Green River 2017 graduation night

By Alice Wadley
Staff Writer

The Green River High School class of 2017 held their graduation on May 25.
Tawni Jensen welcomed everyone to the event and recognized the graduates, teachers and distinguished guests. Jensen said, this will be the last words you will hear from me as a class. My final words are sort of like an algorithm, a set of rules to be followed. 
1. Be thankful.
2. Make stress your friend. You can accomplish many hard things.
3. Work hard. You can do fantastic things if you work hard at it.
4. Be yourself and love yourself. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
5. Have some fun. Have fun in everything you do.
Salutatorian Tyler Hunt, addressed the class. He said, it is crazy looking back. “I’ve spent 12 years with some of these kids. We’ve had our battles, at times some of us on the floor hitting each other.”
“We had a really bad time planning junior prom. Through it all we have learned hard work and dedication leads to success. We live in the greatest country in the world for accomplishing our goals. We can and we must rise above these challenges. Our constitution does not protect us from hard work. We can all choose our paths. Tony (Hererra) could go on to be the greatest guitar player in the world. He could end up in the rock and roll hall of fame or he could end up in a cardboard box. Although, I don’t think he would end up that way. We can serve one another. Dakota Farnsworth has chosen to serve our country. He joined the U.S. Army and I thank him for his service. 
Valedictorian Tony Herrera said, it’s been a long strange trip as a class and we didn’t always get along with each other. We had two choices, quit or work our way through the problems. People who quit choose the easy way. Our struggles make us stronger.
Craig Gowans, class advisor shared a little information about each graduate, to include their favorite color, what food they hate, who they look up to and what would they like to accomplish. He shared a quote from J.K. Rowling, “You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” It has been said, if at first you don’t succeed you are normal. Keep trying, always remember to focus on your goals and to work hard. After school continue reading and writing. Kofi Annan said, “Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.” No other life success will compensate you for not reading. Reading is a culture of learning. Through reading you have the power of imagination. Imagination gives us the power to think.
Principal Kacey Fluckey, told the esteemed board members in attendance, the Green River graduates had completed the requirements to graduate from the Emery County School District.
School Board President Laurel Johansen and School Board Member Royd Hatt presented the diplomas to the graduates.
Yesenia Hernandez concluded the graduation by saying, “This is the day our lives begin. The diploma you hold in your hand is your learner’s permit to life. We can now begin our lives. Thank you to all of the teachers who sacrifice so much time for us. Thank you to our parents for supporting us. Thanks to everyone who made this night possible.”