When the Bountiful High School class of 1990 was born, the country was unwinding from the Vietnam War and unwrapping the first signs of Watergate.
They would know of Richard Nixon's fiasco only from history books. They were born into a changing world where civil rights, freedom, and philosophies about love, war and rock 'n' roll were prevalent.Eighteen years later, the world has changed more than most people would have imagined. The 343 students who became Bountiful High alumni Wednesday were told that the world is now theirs to change and influence for the better.
During the Reader's Theater, a traditional element of Bountiful's graduation ceremonies, students reflected on the theme, "Old Memories . . . Young Hopes." Yesterday's concerns about pep club, school attendance, fitting in with peers and ACTs have now been replaced with questions like "Where will I go?" "What will I do?" and "Can I afford it?" the students said.
"Change. It's one thing that's remained constant," said graduate Alisa Oakes. "As the year of all years ends, we as young Americans, as adolescents moving into the adult world are now at a crossroads of freedom. We are at a place where many roads diverge in a wood. A place where each of us will take our own road and that will make all the difference."
During the symposium, Oakes said even though many of them would move on in different directions, "now is not the time to hesitate. It is the time to muster all the spirit we can and press forward, prepared, ready, willing to meet all challenges."
So much depends on progress, added graduate Christine Roth. "Robert Frost said, `In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life - it goes on.' It seems too terribly frightening, so difficult now, but just as high school gave us a greater perspective, the next step will give us more opportunities, more time to become," she said.
Principal Rulon A. Homer told the class of 1990 to remember "what we have been about." He encouraged the graduates to occasionally stop and compare themselves with what they were like during their high school years in an effort to be certain they are constantly bettering themselves and their surroundings.
"Don't forget about your parents who shared, your friends who cared and your teachers who taught," he said.
Despite being the smallest graduating class in Davis County this year, Homer said the graduates have earned more than $300,000 in scholarships and awards.