Montezuma-Cortez High Schoolbid farewell to 110 graduates on Thursday night during its 2012 commencement ceremonies.
With the stands at Panther Stadium filled to capacity, Senior Class President Christian Chupp gave special thanks to parents, other family members and friends for supporting the graduates throughout their careers in school.
Chupp said for the parents who dreaded the day they would have to say goodbye to their baby they should realize the graduates would not have been graduating Thursday night without their support, so they should take pride in that.
For my class, I enjoyed growing up with you, he said and called the 2012 graduating class the greatest one that ever lived.
Valedictorian Megan Curtis told fellow graduates about a trip of a lifetime she took last year with two of her best friends when the three traveled to Phoenix to see the Backstreet Boys in concert.
Her idea behind the story was to tell the graduates to be happy and to enjoy life.
Before the concert, the three went to a salon where one of the workers there piled on mascara and lipstick that made the three look like drag queens.
The three then traveled to the stadium with their hand-made shirts that had some of the lyrics of the group they had traveled more than 400 miles to see.
After finding their seats far in the back, and sitting through two lackluster warm up acts, Sting took the stage where everyone, including the older crowd started screaming with the Backstreet Boys in back of Sting for the joint concert.
I cant tell you how massive that night was, she said.
Curtis talked about the fun they had that night.
It was so intoxicating. If I could be one half that happy I would have a happy life, she said. If you laugh once every day in your life you will be successful.
She said it doesnt matter what their future professions are as long as they enjoy life and are happy.
And she then thanked the teachers for their hard work.
None of us would be here without our teachers. We are so lucky, Curtis said. Congratulations Class of 2012. I know its a cliché, but we did it.
Salutatorian Freeland Wegner walked the graduates through their entire careers in education that started in elementary school where lifelong friends were met to high school where students started to fend for themselves.
He said the 2012 class was unique in one way because they had to endure four different schedules in four years.
It taught us to adapt, he said, adding that the high school gave graduates the tools to accomplish their next goals.
We will remember what made us who we are today, Wegner said.
Guest speaker and current Cortez Middle School Assistant Principal Justin OConnor said he had known most of the 2012 graduates since they were in sixth grade and told them about his familys journey when he and his wife decided to teach abroad.
He and his wife eventually settled on two final schools with Seoul, South Korea being their top choice. The problem was this school could not guarantee them a contract, but the two decided to hold out for the brass ring and was fortunate to be awarded contracts to teach in South Korea.
The moral of the story, he said, was to never settle because each graduate will have a multitude of choices to make in life.
Each one of you will take a different road in life, OConnor said and told the graduates to follow their hearts and intuition.
Never set limitations on yourself. Trust me, people will do that for you, he said, and told them to remember to thank the people who helped them on their journey.
School Board President Tim Lanier, who alternated handing out the high school diplomas with Re-1 school board member Diane Fox, congratulated the class of 2012.
We are proud of you. Its been a tough year, Lanier said. Good luck in the future. We acknowledge your work. We acknowledge your graduation.
Melanie Rime, senior class sponsor, said it was a pleasure to watch the students grow during the last four years.
We are confident you will soar and reach great heights, she said. OK, you can turn your tassels.
The top 20 awards were given to Christopher Aiken, Kyle Baacke, Krystal Brown, Stephen Candelaria, Mackenzie Carter, Amanda Chappell, Christian Chupp, Reana Conklin, Megan Curtis, Christina Eiland, Tanner Elliott, Sarah Lewis, Baylee Lindsley, Joshua Maes, Devynn Nutt, Arlina OCamb, Destry Smith, Victoria Stanley, Jay Rainer and Freeland Wegner.
After the ceremony, several students spoke about their next step in life and their thoughts on the night.
Mackenzie Carter said he is ready for the next step in his life, as he has been awarded a full-ride scholarship to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. before moving on to the armed forces.
Hayden Cook said graduation was an eye opener, and added this part of his life is over, but it is just the beginning. He will attend Utah Valley University on a music scholarship.
Wegner said it was nice to share this experience with his friends and family.
Ivette Jimenez said graduation meant a little more to her because she is now the first member of her family to graduate from high school and now plans to enroll at Mesa State College.
Tanisha Price said she was real excited and now plans on getting a job for the summer and fall before going to college.
Reach Michael Maresh at michaelm@cortezjournal.com
