WHS graduates 164 during 125th commencement

• Seniors

aaron hagen/daily globe The Worthington High School Class of 2012 greets the audience Friday evening at the conclusion of the school’s 125th commencement ceremony. In all, 164 diplomas were awarded.
• Senior Choir

aaron hagen/daily globe Senior members of the Worthington High School Concert Choir sing “Time of Your Life” during Friday’s commencement exercises.
• Christensen

aaron hagen/daily globe Graduating senior Ben Christensen has his tassel moved by District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard Friday night.

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — A standing-room-only crowd paid close attention as 164 seniors received their high school diplomas Friday night in the comfortably air-conditioned Worthington High School (WHS) gymnasium.

During the school’s 125th commencement ceremony, which began promptly at 7 p.m., WHS Principal Paul Karelis thanked those assembled for their attendance on the graduates’ special day.

“Congratulations on your many accomplishments,” he told the students seated before him, all of whom were clad in black gowns and mortar boards accented with red stoles. “Memories are forever, and learning never ends. I truly believe you are all well prepared and fitted to take on the challenges life has to offer.”

In all, 18 WHS seniors graduated with honors (GPA of 3.5 to 3.749) and 27 with highest honors (GPA of 3.75 to 4.0).

District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard added a few thoughtful words of his own: “You each will find a new path, and I hope the path you choose will be successful, rewarding and allow you to make a difference.”

The smiling seniors processed to their chairs, accompanied by a smartly performed “Pomp and Circumstance” by the freshmen through junior class members of the Trojan Band under the direction of Jon Loy. A junior class band member who kept count later said the processional, which was punctuated with crisp and timely cymbal crashes, required 19 evenly played rounds.

With WHS choir instructor Kerry Johnson leading them, the WHS senior concert choir members added a smooth and confident rendition of the National Anthem; they later entertained with an upbeat version of “Time of Your Life,” along with classmate Kalis Colwell on guitar.

Claire Bents delivered the well-received student commencement address, which she began by quoting the Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

“It’s been a long journey to get to our graduation,” Bents confirmed before leading the crowd on a review of the Class of 2012’s 13 years from kindergarten to the present. She recalled many “firsts” the peers had encountered, from first times playing on new playground equipment at Prairie Elementary to first speeding tickets, then said the “firsts have led to seconds and shaped where we are today.”

“We have one last task — the process of letting go,” mused Bents, saying variations in that process were to be expected.

The WHS Class of 2012 chose math teacher John Koller as their guest speaker, and the quick-witted Koller, who prior to the ceremony teased he had Googled math jokes for the occasion, proved to be an adept and delightful presenter.

“Do you realize you’ve had one of the longest senior years on record?” queried Koller. “There were no snow days this year, as we did our best impression of an Arkansas winter.

“You experienced the first tornado warning I can remember occurring during a school day,” Koller reminded them, while detailing they had been through 700 school days — or 5,000 hours equivalent to 1.8 million seconds of instructional time — in their four years at WHS.

Koller drew laughs when he said he would share four “F words” that held the key to a successful “output” in life; his definition of those “F words,” however, turned out to be family, friends, focus and faith.

“Always keep your dreams alive even when you encounter speed bumps in life,” advised Koller.

Superintendent Landgaard introduced the District 518 school board members, who took turns distributing diplomas to the orderly graduates. Board chair Brad Shaffer enjoyed the privilege of presenting a diploma to his daughter, Brittney Thiel.

Earlier in the ceremony, Karelis recognized Crailsheim exchange student Sarah Meiser, calling her “a great addition to our student body and an exciting and energetic young lady.” He also mentioned senior Haley Rogers, who represented Worthington in Crailsheim during 2010-11, and Kayli Kuhl, another graduating senior who is currently completing her year in Crailsheim and was granted her diploma in absentia.

Class of 2012 officers were president, Tuyen Nguyen; vice president, Emily Anderson; treasurer, Aric Ablog; and secretary, Apoman Abella.

Before a few mortar boards were lofted toward the gym’s ceiling and the new graduates were ushered out to the band’s stately recessional, these words of Bents’ lingered: “Our passage together has ended, but as one journey comes to a close, another will begin — with a single step.”

Senior students of excellence who were acknowledged in the program, and the departments in which they earned honors, include: Jackie Martin, Agriculture; Jonah Oberloh, Art; Mitch Weg, Business; Brianna Darling, Communication Arts; Alyssa Benson, Family and Consumer Science; Casey Fletcher, Industrial Technology; Matt Sorensen, Mathematics; Rachel Sternke, Music; Shelby Faragher, Outstanding Achievement; Angela Robinson, Physical Education and Health; Anna Tims, Science; Claire Bents, Social Studies; and Mariah Haffield, World Languages.

Tags: district 518, news, whs, education