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Graduates begin new chapter; Youngsters look back to their start as Tigers
In the end, they started to think about the beginning.
"Look back to 2008, the beginning of our freshman year," Student Council President Bryce Hinde said to her fellow graduates on Saturday. "This marked the beginning chapter ... that seemed to have an urgency about it. After all, we only had 1,460 days left to make our mark at Fort Scott High School. I know I'm not alone when I say four years ago seemed like just yesterday."
Hinde talked about first experiences and impressions when she addressed her classmates and audience members at the Fort Scott High School commencement ceremony Saturday night at Frary Field.
Under cloudy skies and warm temperatures, Superintendent Rick Werling told graduates "it's no accident" that they were sitting on the field in commencement regalia.
"You're the ones who paid attention," Werling said. " ... completed assignments and took the tests. It's because of your hard work and effort that you're here. This is a great evening and it's all about you."
Some 105 students -- one of the smallest classes in recent years -- listened to their administrators and class speakers while reflecting their four years at FSHS.
"Our time in high school has gone by so fast, yet it represented a significant part of our dash molding us into what we are today and what we stand for," Hinde said in her speech.
Hinde said she's learned to not underestimate herself, to "never settle for less" and always be willing to take on a challenge because "you never know when it will end."
"Two perfect examples of this were our two fellow classmates and friends P.J. (Self) and Parker (McKenney)," Hinde said. "Losing classmates at such a young age has made us all realize how precious and fragile life truly is. I know if these girls were sitting with us today I'm sure they would tell us not to hold back and take a challenge head on. Now's our time to."
Both student speakers talked about their high school memories as those of the collective group, not just their own.
"Our class has had a unique experience in our time here," Senior Class President Mallory Shelton said. "Two empty seats among us ... learning to adapt to our life without them when we were still so young was maybe the hardest thing we've had to do together. But that's the key word, together. Our lessons brought us so much closer."
FSHS Principal Bob Beckham said the class of 2012 was very close.
"They were close, well behaved, (a) very good class overall," Beckham said Monday. "I just thought it was a fantastic evening with tremendous community support. This was a very good class."
Shelton said it was the life lessons she acquired during her time as a Tiger that meant the most.
"Some days what we learned was in a textbook, but more often than not we learned lessons greater than what others will see on our transcript," she said Saturday, "lessons that the Fort Scott High School senior class of 2012 had to learn together."
In a unique closing, both Shelton and Hinde recited a rap written by classmate and senior Kirk Durnal.
"We'll miss many other things, too many to mention.
The world is ending, but you wish we could stay,
Yeah it all ends with us, but it shouldn't be any other way.
So the time has finally come to let out a shout, let out a whistle.
Congrats 2012 K.A.D. official."