‘The future is ours to shape,’ said valedictorian
“And just as a garden flourishes under the care of a skilled gardener,” said high school principal Leonard Ogden, “so too will you grow in the coming years, as you take the skills and knowledge you have acquired in the Pea Ridge School District and put them to work in the world.”
There were 194 students receiving diplomas at the Pea Ridge High School graduation ceremony Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Honors and high honors students were recognized.
Class vice president Madeline Vincent welcomed the students and guests. Senior Mason Harling led the pledge of allegiance. Salutatorian Zoey Daugherty, and Valedictorian Jacob Stein spoke to their classmates, encouraging them in their aspirations for the future.
Vincent recalled the challenges presented by the covid-19 restrictions adding that “while these challenges were great, our perseverance was greater.”
“We come from the small town
of Pea Ridge which, in my book, makes us family,” she said.
Daugherty thanked the teachers for their influence and said students learned work ethic from teacher Mrs. Melinda Stewart and Mrs. Johnson taught them to be their “authentic selves.”
Stein said he is privileged to be a part of this community. He said the purpose of their education had been to prepare them to live independent lives as adults to
contribute to society.
“Through completing our education, we’ve completed our search to find who we are,” Stein said. “As we embark on this journey from Pea Ridge to what lives ahead, true to ourselves and true to our values. It can be easy to get caught up in the expectations of others, but the most important thing is to stay true to our own path.”
“The future is ours to shape and we shall have a positive impact on the world.
“Today we shall celebrate the end of our education and the beginning of a hopeful future,” Stein concluded.