PRAIRIE GROVE -- The weather was hot, humid, but sunny Saturday afternoon as graduating seniors, parents, grandparents, friends, school staff and the community gathered at Tiger Den football stadium for the annual Commencement ceremony to honor the Prairie Grove Class of 2015.
Prairie Grove's graduation ceremony was moved from 7:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to miss any potential bad weather. Storms did roll through the area but not until about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
The Commencement program listed 116 graduates and after a ceremony that included special music, a student speech and remarks from Principal Ron Bond and Allen Williams, superintendent of schools, the seniors lined up row by row, ready to accept their high school diplomas, move their tassels to the other side and celebrate by throwing their caps in the air.
"Class of 2015, I'm very proud of you," Bond told the students sitting in front of him on the football field.
Williams asked parents, teachers and the Prairie Grove School Board to stand, giving recognition to each group.
However, addressing the graduates, he said, "Seniors, you had help along the way but you're the ones who made it. You made it to the starting line for the rest of your lives."
Special music was provided by seniors Blake Weaver and Hunter Pierce, singing "Last Leaf" by OK GO. The lyrics of the song include: "If you should be the last autumn leaf hanging from the tree, I'll still be here waiting on the breeze to bring you down to me."
Rose Rojas shared the song, "I Lived" by One Republic, which talks about living life to the fullest.
The last special music was provided by senior Ethan Sam, playing the ukulele and singing "House of Gold" by Twenty One Pilots, a song sung by a mother to a son, asking "Son, when I grow old, Will you buy me a house of gold? And when your father turns to stone, will you take care of me?"
Graduating senior Taylor Spinks addressed her fellow classmates, throwing humor into her speech as well as inspiration. "Friends, students, juvenile delinquents, lend me your ear," she said in her opening sentence. "After four long, stressful years, you get a fancy diploma, big, fancy ceremony, all to celebrate the fact that you're a graduate."
Spinks noted that the next day, graduates would start with a clean slate.
"I plan on sleeping in. However, at approximately 3 p.m., I will awaken ready to begin the next chapter of my life," she said to laughter from the crowd.
Turning to more serious matters, Spinks reminded the seniors they would leave graduation to find their own directions, make their own decisions and succeed and fail on their own.
"We have been well prepared and we are ready for what lies ahead, whatever that may be. If you were to ask me what I want most for the class of 2015, it would be simple. I want you to be the best that you can possibly be in whatever it is that you choose to do. Live your lives with courage and passion."
School officials announced that the Class of 2015 was offered $2.8 million in scholarships.
Orrin Hacker received the 2014-15 Billy Maxey Memorial Award, presented to a graduate exhibiting academic scholarship, citizenship and outstanding athletic performance.
Hall of Fame awards were given to three students this year -- Aryana Mitchell, Landry Laird and Marie Gregson -- for serving on the high school's Student Council, 3.5 GPA or higher, receiving district or conference level achievement in an extracurricular activity and serving as an officer in two clubs.
The song "I Lived," tells the students -- I owned every second that this world could give. I saw so many places, the things that I did. With every broken bone, I swear I lived....I, I did it all.
With that, Prairie Grove Class of 2015 goes forward, ready for it all.
General News on 05/20/2015