Washington class of ‘24 graduates

WASHINGTON — Members of the Demon class of 2024 finished their high school careers Sunday, walking into the varsity auditorium as students, and leaving as diploma-holding young adults.

For the classmates who started kindergarten in 2011, Sunday represented a bridge into adulthood. Some found themselves pondering exactly what that change meant, like graduate Mikaila Matheson.

“Moving on from this safe space, or this time in which everything’s familiar, can be a little nerve-wracking,” she said in a speech. “Time doesn’t always travel at a desirable pace. It’s too fast for the good moments and too slow for the not-so-good moments.”

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As the outgoing seniors prepared to start the next chapter of their lives — whether in the workforce, higher education, or elsewhere — they encouraged one another to embrace their potential.

“Today is not just a day of endings, but a day of new beginnings,” said Graduate Taylor Bartholomew, in another address. “We are filled with a mix of emotions. Excitement about our future, apprehension about what lies ahead, and gratitude for the memories we carry with us. As we are prepared to embark on our individual paths, it is important to remember the lessons we have learned inside and outside the classroom. We have learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and resilience.”

The graduating class, like many before it, faced its own share of challenges moving through the schools. Not least of those was COVID-19 — the pandemic shut down classrooms at the tail end of graduates’ eighth-grade year, and complicated the start of their high school careers a few months later.

Makina Morgan, another outgoing senior speaking at the ceremony, recounted the disruption.

“It’s like they said: if you hit rock-bottom, there’s nowhere left to go but up,” she said. “The next three years of high school were leaps and bounds better than the first. We were able to fully enjoy the festivities, the Friday night lights, and homecoming week.”

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In total, 97 students made up the graduating class, various chords on their gowns representing thousands of volunteer hours logged, impressive degrees of merit and a wide swath of identities.

It was also the first commencement ceremony for high school principal Ed Rathjen, who offered his own parting advice to the outgoing seniors, using the anecdote of the tortoise and the hare.

“(The tortoise) chose to focus on making his own slow, steady progress,” Rathjen said. “You’ll encounter many people who you feel have more talent than you do. There will be dark days, and you will wonder if you are good enough to reach your goal. Be like the tortoise. Focus on making a little progress every day, and you will find that you are good enough to achieve your goals.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com