Good evening staff, family members, friends, and fellow graduates. My name is JoAnna Pugh, and I am honored to be the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2009. I would like to thank all of you for coming tonight.
Graduation is a time of reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future. It is a time where we gather and remember our high school journey and show our appreciation to those who helped us. We have a very special group of graduates this year. We have taken our role of leadership at the school very seriously.
Geramie, Jordan, James, Ellen, and I started our journey as freshman at an old car dealership. It wasn’t the conventional start to high school and perhaps not the path many would have chosen. Picture this: Mrs. Powers behind the parts counter, classes in the showroom, and Mr. Maddock teaching P.E. in the service bay. However, it was a good year nonetheless, and we were looking forward to the next year.
Sophomore year, the five became six as we were joined by Chloe. We were at a new campus with new classrooms, and the best part was that we were no longer freshmen.
Junior year we were joined by Ruby and Lauren. This was probably the hardest year knowing that senior year was around the corner and grades really counted. This was also the year where we started looking at colleges and what paths we would take after Lutheran High.
Finally senior year came, and we were joined by Dillon, Joyce, and Quang. This was one of the best years because it provided us with the opportunities to sharpen our leadership skills. One of our most favorite memories was our trip to “Dodgerland” – otherwise known as southern California – where we played in Disneyland, cheered on our knight at Medieval Times, and roasted marshmallows on the beach.
As I was thinking about what I could speak about tonight, I remembered one of my favorite poems that I think is appropriate for this event. It is the poem entitled The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. The poem is about life’s choices and uses the analogy of a traveler who has the opportunity to choose one of two roads. I am particularly drawn to the last stanza which says:
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
I am drawn to this poem because each one of us chose a road that was not well traveled. We came to a school that was not where all of our friends were going. None of us knew each other before Lutheran High and each was nervous about taking the risk to attend such a unique educational experience.
I was not particularly excited about going to a school that was 25 miles from my home. However, my feelings completely changed within the first week of school. I could immediately see how much the students and teachers cared for each other, and I was struck by how much it felt like a big family. People say that at a small school there is not a lot to do, but I came to realize that at a small school what there is to do is open to everyone.
Athletics has been a high point in my high school career, and when we played other schools, the schools were often bigger and stronger than us with a really nice gym. Now while it would be nice to have our own gym, and if any of you would like to donate one we would really like it, we would never trade who we are or the experiences we shared. There is something about the relationships built between students, staff, and parents at Lutheran High that made it different.
There is a new high school by my house with a huge gym, stadium, and state-of-the-art classrooms, so people often ask me why I go to a small school so far away. I always smile and say the first reason is that the school has teachers who care. Teachers who would be willing to give me a ride home if I needed, who will take time out of their lunch break to help me understand a problem, teachers who don’t just care about my grades, but also about my life.
The second reason is the opportunities. I could play any sport I wanted even if I wasn’t good. I got the chance to sing in a choir and praise band, to be a vice president of student council, and play varsity level sports.
The third reason is the people. Where else would you see an entire school working together to clean up a park or give Christmas to a family who wouldn’t have had it? People would tell us how much we helped them, but I think they helped us more. No state-of-the-art building could compete with the value of these experiences.
Through all of the different campuses, teachers, and classes, we made it together, supporting each other and being there for each other when we needed it. We took a chance and chose the path of a smaller school.
I also thought about our class verse from Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
God knew what he was doing when he put all of us at Lutheran High together. He knew what he was doing by giving us teachers with a heart for mission. We trusted him to guide us and keep us safe through our journey at school. We can be assured that he will continue the good work he has started in us as we continue on in life.
There are many people who had an impact on each of us graduates. Firstly our family and friends, without you none of this would be possible. Your constant support not only for us but for our school means more than words can express.
I would like to thank the parents and grandparents at Lutheran High for driving us to basketball games, Giving Day, or anywhere else we needed to be.
I would like to thank the faculty at Lutheran High, past and present. Thank you for taking time out of your day to help us when we didn’t understand something.
And lastly, the students at Lutheran High. Thank you for putting up with us and for being the wonderful people that you are. I have met some of the most amazing people and have formed friendships that will last a lifetime. Although we are leaving, I know we are leaving Lutheran High’s future in good hands.
We took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference.
