On Friday, May 15, at Jamestown School, 16 seniors and 22 eighth graders took the walk across the stage to graduate.
The eighth graders led off in the Processional played by the Jamestown School Band, followed by the graduating seniors in going to their seats at the front of the gym. The 16 members of the senior class kept a 17th seat, an empty seat, for their classmate Alex Imhoff, who died during their junior year.
Superintendent Ellen Ash welcomed everyone present, followed by a Kacey Clay's vocal rendition of "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack. Principal Matt McDannold presented Salutatorians Stephanie Birkmann and Trevor Barbour and Validictorian Haily Owens.
Salutatorian Birkman spoke of the time moving faster and faster as 2015 arrived and how the class members will look back at the good and bad times they have had as a class. She talked about her softball and basketball teammates as her second family. Now it is time to go ahead with more of life.
Salutatorian Barbour compared life to a deck of cards, 365 spots for the days of the year, four suits as four seasons and 52 cards for the weeks of the year. Spades, he said, represent digging through the challenges. Diamonds represent the students being diamonds in the rough. Clubs represent all of the club and organization the class members have been in and will be in. Hearts represent what people do in life.
Valedictorian Owens spoke of the good and bad times, and how the class grew closer together. "Get out there and don't be afraid to succeed," she said.
Sup. Ash introduced the speaker, Brian Bish, pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Church, Jamestown, saying that the class selected Bish as speaker. She listed the reasons given by the students for selecting Bish. Some of the reasons were ,"He is cool", "He is hip", "He invites us to his house for Wednesday Bible studies. She said the main reason was that he lives across the street and the class didn't have to pay mileage for him to be speaker.
After beginning with a joke, Bish said there are things that the students need to unlearn, one of which is "Life is about me."
He said it is with the best of intentions that young people are pushed in the direction of needing to work hard and get an education, because "the world is your oyster." The idea is that each person should seek happiness.
The problem with that is that people are happier if they will try to make other people happy instead of seeking their own happiness.
He mentioned a few things that people do to find happiness - video games, drinking with friends, shopping, etc. - all of which bring a good feeling for a while, but draw the person back to try to recreate the original good feeling.
Bish said that doesn't last long. The answer is different. "When you help someone else, the good feeling will last longer." That is borne out, Bish said, by studies done by Professor of Psychology Mark Snyder, University of Minnesota.
"Why does serving others make people happy," Bish asked. "Because there is a God who created the world - Trinity - Father - Son - Spirit. A love relationship, who created people and invites the people to love God, too. The Cross was just the capstone." He made reference to the insistence of the class in having the empty seat for their classmate and his family. It is a part of what the class does for others. "The more great things you do for other people, give your life for others, the more happiness you will have."
The Eighth Grade graduates were presented and awarded diplomas.
The National Honor Society members were presented, awards announced, the senior class presented and diplomas awarded to the Class of 2015.
"Drive" by Incubus was played, then "Be Like That" by 3 Doors Down served as background music for a display of photos of the class as "Senior memories" were displayed on a screen over the stage.
Class President Stephanie Birkmann came forward and directed the switching of tassels on the caps. The band, directed by Gretta Lieser, played a recessional as the new freshman class and the graduates left the gym.
The senior graduates are: Trevor Michael Barbour*, Stephanie Nicole Birkmann, Abigail Jewell Couch, Andrew Brady Couch, Hailey Regan Croy, Dezaree Jacklyn Curtis, Alexander Nathaniel Gerlach, Garrett Michael Johnson, Garrett Lee Jones, Evan William Knierim, Andrew Ralph Knott, Hailey Catherine Owens, Bryan Ray Reno, Albanie Elaine Rose Sapp, Prawee Sripornsawn and Jedidiah Brant Willouer. National Honor Society members = * Foreign exchange student from Thailand =
Eighth grade graduates are: Evan Matthew Croy, Ethan Dwayne Gerlach, Ross William Gerlach, Bret William Goff, Jarrett Ryan Gorman, McKenzie Morgn Hargis, Chiane Rose Harlan, Madison Lynette Heiland, Jayden Hunter Klund, Andrew Garrett Maslen, Courtney Lynn Matthews, Samantha Eileen Nivens, Joshua Dale Nott, Nicolas Christopher Perez, Alyssa Marie Reynolds, Blake Danielle Scholl, Dason Alexander Strange, Drew Douglas Strange, Blake James Street, Damion Alexander Street, Alexandria Morgan Watts and Trisha Michelle Webb.