91°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Graduates reflect on past while looking forward

Boulder City High School held its 76th commencement ceremony Friday, and even with the windy conditions, it was a full house at Bruce Eaton Field, as family and friends celebrated the school’s graduating class of 136 students.

Of the evening, BCHS Principal Amy Wagner said she was excited to see the students finish their high school careers.

“I can’t wait to see where they will go,” she added.

The commencement program featured speeches by the class salutatorian and four valedictorians.

Salutatorian Alea Lehr said her parents gave her lots of driving analogies for life, and she included a few for her fellow graduates.

She told them that life is a highway and encouraged them to focus more on their journey rather than on the destination, especially with having to essentially start over again since they finished high school.

“Always check your rearview mirror, but keep your eyes on the road,” she said.

Valedictorian Kenadee Bailey said she learned a lot from her sports career while in high school and compared life to track because the most important thing in it is not placing first, second or third, but rather setting personal records.

“It’s not necessarily about being the best,” she said. “It’s about being better than you were yesterday.”

She encouraged her classmates to stretch out of their comfort zones, as well as to remember the little things and be the best people they can be.

Fellow valedictorian Mira Newby told her classmates that everything they had learned in the past four years will help them all for decades.

“It’s essential to look on our pasts to a better future,” she said.

Valedictorian Tyler Campbell, who ran cross country in high school, related high school to a race in which everyone is trying to get ahead, but the ultimate goal is the finish line. The pain experienced getting to the finish line is homework, projects, tests and all the hard parts of school.

“We made it … We ran the race,” he said. “We endured the pain and we finished!”

Valedictorian Michael Martinelli closed out his classmates’ speeches by highlighting the unique experience they all had at BCHS with knowing everyone, including students and teachers, as well as having graduation on their home football field where they played football games on Friday nights.

He also encouraged his fellow classmates in moving on past high school.

“We must challenge ourselves to perpetuate the kindness we felt here,” he said.

“Now you’re ready to spread your wings and fly like the eagles you are … We are your family,” Wagner added to the students. “Reflect on your time at BCHS, where you had roots that helped define you … Always remember your way home. You will be missed, but your legacy will live forever.”

Special guest speakers for the evening, members of the future class of 2029, also offered some advice to the graduates, which included: if they wanted to be a mom or dad, they should get a dog first to practice; they should become paleontologists so they could find dinosaurs and eggs; and to not forget to Facetime their parents.

Following the ceremony, the graduates had a chance to celebrate with friends and families.

Julie Alger said she was grateful and blessed after the ceremony in which her son, Caleb graduated,

“I love this community,” she said. “This community supports their youth. It’s awesome. We just love the school. We love the community.”

Richard Viera, father of graduate Dillon Viera, said being at his son’s graduation was great.

“All the work he did paid off,” he added.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
Toll Brothers gets split decision

The development of the area near Boulder Creek Golf Course known as Tract 350 (the sale of which is slated to pay for the majority of the planned replacement for the aging municipal pool) may have hit a snag last week as the planning commission voted 5-1 to deny the developers’ request to build houses closer to the street than is allowed under current law.

Council gives nod to 185 new hangars

There is at least one part of Boulder City that is set to see growth in the coming years. A lot of growth.

Boulder City ready to celebrate America

Boulder City resident James Cracolici may have put it best when he called the annual July 4 Damboree, “The crown jewel of all events held in Boulder City.”

BC can ban backyard breeders

Although there is nothing on any city agenda yet, the resolution of the issue of whether pet breeding will be allowed in Boulder City took a huge step forward last week as Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford released an official opinion on the intent and limitations of state law that had been requested by city staff last year.

Completion dates for two road projects pushed back

Mayor Joe Hardy tacitly acknowledged that Boulder City gets, perhaps, more than its fair share of funding from the Regional Transportation Commission, given the city’s size.

Businesses recognized at Chamber awards night

The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce’s annual installation and awards night featured many business owners in town and even had an appearance, albeit an A.I.-generated one, by Audrey Hepburn.

Parallel parking approved

Like so many other things in the world of Boulder City government, the issue of reconfiguring parking in the historic downtown area along Nevada Way, which generated enough heat to cause council members to delay a decision up until the last possible moment, ended with more of a whimper than a bang.

Ways to reduce summer power bills

Now that the thermometer is on the rise outdoors, the cost to cool homes and businesses on the inside is doing the same.