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Saturday, September 04, 2010  
 
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Gobles 117th Graduating Class Bids a Tearful, Joyful Farewell

Farewell speaker Ben Lee pauses during his address; Senior class president Becca Phelps presents Mrs. Jodi Winne with an award from the Class of 2010 for her support over the years.
 

As his last words echoed through the gymnasium for the 1,500 family members, friends, and well-wishers in attendance for the Class of 2010, farewell speaker Ben Lee rejoined his classmates for their non-traditional exit from the 117th Commencement ceremony on June 6 at Gobles High School. The sounds of the class song started up, and the Class of 2010 started dancing, all the way out of the gym and into the bright sunshine of the afternoon, and their futures as high school graduates.

Sixty-three students received high school diplomas, and five international students received certificates of completion, during a ceremony full of memories, laughter, tears, memorable speeches, but most of all praise for this outstanding group of students and their many accomplishments on their path to graduation.

Superintendent Brenda Wilson began the ceremony inviting graduates to look, listen, take in and reflect on the graduation ceremony. "It is my prayer for you," she told the graduates, "that you choose to live your life courageously and honorably with high purpose, using and sharing the spirit of Gobles we've invested in you, and in so doing, give definition to your lives."

Senior Brody Woodard, who recently received his state certification as an Emergency Medical Technician and heads to Andrews University in the fall, could only think of one thing to say as he reflected on graduation. "I would just like to say a big THANK YOU for making my four years at Gobles the best years of my life," Woodard said. "Meeting new people, creating friendships. It has been a real experience. I will truly miss it."

Ian Weston, heading for the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis later in late June, was also thankful. "I give thanks for the fun times, the great people, my friends who were always there for me," Weston said. "I had great teachers who helped me learn, and great parents who always supported me."

The graduates danced out of the gym to the class song, the Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling", and ended up in the courtyard, hugging and smiling and posing for pictures. Ben Lee explained the non-traditional choice for their exit from the gym. "We feel our class is unique, and [the song] was our last chance to show how unique we are," Lee said. But he also said something else happened when the music started at the end of the ceremony. "We all just blended together as one class and moved together to the door."

The Class of 2010 ended in the way it spent four years in Gobles High School: one unique class, blending together, dancing into the future.


Written By: dhubbell
Date Posted: 7/18/2010
Number of Views: 204

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