The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

West Central Holds Class of 2024 Graduation On Mothers Day

By: Dessa Rodeffer,Quill Publisher-Owner

Thirty-seven of the 38 West Central graduates took their final walk as high school students at West Central School District to accept their graduation diplomas and to say their farewells to teachers, students, classmates and administration as they celebrate a major milestone in their lives.

Shelby Bowman again was in the spotlight, but this time it was not for sports, but in academics.

Shelby was given top honors as she was named Valedictorian and Samantha Meyer was named the Salutatorian of the graduating class of 2024.

Dayne Gittings, President of the Student Councl and Mallie Rodeffer, President of Class of 2024, each gave their Senior Address.

West Central Class of 2024 Valedictorian Address

by Shelby Bowman

It is an honor to be standing before you today as the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2024. I’d like to welcome everyone in attendance and thank you all for coming and being a part of this memorable occasion. Just four short years ago, we began our high school journey, ready and willing to accept the challenges that lied ahead of us. We knew this was the beginning of a period in our lives that would bring with it many new people, places, and experiences. But what we didn’t know as we approached this new and intriguing environment, was that we were about to open the doors of opportunity. All of us faced many challenges and decisions throughout these four years. Each and every one put us on a different course and down a new road in our lives. We were faced with many opportunities throughout high school, but most importantly and above all, each and every one of us had, and will always have the opportunity to travel down the road of success.

But what is success? Webster simply defines success as the achievement of something attempted. It sounds so elementary, yet we make it so complicated. Success is always within our reach. The secret is you must first define your goals and destination that you want to reach in life. In order to achieve those goals, you must be willing to pay the price, and that is simply a little hard work. It is amazing what we can accomplish by working diligently toward our future goals, but you must never give up on your quest for success. You must also have the courage to accept failure, yet continue striving toward your goals. It was once said “If you think you have achieved all of your goals, it is time to raise your standards and reach for higher plateaus”.

I believe that for one to prosper in life, they must possess three golden characteristics, desire, dedication, and determination. If we take these three characteristics and apply them to our goals, our accomplishments will be unlimited. In order to achieve any goal, we must first have a desire to make them happen. We must be willing to work through all of the obstacles and accept all of the challenges along the path to success. In order to overcome the adversity we may be faced with, we must utilize the second characteristic, dedication. To achieve any desire, a few sacrifices may have to be made. You must be willing to go the extra mile. If you are truly dedicated to success, you will rarely fall short of your aspirations. The last of the three characteristics is the hardest to achieve. It is what keeps us going when others would simply quit, and that is determination. If we are determined to succeed, we will be able to tum weakness into strength, obstacles into stepping stones, and disaster into triumph. Rocky Bliar, former Pittsburgh Steeler, once stated “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the one who wins is the one who thinks he can”. Desire, Dedication, and Determination. Do you possess these three golden characteristics or do you expect your dreams to just happen? Richard Bach puts it best when he said “You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it come true”.

Class of 2024, we have all been given the tools to succeed, it is up to us on how we use them. I know that each and every one of us is capable of accomplishing great things. As we close this chapter and embark on the next, let us always remember the values and lessons we have learned throughout our time here. Many of those lessons have taught us the importance of hard work and dedication, and helped shape us into who we are today. Always remember to stay true to yourself and never lose sight of your dreams. Thank you class of 2024, for the lifelong memories and friendships you have given me throughout my time here. And as Taylor Swift once sang “This was the very first page, not where the storyline ends”.

West Central Class of 2024 Salutatorian Address

by Samantha Meyer

When I was writing this speech, the only thing I could think was: this is going to be a disaster. I’ve never been a people person and I’ve also never had to read a speech in front of a crowd larger than 20. But I realized that I did have a few things worth standing up here and stuttering a couple times to share. I can definitely say the nerves are stirring and I feel a tad bit nauseous, so I am going to keep it short and sweet.

To start off my speech and to calm my churning stomach, I would like to mention my favorite subject, math. It has always had a sentimental reminder of my Grandma, Barb, who was the reason I fell in love with math. Which is helpful because I want to pursue a higher math education. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite, but we were fortunate enough to have a variety of perspectives and influences in the math department. We’ve had Mrs. Seitz, who made sure you knew every detail you needed, even when it took me two weeks to memorize SOHCAHTOA. We’ve had a teacher who was better than Michael Jordan and who could bench three hundred sixty five pounds, no shame Coach. And we’ve had Holloran, the math teacher who never ran out of math or dad jokes. Through them all, I have learned plenty of math and will be able to continue my career as an Engineer, but have also made many memories along the way.

As much as I’d like to say I have a favorite teacher, I don’t, but I do have a special memory with every teacher in this building. I have yelled at Parcel for calling me Sammy, even though I know it’s just for fun. I could always count on Boyle to make me laugh about any random detail. I have spilled every feeling I have ever had to Mrs. Biggs. I have asked Ms. Adams for the most absurd advice. Coach Arnold held me to high expectations, but always helped me, and everyone else, exceed them. Mr. Fleming has vacuum sealed all of our bodies in a trash bag, but don’t worry it was just for an experiment. And then there was Holloran, the only teacher who made me question why the menu said “with bun.” I know I have been a complete teenager to all of them, but in the end, I have learned a lot from all of them and I will miss having them by my side

everyday. As much as I give my teachers credit, they weren’t the only ones who have helped me thrive through this year.

And that’s because of the people who sit in front of me still waiting to switch their tassel. We have learned way too much from each other. We have learned how to make each other laugh, cry, and how to be all out relentless in four square. From my best friends to the people I simply passed in the halls, you all have been a blast to hang out with these past four years and I will never forget the memories we have all made together.

I would like to give one last thank you before I fulfill my short and sweet vow from the beginning. They’ve never said no to a “hey I need to talk” at four in the morning, they’ve never said no to my dreams, and they’ve never expected anything less from me than where I am now. And they have always put me first and I’d like to say they raised a strong independent woman, but I still have plenty to learn and plenty of footsteps to follow. Mom and Dad, you two have been the biggest role models for my sisters and I, and I’m beyond privileged to be your daughter.

No matter how much life throws us for a loop, no problem is too big to overcome, because in the wise words of Coach Arnold, “some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you.”