CLHS Class of 2020 perseveres

Senior class challenged to face obstacles, become the next ‘greatest generation’

by Marianne Gasaway

The Class of 2020 was born in the wake of 9/11, spent their middle school years in the midst of an economic crisis and graduated as a pandemic grips the nation.  But, speakers at Sunday’s commencement ceremony suggested that is what will make them great.

“Embrace the challenge.  Be the greatest because of the challenge,” School Board member Chad Kuhlers told the graduates while noting that those who grew up in the 1918 pandemic have been called “the greatest generation.”  He urged them to get involved in their communities, rather than social media.  “Don’t be internet activists.  Participate,” he said.  He encouraged them to continue to work hard.  “You have been building the perseverance.  The power to choose is yours.”

“Adversity reveals your true character and this class certainly has had adversity,” said Superintendent Doug Gee during his time at the podium. “I hope you don’t look back and only remember the way (the school year) ended.”  Gee pointed out athletic and academic success and applauded its leadership.  “Follow your passion, your conviction and no matter what you choose to be, be the best at it.  And never, ever quit.”

Class speakers Riley Cooney, Jackson Loge and Lydia Futrell gave their classmates many reasons to smile, as well as reflect, as they highlighted some of the challenges the class faced through the years.

“Looking back to sixth grade, we should’ve

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known our grade wasn’t going to have it easy. Like how can you cancel a trip to Adventureland and replace it with an ethanol plant and landfill tour? That just wasn’t fair!” said Cooney with a smile. “Time and time again, unfortunate circumstances bombarded our class. Like when the grade above us TP’d the school so badly that they got the formal homecoming dance taken away from all of us. Or when we were no longer able to opt-out of semester tests for whatever reason. Or when prom was on a Sunday morning. I mean we just couldn’t catch a break… This year was meant to be the best year of our lives, and instead, we faced obstacle after obstacle, hurdle after hurdle.”

Among the hurdles each speaker touched on was the loss of classmate Alex Starbeck during their senior year.

“We persevered through one of the most difficult experiences we will ever face, and instead of being defeated, we have risen up and grown stronger together,” said Cooney.

Loge said perseverance and excellence are the traits that come to mind when he thinks of his class.

“We’ve held onto those around us and kept on pushing. We have become masters at that. Supporting each other every step of the way, we have trudged through this wreck of a senior year, and here we are today… Everybody in this class of 2020 has shown they can persevere through tough times, so the difference that will decide our success in life is the mindset we take. We can choose to let the obstacles overcome us, or as we have before, we can choose to show our excellence and persevere through any and all obstacles.”

Loge joked that in addition to athletic, musical and academic success, their biggest accomplishment is becoming the first class to graduate despite a senior skip day lasting about two months.

“No one could have predicted that our last day of high school would be a random Friday in March, and no one could have told us that our graduation ceremony would be happening in the middle of a global pandemic,” said Futrell. “Each of us is the culmination of the experiences we’ve had here at CLHS and each of us are defined by the things we’ve done, not the things that were denied to us. And though it’s hard to always believe that we will come out the other side better, especially in the face of tragedy, if anyone can do it I believe it’s us.  We might have had a slow start with our delayed graduation, and we might have had to overcome more than the average class, but what we are most defined by is what we have yet to do.”

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