Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

75 graduate from Prescott

It was all about turning points for the Prescott High School Class of 2002.

Honor graduates spoke to a packed Prescott Sports Complex about the many turning points in their lives, from grade school to graduation.

Megan Taylor said if the class wrote a book about the past 13 years, it would titled "Turning Points".

Starting with elementary school, she said, the students left their families and began their academic careers in kindergarten.

Kindergarten, she continued, is where the children learned a wisdom not taught in school but in the sandbox. This wisdom included

staying inside the lines, how to survive in groups, taking naps and watching traffic.

"Remember how proud our parents were when we learned to read Dick and Jane," she said, "and to stay in the lines when we colored.

"We learned the ins and outs of school and how to play fair. These are valuable lessons we must take with us.

"We need to play some every day, take naps, stay in line and watch traffic, because it's a busy world. We're all in this together."

Christy Wyman followed talking about another major turning point  going from elementary school to middle school.

This, she said, is not only a time of wonder about what the future holds for us, but time to look back at the middle school years.

"We all had the same fears," Wyman said. "There were no more crayons, but we got to go to school dances. We still had to stand in line, but this was the first time we had different classes and a seven period day."

The students, she said, gave up recess, but gained art and athletics, along with student council elections and football for the first time. They ran track meets and worked on cheerleader tryouts.

"We had real homework assignments and a lasting impact was made by the teachers," she said.

"This was a time of firsts  our first dance, first crush and first kiss. We wondered about high school."

Kirbi Tye talked about the high school portion of their lives. She said it was a critical turning point and a time of discovery, realization and growth.

The experiences the students went through led them to make important decisions and which career path they should take.

"We had to realize we would graduate and go to college. Our generation is the future. We will control the country and make decisions."

The future was reserved for John Fulmer to discuss. He said the future is uncertain and questioned whether the graduating class was ready.

"People ask us and we ask ourselves if we're ready," he said. "The real question is are we willing to try?

"When we're no longer under out parents' wing well be on our own and try. We want to make our parents proud and it is with hope we face the future.

"We have high expectations and all must serve someone. True success will be determined by serving the highest master of all."

The evening began with Prescott High School Principal Steve Britton recalling how the weather for the 2001 graduation was similar to the climactic conditions for the 02 event.

He said because of the generosity of the community, and its willingness to open its wallet, graduating classes will never again have to worry about the weather during commencement.

He told the audience the seniors for 2002 had completed all the requirements as set by the state, the Arkansas Department of Education and the Prescott School District.

"Traditionally," Britton said, "we thank a special group of people. Tonight, we recognize the grandparents and great-grandparents of these students."

Paula Cossey, PHS counselor, said the students had earned more than $580,000 in scholarships and accepted more than $270,000.

Patricia Blake, a member of the Prescott School Board, gave the confirmation address.

She recalled being the valedictorian at PSH for the class of 1977 and challenging that class to be the best it could be. She issued a similar challenge to the class of 02, telling them to maximize each moment of their lives.