Presiding over her final graduation ceremony before retiring as principal, Jocelyn Jones called the class of 2015 “one of the finest in Hermiston High School history.”
Saturday’s ceremony marked the final obligation for the graduating seniors – a class whose achievements in the classroom and on the athletic field will long be remembered. This year’s class featured five valedictorians with perfect 4.0 GPAs, and 31 students who completed the Honors Program. Collectively, they have already earned 6,171 college credits (in fact, half of the senior class is graduating with college credits already earned), and together they have received a total of $3.7 million in scholarship money.
The 2014-15 school year also saw they Bulldogs claim state titles in football and wrestling.
“This speaks to some of the great things the class of 2015 has accomplished,” Jones said.
“Keep in mind, hard work pays off in life and there are no shortcuts,” she said. Guest speaker Stuart Allen echoed Wheeler’s advice.
“Don’t take shortcuts,” he said. “You’ll not only regret it, but you’ll miss the journey.” Allen is a 1980 graduate of HHS and this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Hermiston School Board Chairwoman Karen Sherman told the graduates that Saturday was not a celebration of one day, “but of a journey, one not taken alone. And not traveled by accident, but with the highest intent and serious effort and hard work.”
Taylor Katsel Bradshaw was among the five valedictorians. The others were Tymoteusz Chrzanowski, Alexander Meyers, Kyler Mikami and Tyler Wadekamper. Bradshaw congratulated her fellow classmates.
“No matter what people say, graduating from high school is hard,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed growing up with you. These past 13 years have truly been an honor. Here’s to the long nights and stressful days that are now behind us. We lived through it.”
