SAGUACHE — Mountain Valley Schools graduated nine seniors last Saturday during a ceremony held at the school campus.
It will be the last class that will graduate from the old Mountain Valley School. On Wednesday the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant official, architects and planners broke ground to begin construction on the new school.
Mountain Valley School Superintendent gave the following address to seniors before they took the stage to claim their long-awaited diplomas.
“Good morning everyone. I would like to extend a warm welcome to parents, families and friends of the graduates, the honor class of 1968, the board of education, administration, teachers and staff of Mountain Valley School, and finally to the graduates themselves.
“Congratulations! How time flies! Can you believe it was only 13 short years ago that you walked into that kindergarten classroom? And now, here you are today, young men and women ready to depart on the adventure of a lifetime.
“Your class motto is a quote by Mark Twain, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” You don’t have many choices in life as a newborn, but as graduates, the future is yours, to shape, to mold, and to find your why. Simon Sinek, author of the book “Start With Why,” gives us this advice, “Working hard for something you don’t care about is called stress: Working hard for something you love is called passion.” They both involve hard work. Stress or Passion. The choice is yours.
“H. Jackson Brown once wrote: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. Think about that.
“You will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did.
“I encourage each and every one of you to walk out of these doors today and find your why, discover your passions, take risks, and remember, the purpose of life is a life full of purpose. You can and will make a difference in this world.
“As a former elementary teacher, I’m going to leave you with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Dr. Seuss. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
“Congratulations Class of 2018, and good luck on your new journey!
Presentation of graduating seniors
“Over the past several years, it has truly been a pleasure watching these students spread their wings and grow into the young men and women that they are today. Every one of these seniors has a story to tell. A story worth hearing. I encourage you to take some time and listen. They have, in their own individual ways, faced adversity, overcome obstacles and shown resiliency to make it to this point in their lives, High School Graduation. Today is a huge milestone for these students. I am proud and I am honored to present the Mountain Valley graduates of the class of 2018.
“Susan Edwards, Steven Favela, Ripper Fitz, Rodamond Gabriel, Marian Glenn, Selena Hart, Rafael Mancha, DJ Mullen and Erica Ortega.
“Class of 2018, as a symbol of your transition from students to graduates, please move your tassels from the right to the left.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I proudly present to you, the latest alumni of Mountain Valley School, the Graduated Class of 2018!”