Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon sends 63 graduates into the world

Go-Devil spirit was high as the graduating class of 2003 walked into the Gurdon High School gymnasium on Friday, May 16.

Cody Quillin began the ceremony by giving the opening prayer. He asked God to please continue to bless he and his fellow classmates as he felt God had done throughout there life so far.

Gurdon High School Principal Leonard Gills approached the podium to tell the crowd there had been a change in the order of the ceremony. Three seniors, Jake Plyler, Derrick Gosney and John Watson, had all been involved on Gurdon's track team throughout their four years of attending GHS.

Gills said the three were involved in a track meet in Hot Springs on the same day as graduation. They had all been given the option of attending graduation or attending the track meet. Gosney had chosen to attend the meet and Plyler and Watson chose to attend graduation and then return to the meet.

Gills said with the circumstances with Plyler being one of this year's four valedictorian's, Plyler would give his speech and receive his diploma along with Watson and then return to the track meet in Hot Springs as soon as possible.

Plyler said he did not feel a valedictory speech was a farewell. He said after 15 years of spending lives together and growing together no one should say goodbye.

Plyler also questioned, "What is success?"

"Encourage everyone to be a success. Find a purpose and fulfill it. A man with no purpose is like a boat without a rudder a wave or nothing."

Plyler went on to quote Galatians and then Philippians 4:13 which states all things can be done through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Plyler closed by encouraging his classmates to search within themselves for a purpose in life, telling them they could then find success.

Diplomas were then presented to Plyler and Watson who left immediately to return to Hot Springs to compete in the remaining track events.

Gills approached the podium to present the two Academic Hall of Fame recipients with their plaques.

Gills said, "Our first recipient has sort of a Cinderella story. Her humble life began in 1938 in small house located on Taylor Dairy Road. She is always the same when you see her she is always smiling. She lives in Washington State where she has lived with her "Prince" since 1962.

"She graduated from Gurdon High School in 1956 and in 1960 from Henderson state University. She went on to further her education at different colleges where she received her Masters Degree in Education with Special Education. She has devoted her life to working with children with Downs Syndrome."

Gills added, "This lady tells people she went from wearing flour sack dresses to Sax Fifth Avenue. Her name is Patricia Logan Oelwin."

Oelwin said good to be given the opportunity to come back to Gurdon and thank the community that made her what she is.

She said this was home to her two hero schools, being GHS and HSU.

Oelwin said her secrets to success were simple. Number one, she attended the Logan school of philosophy, "If we're still living then everything is OK."

Number two, she said she attended Opal Dillard's, who happened to be her aunt, finishing school for girls. "She taught me to read properly and cleaned up my grammar," said Oelwin.

Oelwin's third secret was she attended her two hero schools.

Gills presented the next plaque to Dr. Arthur Bragg who is deceased.

Bragg was born in Gurdon in 1926. He attended the Philander Smith College and then participated in the United States Army for two years. After his time in the army, Bragg went back to school and spent his life furthering his education in Mathematics.

Bragg also became a Lieutenant in the Army during his lifetime.

Retired Gurdon school teacher, Beatrice Stafford, who is Bragg's sister, accepted the award in his honor. She said she was very proud of her brother's accomplishments and was glad to know he had more than 20 years of service in education.

Co-valedictorian Keith Reed was next to speak to his classmates about "Overcoming Challenges".

Reed said he felt he and his classmates had overcome many challenges through the years, whether it be homework, reports, personal problems or the loss of one of their beloved classmates.

Reed said losing one of their classmates was one of the hardest things they had ever been through, but as a class and friends they stuck together.

Reed said he felt their classmate, Kimberly Adams, was still with them and was present at graduation.

Reed told his classmates to always remember they can overcome anything and to remember what teacher Libby White always told them, "It is in the book."

Kentrell House brought several of his classmates to tears as he sang "It's so hard to say goodbye".

Frederick Hatley played the keyboard while House sang. He received a standing ovation as he returned to his seat.

Co-valedictorian Claya Calley reminded her classmates graduating from Gurdon High School was not the end and it was not the beginning, it was an end of a beginning and that several new journeys where headed their way.

She began by talking about chasing the gingerbread man in Kindergarten and what a beginning it was.

She spoke of lessons taught by teachers in primary school and how big they all felt as fourth graders. Then she explained in fifth grade they all started over again, a new beginning just like in Kindergarten.

Calley went on to compare the beginnings and ends they had all faced throughout school and reminded them to keep making new beginnings.

Calley also reminded to her classmates to find strength in Jesus Christ and turn to the Bible when they feel lost.

Calley quoted Jeremiah 29:11 saying, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Calley closed her speech by telling her classmates, "Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened."

Co-valedictorian, Lacey Jester opened her speech by thanking everyone for sharing the graduates last evening at GHS with them.

She said, "This is hard. Their so many mixed emotions we are all feeling right now."

Jester told her classmates to finish one goal and always begin another.

Jester said everything they had learned in school and from being together for the past 13 years has prepared them for what is to come in their futures.

Jester closed her speech by wishing all her classmates the best in life.

Christina Taylor and Rebecca Stephens both approached the podium after Jester to present the school with the senior gift.

Taylor began by saying how sad it was to be graduating without one of their classmates who was so dear to all of them.

Taylor said, "Kim Adams was the daughter of Mark and Patty Adams. She was our Gurdon Go-Devil mascot and was always full of life and making people smile. Unfortunately, Kim tragically passed away our sophomore year. In remembrance of our dear friend and classmate we would like for everyone to stand and have a moment of silence in honor of Kim."

Taylor and Stephens then presented Gurdon High School with $1,000 in honor of Adams. The money is to be used for anything the school feels will benefit everyone.

Attendance was high the graduation although the heat was taking it's toll on guests. The ceremony was originally planned to be held on the field at Go-Devil Stadium. However, due to rain it was moved into the gym. Despite the huge fans in the ceiling of the gym, almost everyone was fanning and several people left due to heat.

A thunderstorm struck during the presentation of diplomas. Lights started blinking on and off as wind blew doors open and rocked the roof of the gym.

Rotation was reported in the cloud above the school and a tornado warning was issued for Clark County.

Graduation ceremonies continued as planned and the storm blew over leaving a mess for those forced to park on the grass due to lack of parking space in the school lot.