Prescott Grads turn the tassel

PRESCOTT-Fifteen seniors made their final walk as Prescott High School students at commencement exercises in the Steuckle Gymnasium on Sat., June 8.

Superintendent Brett Cox welcomed family and friends following the flag salute led by ASB President Yovany Rosalez Romero.

The class motto, which graced the commencement program, was penned by class member and ASB Sentinel Damien Caro.

"Our Goals and Dreams are Beyond Compare,

Coming against a class like us is super rare,

Our thoughts and ideas may be obscene

But that's normal for the Class of 2019"

Salutatorian Jose Gonzalez Bojorquez thanked his parents and Prescott staff and congratulated his fellow classmates on their hard work ethic and perseverance that leads the way to a bright future in his salutatory address.

"Every single student has been in some sort of athletic or a participant in any other extracurricular activity. Our class has also received more extracurricular awards than any other. I don't say this to boast, but this shows how daring and determined and quite opened of a class we are. Lots of memories we've made throughout our years of being together as a class but more importantly as a family," he said.

Valedictorian Briseida Ayala Rebolledo shared about how she was motivated to do well in school and succeed to make her parents "proud," and how the definition of that word changed through her years in high school.

"My sophomore year, when I got to get the full experience of what my parents do for a living, it pushed me to want to do more. I now wanted to hopefully one day make enough money to support them and myself," she said.

She shared that she continued to work hard, but also dreamed of getting rich overnight, winning the lottery or becoming famous; all of which she knew were unlikely to happen. Then, as a senior, she made a realization.

"My parents prayed for our health and happiness, which is something they would always pray for at the end, every time. I didn't make a connection to those words until now, I realized that he only thing my parents want and what will make them "proud" will be for us to find happiness in our own lives because that is what we brought to theirs," Briseida said.

"I know they would still appreciate the materialistic things, but there are bigger things in value that money cannot buy. This has also changed the definition of what it means to be "successful" in life for me. I used to think success was fame and money and I think it's safe to make the assumption that most kids my age believe this, too, but I now know it's much more than that. I will feel "successful" once I am the best version of myself. In that version I will be happy, healthy, doing what I love, and surrounded by the people I love and care about," she said.

Briseida congratulated her classmates and left them with the following quote from Albert Einstein, "Try not to be a man of success, but a man of value."

Mr. Grimm and Mr. Young gave commencement speeches followed by the recognition of parents and presentation of scholarships by Jeff Foertsch.

School Board Chairman Karen Tonne presented the diplomas and Principal Dr. Jodi Thew presented the new graduates.

The class exited the gymnasium to strains of "Forever Young" by Alphaville.