Responsibility was the theme of speeches presented by the valedictorian and salutatorian of the 2006 Senior Class of Trenton High School during ceremonies on Sunday afternoon in the Ketcham Community Center.
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Responsibility was the theme of speeches presented by the valedictorian and salutatorian of the 2006 Senior Class of Trenton High School during ceremonies on Sunday afternoon in the Ketcham Community Center.
Andy Hahn, son of Rev. Wes and Linda Hahn, was recognized as the highest ranking student in the class with a grade point average of 4.0796. Ashten Witten, daughter of Tom and Kim Witten, was named the second-highest ranking student in the class with a GPA of 4.065.
Other students recognized for finishing in the Top 10 of their class were, in order, Adriane Hoffman, LaTosha Altes, Cady Taylor, Alana Tolle, Cassie Murphy, Sena Arnold, Dustin Koon and Justin Bonnett. Diplomas were presented to 73 students.
“Maturity is not measured just by the passing of time, but also by what one has experienced, what one has accomplished and what one has completed,” Hahn told his classmates during the graduation ceremony.
He noted that the early experiences will serve each student as he or she moves on through their lives.
“The past nine months have matured us more than the rest of our lives put together,” he said. “We learned leadership, discipline and responsibility…we worked everyday to get better (and) the underclassmen looked to us for guidance. They followed our actions and our work habits; that is a large responsibility for anyone.”
He noted that class members have completed the challenges laid before them and that as young adults, each and everyone has a responsibility to positively influence their own lives as well as the lives of those they encounter.
“It is our challenge and charge to always lean on the qualities we have been taught thus far,” he said. “We are to always be responsible, disciplined and show leadership. I have a tremendous amount of hope for our class. We have the power to change the world.”
Miss Witten also noted the responsibilities of the class members, beginning with their choice of a class motto. For this class it was a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
She said that many qualities lie within each and every class member, including love, desire and character. The most important, she said, is the ability to make a difference. She challenged each and every one of her classmates to be one of those individuals who makes a difference, relying on those who have had the most influence in their lives, including those who have taught them something worthwhile or who helped them through a difficult time.
“The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with concern,” she said.
The commencement ceremony also included the singing of the National Anthem by senior Chelsea Woodard as well as music by the THS Concert Choir and the THS Band. THS Principal Becky Albrecht, along with Board President Cass Fuller presented graduates with their diplomas.