After 13 years at Beatrice Public Schools, and four years that could be counted off in dozens of spiral notebooks, thousands of pieces of lead and hundreds of assignments, Sunday was graduation day for the Class of 2008.
But, of all the supplies used, for Austin Niedfeldt there was significance in shoes.
“I think about how often those shoes walked through the hallways at BHS, and how much time they spent in the classroom while we learned about math, science, history and any other course,” said Niedfeldt, one of four seniors to speak at the graduation ceremony Sunday.
He said he thinks about the shoes he wore while marching in the band at Disney World, or the ones he wore when he drove to school for the first time.
“And of course there are the shoes that taught me about teamwork, dedication and commitment, whether it was on the court, the field or the track,” Niedfeldt said.
Lastly he said they can’t forget the shoes they are wearing for graduation, walking across the stage to get their diplomas and walk out ready to begin again.
“For us graduates we will fill new shoes for whatever waits for us outside these doors, whether it’s a job, going to the military or going to college. The past four years have prepared us well for what we choose to do in the future,” Niedfeldt said.
For senior Rebecca Wilson, her path to graduation has led her to see the value of the community she has grown up in.
“My family came to this place over 100 years ago and although their tombstones still remain, and their names are placed in books, as a family we have never found ourselves and our achievements in the limelight,” she said. “This is my chance to change that, my opportunity to leave my mark on this community. And I think every member of this class should strive toward that very goal.”
Wilson said the class of 2008 has excelled, and while their trophies and records will remain, the majority of their achievements will be forgotten.
“At this fork in our lives, we must decide what will we do to give back and in turn be remembered,” she said.
Wilson said this is their chance to decide how they will represent their community and the goals they will reach for.
“I ask for those community members here today to continue to guide us, even on this new path we’re taking, but even more so, to never let us forget where Beatrice High School has taken us as we continue to strive forward always to that next highest goal,” she said.
Senior April Payne said there are any number of ways to measure their high school careers, such as the 732 days they have attended high school, the 374 minutes in school each day or the 22,440 seconds in each class period.
“To me, we would measure our high school career by other numbers. It’s the 13,835 books in the library. It is the 1,680 passing yards Zach Ruiz had during the football season. It is the 987 pages in an AP bio textbook,” she said. “4,531, that is the number that had the ability to influence my entire day. That very important number was my lunch code.”
She said their high school career is the 162 members of their class, the 53 teachers in the buildings and the 35 tables in the lunchroom.
“The 19 times a day the Mr. LeFeber heard ‘But that’s not how we used to do it.’,” Payne said, or the 3.4 seconds left in the state championship basketball game when Jesse Genrich stole the ball.
She said it can be measured by the infinite number of smiles, tears, memories and never-ending stories.
“And of course it all comes down to one walk across this stage,” Payne said.
Senior Caitlin Engelbrecht chose to share some advice from a poem by Mary Schmich with her classmates.
“I believe that it will be useful in every single one of your futures,” she said.
She said not to worry, because worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.
“The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday,” Engelbrecht said.
She said do something each day that is scary and don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts.
“Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone,” Engelbrecht said.
She said do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
“Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth,” Engelbrecht said.
BHS Principal Jason Sutter recognized the accomplishments of the class of 2008 during the ceremony.
He said the class has four co-valedictorians, Allison Havekost, Evan Moore, Ryan Root and McKenzie Wiese, each of them earning a 4.0 grade point average through high school.
The class also has 39 honor graduates who earned a minimum 3.5 GPA, as well as, 37 President’s Education Award recipients, Sutter said, adding that 44 percent of the class is receiving some type of scholarship to go on to higher education.
“It has been a joy for me watching this class progress through high school,” he said.
Sutter said the teachers at BHS describe the class with such descriptions as strong work ethic, good sense of service and not being afraid to work hard.
Beatrice Public Schools Superintendent Dale Kruse presented the class of 2008 for graduation. BHS Board of Education president Dave Niedfeldt presented diplomas.
Music for the processional was provided by the BHS Band.
Senior class president Allison Havekost offered the welcome to all in attendance.
BHS student council members Kayla Busboom, Shelby Lauritsen, Trevor Menke, Sydney Moran, Gemma Pretzer, Ashley Spilker and Emily Zarybnicky served as ushers. Junior class marshals were Amber Engler and Hannah Pittman.