The 241 graduating seniors from McDonald County High School were issued a challenge by guest speaker Dennis Bergen during his address at commencement ceremonies Saturday night at MCHS.
The challenge requires no great feats of physical prowess. It simply asks all the graduates do one thing, which all 241 will be able to do if they so desire -- "do the things that you'll wish you had done."
"This is the first day of the rest of your life," Bergen said. "Let me challenge you to start right now."
Bergen is a 1972 graduate of McDonald County High School. He has taught art for 37 years, including the last 35 at MCHS. The class of 2015 will Bergen's last group of seniors due to his retirement at the end of the school year.
"Everyone of you has the capacity to serve; everyone of you has the capacity to make a difference, to make a contribution, to make the world a better place because you are in it," Bergen said. "Can you think of a greater ambition than that -- to make the world a better place because I was in it?"
Bergen said that the graduates need to set "high, worthwhile goals" and to be sure their "choices take you toward your goals."
"If you don't raise your sights, you are going to hit where you are aiming," Bergen said. "Do you like where you are aiming? Are you aiming high enough? If so, just keep doing what you are doing. Just keep right on shooting and one of these days you are going to be successful. If you need to aim a little, let me encourage you to do that."
Bergen said that all the graduates have the seeds of greatness inside of them.
"You have the potential to be great," Bergen said. "It's up to you to cultivate those seeds. It's up to you to develop your potential, because if you don't, no one else will."
Also speaking during commencement were Connor Underwood, class valedictorian, and Sarah D'Amico, salutatorian.
Underwood related an item he heard from a speaker he heard at the Missouri Scholar's Academy that he attended as a sophomore.
"His message was 'Don't count crayons, just draw pictures,'" Underwood said."When he said this, he wanted us to imagine a kindergarten room setting at coloring time. Everybody has their crayons out and you see a 12-pack, a 24-pack, a 72-pack; then there is that kid with the 144-pack. Even though you will never use half of those colors, you are still jealous. You feel that if you had that crayon box, your pictures would be so much more beautiful. But what he wanted us to learn is that instead of looking around at what other people have, is simply do the best you can with what you have."
D'Amico said the class of 2015 is an amazing group of people.
"I know you can all go far in life," D'Amico said. "This is the beginning of our lives in the real world. So if you don't like who you are becoming, change it. Many of you about to start at new schools and places no one even knows your name. It's like getting a blank slate. Be that person you always wanted to be."
The rest of the top 10 students in addition to Underwood and D'Amico were also recognized. In alphabetical order they are Courtney Driver, Cendy Garcia, Katelyn Harriman, Jordan McGonigal, Yolonda Salas-Flores, Wade Schmit and Jake Wood.
Principal Greg Leach noted some of the achievements of the class, which include college athletes in track and field, volleyball, softball and football; six Division I band students; conference champions in speech, debate and art; state qualifiers in vo-ag and choir and a national qualifying Skills USA team.
But Leach said above everything, the class has been leaders in academics.
"McDonald County High School scored a 97.4 percent on our school report card last year," Leach said. "Parents, much of that score came from your students. Your seniors qualified for an amazing $3.5 million in scholarship money."
Leach noted there were two students who received Joplin Globe All-Area Academic Honors (Underwood and Driver) and Underwood became the first MCHS grad to receive a scholarship from an Ivy League school (University of Pennsylvania).
Baccalaureate
The baccalaureate address was delivered by Buddy Funk, pastor at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Neosho.
Funk related a story when he and his family got "stuck in the mud on a cold, dark and rainy night." He said that everyone finds themselves in that situation at some point in their lives.
He said at that point there are three things you must do when you find yourselves stuck in the mud on a cold, dark and rainy night. He said you must trust in the Lord with all your heart; you should lean not on your own understanding; and acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.
"These are the three things you must do when find yourself stuck in the mud on a cold, dark, rainy night," Funk said. "Remember, God has a plan for your life."
Acceptance
Dr. Scott Goldstein accepted the class on behalf of the board of education. Katelyn Harriman, senior class president, presented the graduates their diplomas.
Community on 05/14/2015