In the words of headmaster Andy Jones-Wilkins, the Class of 2008 "got 'er done" and collected their diplomas Sunday before 725 proud onlookers at The Community School gym in Sun Valley.
Or, as graduating senior Shawnee Brew said, "Watch out world, we're on our way!"
Fittingly, 32 Community School seniors took their final walks as high school students during the Sun Valley independent school's 32nd commencement exercises held on a sunny and cool afternoon.
Adding to the emotion was the fact that some of the graduates were brothers and sisters and sons and daughters of faculty and school board members. On the bursting-into-tears at the podium meter, student speeches often reached 8.9 or 9.0 on a scale of 10.
There were heaping helpings of sobs, thank yous and helpful tibdits of advice, all given beneath canopies of blue and white school-color balloons and under a formidable line of Cutthroat state tournament banners high up in the rafters.
"Welcome to my home," said star basketball player Mac Whittington in his reflections. "This is where I grew up."
In opening remarks, Jones-Wilkins described the collective identity of the graduating class as "optimistic, hard working and resilient men and women who have come to age in a time of tremendous uncertainty," during secondary school years spanning 2001-08.
His advice covered four areas: (1) stick to your foundations, accept who you are and keep your hopeful spirit alive; (2) accept and respect others for who they are;
(3) Find one thing that truly motivates you and pursue it vigorously and passionately—or, find your passion and just go; and, last but not least (4) take time for expressions of simple gratitude, he said.
During a 16-minute address the guest speaker, Iranian-born author Firoozeh Dumas, talked humorously about the culture shock she felt moving as a youngster from Iran to Whittier, Ca., and then to even wealthier Newport Beach, Ca.
She reminded the graduates headed off to unfamiliar colleges that it's perfectly okay to be an outsider because that situation gives you a moral compass—and "this is how you build character," she said.
Her father, a Fulbright Scholar who first came to Texas from Iran in 1953, was always "amazed that in America you can become the best version of yourself," she said. And Dumas also brought along a message from former headmaster Dr. Jon Maksik.
She said, "He asked me to tell you something: That is, you will always know in your heart what's right—and to stop once in a while to look at the stars."
Director of College Counseling Bob Brock, having completed his 24th year at the school, was chosen by students to be the faculty speaker. He gave what he called a simple, old school and decidedly un-cool 16-minute speech that somehow reached its apex with lyrics to a Kingston Trio song.
Speaking of the 1960s Billboard charts, four seniors performed The Beatles' "In My Life." They were Christian Dallago, Mac Whittington, Travis Stone and Quinn Baser.
With parents and relatives watching, it was truly a special day for the seniors.
Senior speaker Taylor Straley told the audience with plenty of pride that more than half of the graduating class received early acceptance to the first college of their choice. The other senior speaker, Max Harris, described his class as a "great, diverse and somewhat strange group of kids."
Caroline Fairchild and Conor Davis made the Yearbook Dedication—the only graduation award decided by the student body—to popular Cutthroat teachers Nigel Whittington and Tom Boley.
As its senior gift, the Class of 2008 represented by Emily Eshman and Spencer Harris gave two flags to the school. They were an American flag and a Cutthroat flag, as well as a monetary gift to the American Cancer Society's Camp Rainbow Gold in tribute to Sarah Adicoff, a 2007 Community School grad. Adicoff was in Sunday's audience to hear about the gift.
By school tradition, the highlight was "Senior Reflections," short speeches given over 54 minutes by the 32 seniors, several of whom had spent 14 full years at the school.
It was tough to understand everything said by many of the girls, who gingerly made their way through tissues and tearful speeches. The boys put up more of a front, but none displayed the brutal honesty of Jeff Gaecke, who advised the younger students to steer clear of his example and enjoy their classmates to the fullest.
At the beginning of the two-hour and 35-minute ceremony, Jones-Wilkins asked for a moment of silence "to remember four people we've lost" during the past year. They were Randy Hess, Gary Hunt, Bob Doyle and Marilyn Teitge.
Check next week's Local Life for more graduation photos.
Cutthroat award recipients
The Upper School faculty selected most of the award and scholarship winners revealed Sunday including the Beaupre Achievement Award.
The Beaupre Award, the school's oldest honor goes to seniors who maintain high standards of scholarship, leadership, citizenship and athletic achievement. The recipient was Taylor Straley.
Jones-Wilkins announced
Emily Eshman as the Headmaster's Award winner. The award picked by Jones-Wilkins with the collaboration of faculty goes to the sophomore, junior or senior who has made a significant difference in school life.
Earning Senior Project honors were Cody Curran, Jessie Curran, Christian Dallago, Emily Eshman, Caroline Fairchild, Jeff Gaecke, Hannah Hennessy, Amaya Ingram and Jenn Tormey.
"There were nothing short of extraordinary projects," Jones-Wilkins said.
National Merit Scholarship Award winner was Cody Curran.
The Bill Benjamin Memorial Scholarship for Senior Project Proposals went to Shawnee Brew and Caroline Fairchild. Brew and Fairchild also accepted the 17th Tom Johnson Memorial Awards for excellence in performing arts.
JoEllen Collins presented the Idaho Mountain Express Award to Mac Whittington. The award has been given annually since 1988 to a graduate likely to contribute to the community in the future.
Jean Montgomery accepted the Laura S. Flood Memorial Award, announced by her sister, Heather Flood Daves.
Honors distributed at Sunday's commencement and at the school's awards ceremony Friday included:
Receiving Works of Grace Foundation Scholarships presented to children of local teachers were Connor Brown, Taylor Straley and Mac Whittington. Dollars for Scholars winner was Shawnee Brew. She also accepted the Boo Bushell Youth in Performance Arts grant.
Winner of the 18th Dixie Grabos Memorial Award for the appreciation and love of literature was Caroline Fairchild. Presenter was Fred Grabos. Fairchild also received the Robertson Scholarship.
Cody Boeger earned the Trophy Sagebrush Award for imagination as an important part of education.
Ian Ingram, who spoke about the differences between Ketchum/Sun Valley and Shoshone, was the winner of the Klingelhofer Senior Speech award given in memory of George Klingelhofer.
Selected as graduating winners of the Peggy and Sigi Engl Memorial Achievement Awards were Kathryn Farmer and Travis Stone.
The Engl awards, announced by Michael Engl, go to two students at each grade level who demonstrate significant improvement in performance through effort, determination and hard work.
Other recipients of the Engl prize at Friday's awards assembly were:
Junior class, Sean Dumke and Riley Lynn. Sophomore class, Madison Murach and Tanner Flanigan. Freshman class, Zoey Olbum and Natalie Goddard.
Eighth grade, Isobel Pollock and Gabi Perenchio. Seventh grade, Logan Shipley and Ben Kanellitsas. Sixth grade, Reed Roudabush and Ben Swift.
Book awards went to Sylvie Krekow (Wellesley College), Courtney Hamilton (Smith College and Williams College), Eddy Albarran (Colby College), Jon Atkinson (Whitman College) and Bronwen Raff (Grinnell College).
Given for the 25th year, faculty scholarships were given to Morgan Atkinson and Eddy Albarran. Noah Koski received the Class of 2005 Scholarship. The Anne Reed Gallery Award went to Cody Boeger.
Headmaster's Scholarship recipients were Mattie Griswold, Meredith Pintler and Taylor Adler. They are continuing scholarships through their graduations.
Recipient of the Karen Wright Cardozo Memorial Scholarship was
Zachary Lindahl. Mattie Griswold earned the Greg Allison Memorial Scholarship, and Max Durtschi accepted the David Dorward Memorial Scholarship.
Sam Farnham received the Philip B. Detwiler Memorial Scholarship, and Max Durtschi won the Tom Bloomfield Memorial Scholarship.
Winners of the Middle School Community Award were Cassidy Carson (eighth grade), Natalie Bunting (seventh grade) and Erin Hennessy (sixth grade).
Earning the Bob Doyle Service Award were Charmayne Inman and Courtney Hamilton. Other community service awards went to:
· Gold (50-plus hours): Eddy Albarran, Charlotte Anderson, Jon Atkinson, Morgan Atkinson, Peter Atkinson, Melissa Becker, Riley Berman, Jolie Blair, Austin Bourret, Camille Bourret, Connor Brown, Nellie Brown, Wyatt Bunce, Alex Conn, Jessie Curran, Marissa Dreyer, Max Durtschi, India Emerick, Bryce Ervin, Emily Eshman, Ricki Eshman, Sam Farnham, Fynn Funke-Riehle, Jeff Gaecke, Keller Gibson, Natalie Goddard, Charlie Grabow, Courtney Hamilton, Max Harris, Hannah Hennessy, Amaya Ingram, Charmayne Inman, Jamie Jameson, Sylvie Krekow, Julianna Lamb, Chloe Lynn, Riley Lynn, Anthony Martin, Kingsley Murphy, Gabi Perenchio, Bronwen Raff, Hailey Rheinschild, Taylor Riviello, Geoffrey Ruppert, Logan Shipley, Chet Stephens, Daniela Stokes, Aurora Stone, Taylor Straley, Natalie Vorsteveld, Emily Williams and Hailey Zanes.
· Silver (35-plus hours): Elizabeth Beesley, Cody Boeger, Ashley Bradley, Jessica Bradley, Shawnee Brew, Zana Davey, Madi duPont, Caroline Fairchild, Tanner Flanigan, Emily Gillespie, Kyla Jarrett, Zach Lindahl, Austin Nalen, Kerry Lee Nelson, North Parker, Phillip Ruppert, Frances Sensenbrenner, Anita Vorsteveld and Hunter Weaver.
· Bronze (25-plus hours): McKenna Anderson, Alexandra Aulum, Jackson Bates, Taylor Benz, Cameron Conn, Bria Gillespie, Mattie Griswold, Cooper Hanley, Chloe Jory, Zach Lindahl, Emmy O'Reilly, Bergen Palmer, Lucas Vosteveld, Emma Wilander and Sarah Williams.
Community School headmaster Andy Jones-Wilkins (left) gives Jeff Gaecke his diploma Sunday in Sun Valley.
