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 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.
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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]
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