Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Twenty-four proud grads-to-be posed for a class photo in graduation garb prior to Saturday's commencement exercises in the DHS gymnasium. (Front l to r): Shaelyn Fortier, Tatumn Laughery, Liyah Picarella, Paige Aukerman, Kailey Newhouse, Drew Fulbright, Corra Smith, Bethany Benavides. (Center l to r): Casey Brooks, Rebecca Smith, Logan Crawford, David Sierra, Keegan Milsten, Jaclyn Carey, Logan Literal, Gavin Waggoner (Back l to r): Terran Villaro, Chris Andrews, Neylan Bryan Kaleigh White, Jared Williams, Mason D'Onofrio, Jack Willis
Several seniors took the time to decorate their mortarboards like the ones shown above.
Several seniors took the time to decorate their mortarboards like the ones shown above.
Rebecca Smith and Kailey Newhouse proudly display their scholarship awards at the DHS commencement ceremony last Saturday.
DAYTON-Family and friends crowded the Dayton High School gymnasium on Saturday to hear Class of 2019 Valedictorian Neylan Bryan and Salutatorian Tatumn Laughery deliver their speeches, and to cheer as their loved ones graduated from Dayton High School.
"This class, over four years of high school together, has seemed to bond in an incredible and almost unheard of manner," said Bryan.
Bryan talked about the many unique qualities of her classmates including the diversity of talent, the diversity of personalities, and a willingness to work hard on the part of her classmates.
She talked about having a pre-calculus study session at the Bryan home, attended by Tatumn Laughery and Logan Literal.
She said Laughery was especially driven to understand all the work in the study guide, whereas Logan Literal was driven to her mother's sausage-kale soup.
"He had eight bowls," she said, drawing a laugh from the crowd.
"It is experiences like these that make the idea of leaving so difficult for me and I know many of my classmates share that sentiment," she said.
Bryan talked about the importance of new beginnings, saying there is more freedom now than ever before to explore the possibilities.
"I'm well aware of the cliché, but it rings true, these are the first days of the rest of our lives," she said to her classmates.
Laughery's speech brought smiles to the faces of her classmates, friends and family.
"We finally made it. I want to say thank you. Thank you to my parents and my family for shaping me into the young woman I have become. I would not be in this position, without all of the support and love I have received from all of you," she said.
While Laughery thanked her parents, teachers, coaches, advisors, and other role models from throughout the community, she saved her most important words for her classmates.
"Thank you for bringing so many laughs and smiles to my face. Thank you for dancing your heart out to Drake songs in our lip sync, and making posters that support our stud volleyball team over homecoming week," said Laughery. "Thank you for the early mornings and late nights we spent together. Thank you for the memories."
Laughery ended her speech with a word about kindness.
"As we depart and go our separate ways, always remember to be kind," said Laughery. "A kind person is a good person. And if you can only be one thing in life, choose to be a kind and good person."
At the end of Saturday's graduation ceremony 24 jubilant seniors were ushered out into the world, diplomas in hand.
The new graduates are: Christopher Andrews, Paige Lee Aukerman, Bethany Kiara Benavides, Casey Estell Brooks, Neylan Bryan, Jaclyn Jean Marie Carey, Logan Christopher Crawford, Mason D'Onofrio, Shaelyn Fortier, Drew Hannah Fulbright, Cristobal Garcia-De-Leon, Tatumn Starr Luaghery, Logan Literal, Ashton Leon Loper, Keegan Michael Milsten, Kailey Mae Newhouse, Aliyah Isis Picarella, David Sandoval-Sierra, Corra Lee-Ann Smith, Rebecca Sharlene Smith, Terran Elijah Villaro, Gavin Noah Waggoner, Kaleigh Joleyne White, Jared E. Williams and Jack Douglas Willis.
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