Student speakers at the Oconto Falls High School commencement drew from a variety of sources, borrowing lines from books, music and, lastly, a big brother, to motivate the 111 Class of 2014 graduates Sunday afternoon.
“It’s only the beginning. Once you walk out those doors, our true path to adulthood and the real world begins,” graduate Seth Haines told his classmates. Although the real world can be unforgiving place, he encouraged the Class of 2014 to reach for success, despite the obstacles.
He told them to remember their past—the places where they grew up and gained an education. Quoting F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” he emphasized his point, saying, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
In her commencement address, Mercedes Ondik sang snippets of Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance,” alternating the words of the song with her words of advice to the graduates.
“After today, life gets serious,” she said. She talked about some of the adult choices the graduates will face, saying life will not always be easy.
“When things got tough, that’s when we grew the most,” she said. “When you look in your future, I hope you embrace the challenges ahead of you.”
The final student speaker, Kaitlyn Spaude, spoke about dedication and encouraged her classmates to find something they’re willing to fight for.
“We need to put ourselves out there in the world and give our all to something that makes us happy,” she said.
She drew inspiration from her brother, Ryan, a 2012 OFHS graduate, who told her the best moment of his life was hearing the words, “This is what democracy looks like.” These six words summed up an entire year he spent campaigning for a political candidate, and the campaign ended with a win.
Dedication was evident when three students were recognized for earning perfect 4.0 grade point averages: Alex Johnson, Tyler Kowalczyk and James Malcheski.
“We really focused on academics, but we also know how to have fun,” said Kowalczyk, class president, about the Class of 2014.
“I loved all the teachers here. They cared about your education and made sure you understood everything,” Johnson said.
Both earned 30 college credits while in high school and plan to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison as pre-med majors.
“I feel like we’re really ready for the next step in our life,” Kowalczyk said.
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