Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Class Of 1999 Looking Toward The Future

It was a time to look forward, as well as look back.

A time of happiness and sadness, a time of passage from one stage of life into another.

"The Future is Yours," was the theme for the graduating class of 1999 from Prescott High School Friday, May 21.

Parents, family and friends filled the home side of the football stadium to watch as their loved ones received their high school diplomas in the warm twilight.

As is customary, the seniors walked the distance of the track, taking their seats at midfield, waiting for their turn in the spotlight.

PHS Principal Steve Britton welcomed all to the ceremony and asked the audience to show the proper respect for these young men and women as they graduated.

The seniors graduating with the highest honors spoke on courage, leadership, responsibility and tolerance.

Holly Renee Hill began by saying courage is having the heart to do the best a person can and stand for what they believe in, even though others may be doing wrong.

The students, she said, have had to have courage in school, and with the passage of time this courage grew with their beliefs and support received from parents, family, friends and the administration.

"We're at the end of one chapter of our lives," Hill said, "and the beginning of another. We need courage to try again."

She was followed by Stacy Stockton, who spoke on leadership.

"We need to be able to make decisions and stick with them," she said, "no matter what others are doing. To be a leader in life, you sometimes have to turn your back on people who are wasting theirs."

Shannon Morrow followed discussing responsibility. She said those graduating need to take responsibility for their actions now, even though they haven't always done so in the past.

The class, she said, can no longer blame anyone for their failures but themselves.

"So far, we've taken responsibility lightly, but not anymore. I hope the class of '99 will learn to take responsibility more seriously. We need to look at the mistakes of the past and learn from them."

Nathaniel Lucena ended the senior speeches with a discussion on tolerance.

Tolerance, he said, is the ability to accept the difference between all people and get past them. "Sometimes we forget the importance of tolerance and don't see others for who they are.

"If we prejudge others, we can miss the opportunity of making new friends."

There have been crimes committed because of intolerance with wars fought because people were unwilling to change.

"As we lead the way into a new century," Lucena said, "we need to open our minds to what we can do if we're more tolerant. It's all in our hands."

PHS Counselor Paula Cossey recognized those seniors earning scholarships, along with the graduates with highest honors and high honors.

In all, she said, the students were awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships, with more than $250,000 being accepted.

From there it was the moment all had been waiting for, the processional for the diplomas.

Row by row the seniors stood, making the solemn walk to center stage, so to speak, where they were presented their diplomas and exited the world of high school forever as students and joined the world as young men and women.

Superintendent Ron Wright closed the ceremony with the confirmation address, telling the graduates they could move their tassels to signify their completion of this part of their education.

"You've come a long way," he said, "though it many not seem very long. You are now graduates stepping out into the world.

"You will be facing a new and different world," Wright continued, "and need to be men and women of character."

He urged the graduates to develop a service mentality, trying to see what they can give back to the community instead of just taking.

He said they need to respect others, but first respect themselves. "Politeness and manners go a long way."

Finally, he said, they need to be careful with words, how they're used and what is said, and stay in control, feeding the spiritual nature and not neglecting it.

Then it was time for the PHS band to play the alma mater one final time for this group of students, with Jessica Hendrix giving the benediction to close the ceremonies.

Those students graduating with the highest honors were Holly Hill, Nathaniel Lucena, Shannon Morrow and Stacy Stockton.

Graduates with high honors were: Dovie Collins, Lesley Grimes, Phillip Harris, Jessica Hendrix, Scott Hobbs, Marcus James McGough, William Miller, Kara Leigh Porter and Lindsey Powell.

Once the ceremonies ended, the seniors found themselves posing for hundreds of photos, taken by family and friends to capture the occasion.

Few mortarboards flew skyward as the majority of the graduates preferred spending time with friends and family.