradon Scott Annegers
Kaari Rae Durr
Sloan Rae Fisher
Conner David Hill
Jacob Lyle Keever
Jason Ransom Strack
Aryanne Lorraine Westfall
Mr. Shane Tucker gave the Service Awards to those with over 300 hours of service as follows:
Payton Danielle Clark
Courtney Ann Cochran
Heidi Nicole Ford,
Brooke Peterson
Danielle Lynn Rhinehart
Dalton Matthew Spiker
Jessica Marie Spiker
Bradon Annegers gave his Salutatorian Address and Molly Parsons and Jenna Robertson gave their Valedictorian Address.
Then Mrs. Paula Markey, Superintendent presented the Class of 2019 to the Board of Education and Mr. Jason Kirby gave the roll call for each to receive their Certificate of Graduation.
Introduction of the graduating class and (Tassel Turn) was given by Heidi Ford- Senior Class Vice President and Conner Hill, Student Council Vice President.
The class tossed their hats before the West Central Band played the Recessional of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as graduates marched out to begin their celebrating.
Valedictorian Speech
Molly Parsons & Jenna Robertson
Molly and I became friends back in third grade in the library and have been inseparable for the past 10 years. We have been through everything together. From taylor swift dance parties and obsessing over littlest pet shops to driving back roads while singing Zander Hawley and annoying Conner at lunch. Now we're together on this stage as co-valedictorians, and we're so proud of each other to have accomplished this. We've kept each other on our toes, motivating each other not to fall behind and supported each other through the trials of high school. We have stressed plenty about A minuses and life after high school, but now we are here to say goodbye to those days.
We owe many thank yous to the staff at West Central.
To our almost 10 Spanish teachers, gracias for teaching us to persevere even when our situations changed.
To Mrs. Seibert, for challenging us, even when we didn't want to be at school.
To Mama O, even though we only had you for one year, you treated all of us like your own children.
To Coach Arnold for teaching us your lingo and and reading to us in your surprisingly gentle tone.
To Mr. Clifton for the endless compliments.
To Mrs. Singleton, we're so glad you introduced us to Carl Azuz.
To Mr. Hess for letting me keep score in four square. To Mr. Muegge for encouraging us through the struggle of grammar and usage.
To Mrs. Thompson, for letting me sit in your classroom for the past two years and inspiring me to be a teacher.
To Mrs. Mills for always challenging me when I needed it and letting me draw at her desk on occasion.
To Mrs. A, for being the sweetest human being we've ever met and never batting an eye when it comes to helping others out.
And of course, to Mr. Boyle, thank you for being our mentor through the good and the bad, and entertaining us with your endless jokes and stories.
To every other teacher we have had throughout our years: thank you for putting up with our wild class.
To the janitors, the lunch ladies, the aides, the office ladies, and everyone else who made our high school experience one to remember, we appreciate your time and care towards our class. You will not soon be forgotten.
We also owe thank yous to all of our families. Without you guys we wouldn't be here to walk across this stage today. You have been there for us from the endless support at sporting events, to rides to extracurricular activities, to listening to us stress about our grades, and everything in between. Even to the parents that aren't our own, thank you for being there when we need you. Our class will never forget the support you have shown to us all.
And to our family not by blood but of heart, Danielle and Hannah. These two have been our saving graces. From long talks, the four of us shoved into a car trying to sort out our lives, to their strange hilarity that is always eager to cheer us up. We appreciate you more than you will ever know.
To the class of 2019. Thank you for all of the laughs, good times, and even the stress over the past 13 years. You have taught us how to deal with difficult situations when we enter the real world. Although we don't always get along and we have had an abundant amount of drama, we are all here together for the same purpose. Our school career has most definitely had its ups and downs, but we are proud of how far we have gotten with the support of each other. All of us have worked hard to be able to walk across this stage today and we wouldn't want to experience this next step with anyone else.
If there's one thing this school has taught us, it's the importance of every interaction we have with one another. People, experiences, places, lessons, interactions, whatever it is, it has affected us in some way or another. Every decision made will relate to the next, even if in someone else's life. Seemingly insignificant decisions can affect someone's day. Had Molly not been in the library that day in third grade, I may not have had the confidence to approach her and become friends with her later in life. That small action of recommending a book to me, though it may seem silly, has given me a lifelong friend. As Coach taught us through The Five People You meet in Heaven, "Each affects the other and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one". As we go out into the real world, we need to remember to be a positive influence on the people we encounter, though we may never truly know the impact we make. The smallest acts of kindness, such as saying hi to someone in the hallway, go a long way. Stay kind and always act with grace.
We wish you all the best in this next step in your lives. Thank you, class of 2019.
Salutatorian Address
BRADON ANNEGERS
I want to start off by thanking all of the parents, teachers, administration, family and friends that are in attendance today. My name is Bradon Annegers although most of you might know me as Brandon or even most recently B.A. I have the privilege of standing here before you today as the Salutatorian of our class to deliver this speech. Some may wonder what the Salutatorian of a class really means? Salutatorian is an academic title given to the second-highest ranked graduate of the entire graduating class. Let me sum that up for you....second place. I may know a little something about coming in second place a time or two!
After over a decade of schooling we finally made it and it couldn't have been done without all of you. You have watched us grow from little kids to young men and women. You helped us on the first day of kindergarten, the first day of middle school and the first day of high school as well. When we walked into this school on the first day of freshman year, I doubt any of us realized how quickly it would go by. It seems like it was only yesterday we were the scared, little freshman walking through the halls. And today, we are in this school for the last time as students, the top dogs, the top of the food chain....well, maybe not all of that, but as seniors. The moment we leave this school today, we are no longer students of West Central, but graduates of West Central.
One of the most important abilities I've learned in my four years of high school is something I think every high school student has mastered at this point: The ability to procrastinate.
Whether it be writing a 5 page research paper the day it is due, writing a speech the day before it's due, or scribbling down the homework assignment you've had for a week, minutes before it's supposed to be turned in. Because, let's be honest, when a teacher says a paper is due in two weeks, who works on it until a couple days before it's due? While it might not be the most efficient method, it gave us time to spend time doing things like sports, band, chorus, FFA, drama club, speech, or just hanging out with friends. And that is what high school is all about, right? Making new friends, learning about yourself, and discovering what you want to do when you graduate.
And that leads me to the last thing I want to say. While graduation may be the end of our high school careers, it's just the beginning of the rest of our lives. The next chapter is just about to begin for us. New opportunities await, new friendships, new experiences, and let's not forget, new opportunities to "procrastinate"!
So, let's go out and make our mark! Congratulations class of 2019!