Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon sends 54 graduates out into the world

Fifty-four seniors made their final official appearance as students of Gurdon High School Friday. It was "standing room only" at the graduation ceremony, held at the high school gym.

Students marched in to the traditional "Pomp and Circumstance" processional and were seated by members of the junior class.

The students had planned a traditional line-up of events, including speeches from the two valedictorians and salutatorian.

Salutatorian Robyn LeMay spoke about "possibilities." LeMay began her speech with a list of questions, all beginning with "What will I do?". She listed several classmates and the important role their friendship played in her life and wondered what she will do without them. Then she said, "What I'm trying to say is that I'm going to miss you guys. It won't be the same without you."

LeMay reminded the students of an English class in which students were routinely told to "take out two sheets of paper." She said those two sheets of paper were blank at the beginning.

"Just two pieces of paper, but think of the possibilities," LeMay said.

The sheets of paper would eventually hold any number of things  project instructions, a few paragraphs or an essay.

She told her classmates their lives  from the moment they left the gym  would be like those two pieces of paper. Each would have a "clean slate" to begin this new phase of their lives.

Following LeMay's speech, Jill Plyler and Takia Williams sang "One Moment in Time," to rousing applause.

Nikita Briscoe's valedictorian speech was entitled "Footprints," and Briscoe began by relating the well-known religious story of the "footprints in the sand." According to the story, a man has a dream that depicts his life. For most of the time, there were two sets of footprints  one belonging to the man and the other to his Lord. But sometimes, there was only a single set of prints.

The man asked the Lord why he'd been abandoned. The Lord answered that the man wasn't alone during those times, but was being carried. The footprints that were visible belonged to the Lord.

Briscoe said that her own life had been like that story and cited her own faith in God.

"For the last 18 years, we have walked the path that led us to the point where we are today  graduation," Briscoe said.

Turning to the section set aside for parents of the graduates, Briscoe said, "Thank you." She then offered her appreciation to the teacher and administrators, then to her classmates.

"Now it has come time to separate and go our own separate paths," Briscoe said. She predicted that the "hardest path is yet to come," and reminded her classmates to "ask God to guide you" when things become difficult.

Lynsey McKenzie then read a poem called "Our Time."

Jill Plyler's speech was called "Obstacles." She began by recalling some of the common obstacles that had been faced by members of her class, starting with that "scary" first day in Kindergarten. Plyler went on to talk about the changes when the class began junior high with its pep rallies and ball games. Then they made their way to high school, had their first cars and their first girlfriend or boyfriend. The class also faced the loss of a classmate when Crystal Lane was killed in a car accident.

Then Plyler talked about people who had faced and overcome incredible obstacles, including Helen Keller, Dr. Stephen Hopkins, Theodore Roosevelt and Wilma Rudolph.

"These four could have easily given up and let their lives pass them by," Plyler said.

Instead, each made significant contributions in their fields. Plyler challenged her classmates to not allow obstacles to overcome them, but to always overcome the obstacles.

"And as the famous Winston Churchill said, 'Never, never, never, never give up."

Opening benediction was given by Heather Drake and closing benediction by Kimberly Hulan. Diplomas were handed out by Billy Tarpley, vice president of the school board and music was provided by the Gurdon High School Band.

The senior class leaves behind its legacy with the donation of a laser copier for the library and a microwave for the student center.

The class song was "One Moment in Time." Class Colors were red and silver and the class flower was a red rose. The class motto was "Don't let anyone tell you the sky is the limit because there are footprints on the moon."