Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

CMS holds commencement

Cabe Middle School passed the responsibility of educating 67 young women and men to the educators of Gurdon High School, in commencement ceremonies Friday, May 25.

With the top 11 students seated in the front row of the GHS gymnasium, CMS Principal, Jeff Alexander and educator, Ann Clingan led the ceremonies.

The students speaking during the ceremony included, Blair Griffin, Jordon Purifoy, Taylor Morehead, Teshima Surbough, Haley Griffin, Amy Stiffler, Kolby Harper, Britta Halliday, Christa Hopson and Katie Barbaree.

Noticeably absent were each and every one of the school board members and the superintendent of the school district, Bobby Smithson. Their empty chairs set aside the podium.

Students were addressed by the guest speaker, Gurdon businessman, GHS and HSU graduate, Mike McKenzie.

McKenzie successfully humored the audience, containing some of his former high school classmates, during the speech. He recalled for them the evolution of his life in both education and business.

McKenzie is a full partner in M&M Enterprises which is one of few million dollar industries in Gurdon and Clark County.

During the ceremony, each of the honor students spoke as if in practice for their turn four years from now.

Clingan regaled the class with a poem of prophecies for each and every student. Some of which receiving a rolling of the eyes from the student in question.

The crowd was full of proud parents, grandparents, friends and relatives, who watched as the students marked the end of their studies at Cabe Middle School with the changing of the tassels.