READY TO GO
Now for the next step: Pioneers graduate 88 on Saturday night
“I can assure all of you that the senior class of 2015 is ready to face the world and all that it throws at us.” — Madison Downes, president of the 2015 class
The sun began to set on a beautiful, sunny Saturday as the class of 2015 at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School saw their four years of high school culminate with a diploma and a hearty round of applause.
The 60th commencement of Christopher Dock began as the 88 graduates processed in to the Clemens Center on the school’s campus wearing their dark green gowns and matching green hats. Parents and friends with big smiles and tear-filled eyes watched and took pictures as the graduates took their seats on the stage with the sound of pomp and circumstance playing in background.
“Looking back on our past four years, Dock has taught us to work hard in everything we do,” said Madison Downes, president of the 2015 class. “I firmly believe that our experiences here at Dock have prepared us for what’s next to come.”
Downes also thanked the teachers, parents and churches for helping them along the way. She also reflected on the past four years, saying how fast they went by, and challenged her classmates to live life to the fullest and be the best they can be.
“I can assure all of you that the senior class of 2015 is ready to face the world and all that it throws at us,” Downes said.
The class vice president led the packed room in prayer, asking God to watch over the graduates as they enter the next stage of their lives.
Reverend Stephen Dean, whom the students affectionately call “Stretch,” came to the podium next and delivered an emphatic speech about graduation, what it means to serve and gave advice on how to approach the next step in life.
“Nobody can take this from you,” Dean said. “It’s a title that you own forever.”
As he walked around the stage and addressed the graduating class, Dean asked the faculty and staff to rise, saying that they helped serve the graduates, and now they must go out into the world and do the same.
Martin Weis, the assistant principle at Christopher Dock, then took the podium and announced that Elizabeth Wilkins and Seth Frankenfield had been awarded the Christo- pher Dock Award, which is presented to one boy and girl for all-around citizenship, leadership, and scholarship during high school.
He then recognized the students that had achieved a cumulative G.P.A of 3.70 or above during all four years of high school.
As a token of the student’s appreciation of the school, Robert McFadden, treasurer of the 2015 class, announced that the graduates would be paying for a mural that will painted inside the school’s gym and will highlight it’s athletic success throughout the years.
Conrad Swartzentruber, principal of Christopher Dock, then presented the graduating class to the Board of Trustees. The words of Madison Downes still hung in the air as the graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.
“Congratulations class of 2015,” Downes said. “We made it.”