San Rafael closing program

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The San Rafael Junior High graduating class of 2007 held their closing program on May 23. The ninth grade class was presented by Yvonne Jensen, teacher at the school. Rachel Maier, honor student welcomed everyone to the program. She said she has received an excellent education at San Rafael and learned a lot. “There are good teachers here who are helpful and understanding. We have learned responsibility and that there are consequences for our actions. We have learned the meaning of friendship and learned to be better friends. We have learned how to make new friends that will be with us for life.
“We have participated in sports and learned to work. We have grown socially. We have learned how to make a newspaper and how to deal with deadlines. On the student council we learned to plan activities that involve the whole school. In yearbook we learned planning and organizing. Attending San Rafael has been some of the best years of my life,” said Maier.
Joel Hatch from Zions Bank presented a check for $150 to CJ Cooper who won a drawing. For every A, a student receives on their report card, Zions Bank will pay $1 and then the student is entered into a quarterly drawing for $150 and once a year they draw for a $1,000 winner out of the names of the Emery and Carbon county students involved. Students have until July 2 to take their fourth term report card into any Zions Bank in Emery or Carbon counties.
Tyler Cox, honor student gave his address. He read a poem about teenage life. He encouraged everyone not to be content to be average. “If you work and study hard, you can have success.”
Cox said his friends have helped him a lot in studying for tests and with homework. They even helped him make a movie about a book they had read. Teamwork made it easier. Friends can make a big difference in your life. He expressed his appreciation for his parents who helped him with projects and assignments. He cautioned everyone not to procrastinate because he had waited until the last night before an assignment was to due to get it done. His mom stayed up with him and helped, but this could lead to an ornery mom due to lack of sleep. So stay on top of things he encouraged. He said his teachers were always patient with him and took the time to answer his questions.
Chelsea Patton, Natalie Baantjer, Naomi Snow and Nikki Rogers sang, “O’ Musik” by Johann Jeep. They were the outstanding vocal ensemble during competition.

Colton Leavitt gave his honor address. He said the most important thing about school is to get an education. Friends are important, but the major emphasis should be on what we learn. The more education you get the better job you can get and the more money you can make. Everyone can get good grades, it just takes dedication and motivation. Laziness keeps most students from achieving a 4.0 grade point average. The jobs of the future will all require additional training after high school. He encouraged students to pay attention and learn what is offered. He said education costs money, but then so does ignorance. “Education is what’s left after you have forgotten everything else,” said Leavitt.
Derek Tuttle performed his outstanding piano solo entitled, “Epilogue” by Stephen Heller.
Larelan Huntsman spoke next, “If you don’t put in effort you won’t get anything back. It is difficult to be successful and we need to do our best now. It is not easy. We will stumble and fall but we must get back on track.”
She told the story of a boy who fell down many times in a race, but each time he fell he arose and finished the race. The crowd even cheered more loudly for him than the winner of the race. As the boy crossed the finish line he didn’t feel the race had been a success, but his father told him he was a success because he got back up each time he fell.
It is better to risk a fall than not to try at all. Thomas Edison’s teachers did not believe in him and he was home schooled. He never failed because he always tried his experiments again until he succeeded. Huntsman encouraged classmates to be optimistic.
Principal Garth Johnson spoke next he said, “Aren’t these kids great. We here at San Rafael Junior High care for your kids almost as much as you do. We want them to be successful. One in six teenagers will abuse prescription drugs. Life is hard. It requires more than what they can get in school. They learn respect and compassion through friendships. These are precious youth and we want them to have the very best. That is where parents and grandparents come in. It takes many of us to encourage the youth and to strengthen and uplift and help them become the kind of adults to make a difference. Youth need TLC and guidance, though they don’t think so.”
The students who had straight As all through junior high along with their parents were honored. Rachel Maier and parents Tom Maier and Holly Maier; Colton Leavitt and Kip and Julie Leavitt; Tyler Cox and Creig and Trudy Cox; Tiffany Tuttle and Janet and Steven Tuttle; Larelan Huntsman and Lanell and Laren Huntsman.