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ATWOOD (May 9) — West Carroll graduated 64 seniors during the May 9 commencement exercises in the school’s gymnasium.
Jacob Mims gave the valedictory address, P.J. Odom gave the president’s address, and Aaron Heckert was recognized as the salutatorian.
Parents of the students were seated on the floor-level near their graduate children. At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates presented their parents with a rose and a hug.
Jacob Mims, valedictorian, said, “I stand before you tonight very honored and humbled to be Valedictorian of the Class of 2019. Believe me, there are many other very intelligent and dedicated students here at West Carroll. As for those I’d like to thank, I would be hard-pressed to name them all, but countless teachers, administrators, family and friends have helped me get to this point. With that being said, I’d love to thank my Mom, Dad, and three little brothers for their support. ..I would like to warn all West Carroll teachers about the inevitable gray hair my three younger siblings will decidedly give you in the years to come. Again, you have been warned.
“To the Class of 2019, here we are! I think we can all remember being trepid, anxious freshman wandering the halls on day one of our high school career. Since then, we’ve grown in so many ways. Our individual growth has only served to grow us as a community; I truly feel that our class has fostered a sense of cohesion analogous to none. It’s an incredibly bittersweet feeling knowing that we have finished our chapter in the annals of West Carroll history. The accomplishments of our class are remarkable. Trust me, our chapter is tremendously lengthy, but we can’t let our accolades in high school define us forever. I know that a lot of passions were developed for me here, whether it be in Math class with Mrs. Hopper or Band with Mr. Randy and Mr. Nelson. I hope that every one of you found and developed your passions here at West Carroll and take them with you.
“Seeing as we are all about to go on our own paths and chase our dreams, I’m going to issue a challenge: just three words, never stop learning! Don’t think of this in an academic sense. Whether you learn a valuable life lesson from an elder, or tips of a trade from a coworker, never cease your quest for knowledge. This path of learning requires us to understand that we don’t know everything. My senior quote, “I’m smart enough to know that I’m dumb,” comes from a Nobel laureate in physics. Richard Feynman wasn’t ousting his own intelligence; he was only stating he understood that there is much that he didn’t know. This man is exalted in history for his knowledge in quantum physics, and even he recognizes there is much to learn. So, never stop learning!
“I am incredibly proud to be part of the class of 2019! We have shared so many great moments that we’ll take with us, and I know that we will continue to do anything to help one another. I can’t wait to see what our class will be able to accomplish in life. Aim high, and best of luck to the Class of 2019,” concluded Mims.
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