“A story is generally made of five simple components: characters, setting, plot, conflict and resolution. As we part ways, people will ask, ‘Well, what’s your story?’ The thing is, our life story isn’t just a single story. It is made up of an infinite number of stories. We don’t have the same five components our whole lives. The characters, or the people we meet, will come and go. The settings will change as we move from one place to another. The plot will thicken as we grow old. The conflicts will, sadly, always be there. And the resolution will come with time.”
These were the words of Gabrielle Genth, senior class president at Columbus North High School, shortly before she led the class of 2020 in turning their tassels from right to left. On Saturday, Genth and the rest of her class graduated in a pre-recorded virtual ceremony that was streamed through Facebook and YouTube, due to health and safety concerns over COVID-19.
The virtual ceremony began with remarks from Student Body President Matthew Ruehman.
“We entered this world during 9/11 and are now exiting during a pandemic, both unprecedented times happening during important chapters of our lives,” he said. “The events that prematurely ended our high school experience may have robbed us of closure but ultimately have bonded the class of 2020. The coronavirus has stolen the end of our senior year, but it can’t take away the experiences this class has had here while at North.”
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After Ruehman, salutatorian Grace Wang spoke, including a fable from her childhood. In the story, there is a frog at the bottom of the well who can only see a small circle of sky and thinks that circle is the whole world. But when the frog is pulled out of the well, it sees that the world is so much more than what it imagined.
“At this point in our journeys, we might be aiming for a certain goal, our own little piece of the blue sky,” Wang said. “Maybe that goal is college or a career, or a place in the military or some other identity that we are on our way to becoming. No matter what it is, we’ve been seeing it from the bottom of our wells. But today, your water bucket has fallen into the well. Get into it, and start going toward your goal. Once you get there, I’m sure the rest of the world will surprise you as well.”
Valedictorian Erica Song encouraged her fellow graduates to write their own stories.
“I like to see life as a MadLib,” she said. “Not the kind you get pre-written in a birthday party goody bag, but one you make for yourself through your own choices. Have a clear goal, but let life fill in some of the blanks too.”
In his speech, Principal David Clark commended the senior class’s perseverance.
“Each year as I prepare for graduation, I reflect upon the class,” he said. “And there are always individual accomplishments, but each class has a collective persona as well. This year, my thoughts have brought me to this: ‘Yes, you can.’ From this point on, wherever you go in life, you can say, ‘Yes, I can.’ You have been tested and passed. You have accepted the challenge and overcame an educational trial.”
He ended his speech by saying, “You have entered Columbus North High School to learn. Having done so, our charge to you now is go forth to serve. I am confident that this challenge too will be accepted.”
The next speaker was Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts, who noted in his speech that this school year has been unlike any other, saying that, in the words of John Lennon, these have been “strange days indeed.”
“Regardless of the challenges we all have faced during these past few weeks, now is a time of celebration,” he continued. “It is a time to celebrate the many friendships developed, to celebrate the multitude of memories created, to celebrate important lessons learned, to celebrate perseverance and fortitude demonstrated, to celebrate the end of this stage of a life while also celebrating the beginning of another.”
Next, the graduates were announced as their names and pictures appeared onscreen and the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” played in the background. Then Genthled her peers in turning their tassels.
“Here’s to one story ending and another beginning,” she said, moments before turning her tassel. “Here’s to the Class of 2020.”
Number of graduates: 424
Valedictorian: Erica Yuxuan Song
Salutatorian: Grace Shane Wang
Columbus North High School’s graduation video is available on Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
For more photos, go to therepublic.com.
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