Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada awards diplomas to 31 graduates

A last minute replacement of the keynote speaker didnt slow things down at Nevada High School.

State Sen. Percy Malone replaced Rep. Joyce Elliott as the featured speaker of the NHS commencement exercises. He accepted the speaking engagement on two days notice after Elliott cancelled due to a serious illness in the family.

Malone helped send 31 graduates into the world and their future. He said the graduates should be proud of their accomplishments and their parents, grandparents and families are proud of what theyve done as well.

The class of 2005, he said, has climbed a mountain and can enjoy the view  for now. Malone recalled his own high school graduation, saying there have been many major changes since that time, more changes than I want to remember.

One of these changes has been witnessing television taking over as the dominant source of mass communication. In 1969, Malone said, the world watched Neil Armstrong be the first man to set foot on the moon. That year, he added, gasoline was 33 cents a gallon.

Most of the important advances have come in recent years, he said, primarily due to computers. Computers have changed the workplace and are being taken as a form of entertainment at home. Special effects in movies are mostly done with computers these days, Malone told the packed house.

With computers people can download music and videos along with creating digital effects. About the time you were born, Malone said, the only sound computers made was beeping.

A hundred years ago, in 1905, Arkansas was a frontier state and the average life expectancy for an American citizen was 47 years, 30 years less than today. There were 144 miles of paved roads in the United States, none in Arkansas.

He continued saying in 1905 there were 8,000 cars in the country and the speed limit was 10 miles per hour. At that time, he said, only 6 percent of the population had a high school diploma. You were special if you had a diploma, he said. It showed you were smart. Over time, the value of a diploma has dropped drastically.

A century ago, he said, scientists were just starting to learn about radiation and X-rays. And, 1905 was also the year Albert Einstein introduced his Theory of Relativity (better known as E=MC2). Malone said Einstein had finished in the middle of his college class and was doing menial work at a Swiss patent office when he made his discovery.

Einsteins Theory of Relativity, he said, has changed the world and how it looks at things. This theory, Malone said, laid the foundation for modern physics, verified the existence while showing how to count them, included a theory on the speed of light and showed light is made of an energy we call photons.

You will determine the direction of the state and nation, Malone said. You will be the political and business leaders. Your decision on what to do now requires immediate thought. I believe youll make the right choice. Dont lose your perspective or forget whats important.

Tim Beard, valedictorian, provided the honors address, saying the class has seen some good and bad times, but faced them together and came out on top. As I gaze into the eyes of my peers I see a mixture of emotions. The one emotion I dont see is fear. I am confident we dont fear what is to come. We will embrace our opportunities with determination and success is inevitable.

Today is our day, Beard continued, the culmination of our hard work has arrived. Our diploma is our ticket to the world.

Good luck to everyone on their endeavors, and to everyone else in the world I have one thing to say  get ready, were coming.

Brian Maroon gave the parent appreciation, thanking the parents for everything theyve done to help the class of 05 reach this point.

Channing Watts provided the class farewell saying many dread saying goodbye, but it isnt as bad as they think because they have the chance to start over and show the world what the NHS Class of 05 is made of.

We have the opportunity to change the future, she said, and I challenge you to do it.

Rick McAffee, Nevada superintendent, said the world is uncertain and hoped the graduates are ready for the challenges they will face. You will have challenges the world hasnt seen yet. I feel you will accept them and do well.

Because youre graduating high school doesnt mean for you to stop calling home  we just have to stop telling you to. You need to do it on your own.

Dont forget where you came from. Its your turn.