Clearfield's 1992 corps of graduating seniors were told their presence at commencement exercises is proof they have chosen to follow the lead of the school's mascot, the falcon, and fly into a new future.
Jill Zaugg compared the students' high school career to the life stages of the falcon. Entry into high school life was likened to hatching and the emergence into a new existence. She said the nestling stage, where newly hatched birds depend wholly on the mother and father bird, is similar to the early experiences of high school when students rely heavily on parents and teachers for guidance and help.Later experiences give strength and confidence, and graduation epitomizes the choice the young birds must eventually make as they are pushed from the nest - either they fall and die, or they use the instinct, strength and knowledge gained during nurturing to fly.
"Just being here tonight shows that you chose to fly," said Thurgood. "I commend you all."
The 625 members of the school's 30th graduating class cheered wildly at the completion of Tuesday's graduation ceremony held at the Dee Events Center on the Weber State University campus in Ogden.
Casey Barlow told his fellow graduates that they are only beginning a new life as they graduate. He cautioned that each would have a choice of joining one of three groups - those who make things happen, those who watch things happen or those who wonder what happened.
He urged the graduates to be among those who make things happen and to give heed to the observation of George Bernard Shaw who said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get along in this world are the people who get out and find the circumstances they want and, if they can't find them, they make them."
Christa Holman said graduation is a "strange mixture of both good things and bad things." She cautioned that while many exciting opportunities lie ahead, there will be times when each person will be tempted to give up and drop out.
She urged the graduates to keep the accomplishment of graduation fresh in their minds and use the memory to motivate them when times get tough.
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Falcons
Location: 938 S. 1000 East, Clearfield.
Number of graduates: 625.
Senior class officers: Sarah Russell, president; Bryan Austad, vice president; Jil Thurgood, secretary; Holly Schenck, Tina Workman, Jeff Hauser, Travis Poll and Marci Knight, class council.
Valedictorians (also class speakers): Carolyn Rose, Casey Barlow, Christa Holman and Jill Zaugg.