There was a chill in the air and the wind was blowing a bit, but the Berthoud High School graduation ceremony was blessed with a bright sunny day, matched the attitude of the graduates and their families.
The graduates make their walk from the school building to the stadium. New this year was the addition of teachers in the procession. Principal Chris Garcia inaugurated having the students receive their diploma from a teacher of their choice. “I wanted to make it more personal,” he said. “The teachers often were not here and I wanted to include them.” Forty teachers participated in the giving of diplomas.
Board of Education director Karen Stockley, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Judy Skupa and members of the Bridge Between Show Choir wait on the stage as the graduates enter.
The wind was just enough to cause these young women to hold on to their hats.
The Junior ROTC Honor Guard presented the colors. Left to right, Alex Kerkhoff, Johnathan Harvell, Allen Coone and Christian Nauss.
Members of the Bridge Between Show choir sang the National Anthem.
A sudden gust of wind caught these graduates by surprise and sent them scurrying after their mortar boards.
Principal Chris Garcia announced special attendees whom he had invited to participate in the day’s ceremony. These Berthoud schools staff members have worked with these seniors on their K-12 journey and wanted to support them on this special day. Rick Bowles (former principal at Berthoud Elementary) and teachers Jill King, Karen Shutt, Janice Write, Robyn Davies and Lori Fulka.
Garcia also took the opportunity to introduce the 17 graduates earning a 4.0 and above GPA, the 58 scholarship recipients, the 30 Honors Scholar Diplomas and the 30 members of the National Honor Society.
The class selected Michael King as their keynote speaker. King stressed that when he talked to the students they wanted his talk to be concise, short, to the point. Then he said, “Congratulations and good luck,” as he turned and walked away from the podium.
He was only joking as he turned back to the microphone, “You’re not going to get off that easily,” he quipped. King stressed the community involvement in bringing these young people to this point. He asked for any one who had been a scout volunteer to stand and then a teacher and then several more youth support activities and finally parents and grandparents until nearly everyone in the stadium was on their feet. He advised the graduates to remember that they are a community effort.
“We made it,” said Sara Kemp as she gives the victory sign as she and Co-Valedictorian Elizabeth “Lizzy” Rivera finish their speech.
Salutatorian Anna Rose Krajec, hatless because of the wind, reads the names of graduates as Jane Ballard presents a diploma.
Dustin Trembath and Katie Kouns read the seniors “10 words of thanks” as they accepted their diploma. A new feature this year, Principal Garcia gave credit to teacher Carin Barrett for this idea. Some of the quotes were humorous, many thanked their parents and teachers and some were philosophical as was Amy Ekarts “In the book of life the answers aren’t in the back.”
Teacher Ann Gonzales had a bit of fun with her students. Marrisca Goscha smiles as she gets a box of macaroni and cheese, emergency rations for college bound students, along with her diploma.
Former Berthoud High School Principal Leonard Sherman watches the graduation from a new vantage point. He was asked by Kenzi Buehler and Richelle Schoonover to present their diplomas.
Katie Essig seems lost in thought as she returns to her seat while holding on to her cap.
Caps in the air and smiling faces signify the completion of the goals of the Berthoud High School class of 2010.