Graduation ceremony historic in many ways

Boulder City High School will bid farewell to its 2015 senior class at 7:30 p.m. on the football field.

The class of 2015 is atypical. It’s the last class to graduate before the old Boulder City High School is torn down and a new one is built in its place.

Though the physical structure may be different, Principal Amy Wagner said the students will stay the same.

The 2015 senior class will graduate with seven valedictorians, less than half of the 15 from last year. Still, Wagner said the 2015 class is just as talented 2014’s as all of the valedictorians graduated with a weighted GPA of 4.8.

“It’s really cool to have a school striving to be the best it can be. To have this kind of GPA is really impressive,” she said. “We have so many students who are impressive and trying to be the best.”

Like former Principal Kent Roberts, Wagner credited Boulder City’s small-town environment with helping to push its high school students toward success.

“We have high expectations for our students. We know everybody, and we’re small,” she said. “We look out for each other, and you have that connection. It’s really hard sometimes in a larger school for kids to have that connection to their school.”

Senior McKenzie Cummings said graduation’s approach has stoked her emotions. Cummings was awarded three scholarships during the school’s scholarship night May 18 and will attend the University of Nevada, Reno where she’ll major in nursing.

“It’s kind of bittersweet, but it’s really exciting at the same time,” she said. “I’m both nervous and excited. It’s a new time to try new things.”

Senior Eric Gros will attend Kent State University in the fall where he’ll major in secondary education. Both Gros’ high school and future college are loaded with history, and he plans to become a history teacher when he finishes college.

He said he was honored to be a part of the final graduating class to leave Boulder City High School the way it was physically. Portions of the 65-year-old campus will be torn down over the summer as part of the second phase of a classroom-adding remodeling.

“You think back to 1951, when the building opened, and we’re the last class that’s going to close it down,” Gros said. “It’s an honor, and it’s incredible to just think about it.”

Attendance at the graduation ceremony is by ticket only.

Contact reporter Steven Slivka at sslivka@bouldercityreview.com or 702-586-9401. Follow him on Twitter @StevenSlivka.