Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Sports Themes Examined During Farmington Graduation
SPEAKER REVEALS COMPETITION MINDSET
FARMINGTON — Sports themes and competition were examined as the Class of 2018, 161 strong, graduated from Farmington High School on Tuesday, May 15, at Cardinal Arena.
Salutatorian Justin Macedo quoted fictional NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby played by Will Ferrell in the 2006 movie Talladega Nights, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”
Macedo said it’s easy to get caught up in this mentality, especially in today’s society, explaining while some may say that this is great because it causes people to be driven to be successful, but he thinks in many ways the philosophy is causing something else.
“The mindset is causing people to fear failure,” Macedo said. “This fear can be so intense that it has stopped the ability for people to take risks. We should not be afraid to take risks.”
Macedo cited Merriam Webster definition of failure as a lack of success.
“This is interesting because both of these terms are subjective,” Macedo said. “Success, to say the football team, could have been beating Maumelle in overtime on a two-point conversion (31-30), which we did in October. Go Cards. And to an individual football player, who only got to go in for one play and make a tackle. Whether the team won or lost, that was success to him.”
“Regardless of what your pursuits are in life, look for your own success — as your failures and successes can only be defined by you,” Macedo said.
He cited Michael Scott, a fictional character in the NBC television series “The Office, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,” noting the same message is also attributed to National Hockey League Hall-of-famer Wayne Gretzky.
Macedo thanked teachers, family and friends, who have helped him have perspective on what he should see as success and encouraging him to always take that risk.
Valedictorian Coleman Warren, who played tennis, encouraged graduates to explore their interests and discover what is their passion, then follow that up with a willingness to make sacrifices for their passion.
“Sacrifice your comfort for the pursuit of your goals,” Warren said. “Sacrifice your time and your energy for your passion because if it’s truly something you love, it won’t feel like you’re really sacrificing anything at all.
Warren said he can’t even imagine how many times Camryn Journagan has dribbled a basketball or how many miles Trinity Gonzales has run to decrease her 800 meter time, while reminding the class those girls haven’t even thought of how much time they were sacrificing for their passions because they were pursuing something that they truly loved.
“We don’t have much time here on earth, so don’t waste your time trying to be someone you’re not,” Warren said. “In order to do this, you must sacrifice your connection to dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking because you feel obligated to do so. Do what you want to do, and in doing so, the sacrifices will become gifts to your future self.”
The Crimson Select Ensemble with several graduates among the ranks performed the “Star Spangled Banner,” and accompanied by Kathy Dozier on piano for “Until We Sing Again,” under the direction of Laura Jackson. Band Director Jim Spillars conducted the high school band which provided the soundtrack.
Presentation of diplomas were conducted by Principal Jon Purifoy with each graduate’s name announced by assistant principal Clayton Williams.
Purifoy said the Class of 2018 has raised the standard for the academic achievement, extracurricular success and their tremendous leadership.
“They have challenged those who have followed behind them to reach far and high,” Purifoy said. “I speak for myself and faculty and staff of Farmington High School in expressing how proud we are of these fine young men and women. We expect to see great accomplishments from them in the future as they take what they have learned and experienced and use it to make our world a better place. May God bless each and every one of them as they step out into this journey.
Cody Parrish, Vice President Class of 2018, told his classmates, these 13 years have been a journey, in the path were many bumps and hardships on the road.
“We’re here at the finish line now,” Parrish said. “I’m proud to be part of the family known as Farmington.”