Mount Pulaski class speakers Hilliard, Koehl and Batchelder prompt smiles

Send a link to a friend  Share

[May 27, 2016]  LINCOLN - On Saturday afternoon 46 students entered the Ed Butkovich Gymnasium as the MPHS Class of 2016. They were all looking sharp in their purple gowns and many were decorated with gold to show off their achievements.

Following the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” Processional and Pledge of Allegiance, Miranda Hilliard took to the podium to give the opening remarks. Her speech about the symptoms of senioritis drew many laughs from the crowd and set the tone that the ceremony would be filled more with smiles than tears.

Next up to continue the light-hearted moment would be Class President Sam Koehl, who undoubtedly is a favorite among his peers. Koehl admitted to struggling with what to write in his speech so he turned to Dictionary.com for help. Koehl used words like diverse, affable, cantankerous, ruling and thankful to describe the Class of 2016. He elaborated on each meaning and added his own comments which drew chuckles before simply saying, “We are very relieved to be graduating.”

Principal Terry Morgan took his turn at the mic next, and thanked those who were instrumental in the success of the Class of 2016.

Morgan also touched on the leadership conference that approximately 30 students attended back in the fall at Sacred Heart-Griffin. Those students came back to the school and helped to create the Legacy Groups, getting the entire school involved. Morgan then asked the Class of 2016, “What legacy do you want to leave?” He encouraged the graduates to “go after your dream, go after the person you know you can be, go out and create your legacy.”

Morgan is a top-notch principal and so inspiring to the staff and students at MPHS.


The five students who entertained the crowd with speeches at the 104th Annual Commencement at Mount Pulaski High School on Saturday, May 21, 2016. Left to right: Salutatorian Elizabeth Siebert, Class President Sam Koehl, Valedictorian Brian Batchelder, Closing Remarks speaker Lizzie Ford and Opening Remarks speaker Miranda Hilliard.


Also inspiring were the next two speakers, the “top two” in the class if you will, Elizabeth Siebert and Brian Batchelder.

Seibert, the salutatorian, talked about the class, that had primarily been together since preschool, being more like a family. “Now OUR story is ending, but YOUR story is beginning,” she said, noting that everyone will be pursuing their future plans in different directions and different parts of the United States.

Batchelder, the valedictorian, then approached the podium and his focus was on “our day” as he took his fellow graduates on a trip down memory lane beginning just four years ago when the large class entered the halls of MPHS. His speech touched on freshman year when the students “learned very quickly that to survive high school you needed to learn your left from your right” in terms of navigating the hallways and stairs.

He also mentioned both girls’ basketball and volleyball teams reached the State Tournament during that freshman year. School spirit was running high during the sophomore year, too, he noted, as the boys’ basketball team won the Regionals on the home court. During the junior year, Batchelder made it known that as upperclassmen, “we all knew just exactly how long we could put off doing homework.”

He also talked about the introduction of the iPads and how the class had scored pretty high on three particular games, drawing chuckles from the crowd.

Batchelder also mentioned some classroom highlights that may have poked a little fun at the teachers, who were caught smiling.

[to top of second column]

Finally, as that senior year arrived, Batchelder told the crowd, “Senior parking spots meant everything to us.” He also said, “This year prom was amazing and who knew that an inflatable hungry hungry hippo could be so fun at 2:30 in the morning.”

And what is a speech without Mount Pulaski kids recognizing the most important class of the day? Lunch, according to Batchelder. This is coming from the young man who not only was Senior of the Year, but also swept the entire academic honors at this year’s Honors Night.

Next Mr. Morgan recognized those seniors who achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher for the eight semesters of high school. Those students recognized were: Brian Batchelder, Emaleigh Berry, Dalton Dierker, Elizabeth Ford, Miranda Hilliard, Kurtis Hoock, Devin Jones, Morgan Kinnaird, Dalton Litterly, BreAnna Rentmeister and Elizabeth Siebert.

Then the lights dimmed in the gym and the senior slide show presentation was featured. As always it is so much fun to see the pictures of the kids throughout the years put to great background music that makes a mom here or there tear up a bit. This year Maddy Davis, Hannah Freer and Morgan Kinnaird put together a fantastic presentation that featured the songs “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day, “Wherever I Go” by Miley Cyrus and “What About Now” by Daughtry.

The awarding of diplomas was up next on the agenda and board members Ashley Combs and John Stewart did those honors. What a good feeling to see the students proudly march across the stage and even pause for photographs to capture the momentous occasion. Their hard work is proof that earning a diploma is never easy but it is always rewarding.

Once all the diplomas were handed out and the graduates were seated, Morgan spoke those words that every 18 year old likes to hear, “Graduates, please rise and move the tassels to the right side of your cap. Congratulations!” A huge applause filled the gym.

To celebrate the occasion the graduates tossed their caps in the air.

Closing remarks were the responsibility of Lizzie Ford, who started off by telling the crowd she had never attended school in Mount Pulaski until high school and that she “never felt out of place.”

Her closing remarks were very positive and encouraging to her fellow graduates and she emphasized that “you can do, be, see, whatever you want.” She reiterated, “You can seriously do anything.”

Finally, she left the crowd with a Steve Jobs quote, “Don’t live your life, build one.”

As Mr. Morgan took the podium for the last time during the nearly hour long ceremony, he mentioned that there had been a lot of poking fun on the afternoon, but “this is an awesome class,” he said. “I’m extremely proud of the Class of 2016.”

Following the Recessional, the graduates and family and friends lingered on the front lawn of the gymnasium entrance for pictures and hugs. A typical MPHS graduation moment featuring an outstanding group of young adults ready to write their own story and build their lives.

Congratulations, MPHS Class of 2016!

[Teena Lowery, Group photo Class of 2016 by Rob Siebert]

 

Back to top