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Tight-knit community supports WMU 2024 graduates
The WMU class of 2024 leaves high school with memories, diplomas, and bright futures
WINFIELD — The Winfield-Mt. Union class of 2024 celebrated as they shared memories, created a few new ones, and anticipated the next phase of their lives at their commencement ceremony Sunday afternoon.
Like many other graduation ceremonies, WMU’s consisted of acknowledging the accomplishments of the graduating class, taking in words of wisdom, listening to heartfelt music, and saying goodbye, for now.
Starry-eyed graduates filled 29 seats in the WMU big gym Sunday with “A Million Dreams” not only floating in their heads but penetrating their ear drums as their classmates homed in on the sentimentality of the occasion with this song selection from The Greatest Showman.
Valedictorian Afton Wilkerson and Salutatorian Audrie Gipple both commented on the importance of the memories they made with their classmates throughout their years at WMU.
“We’ve shared so many memories that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives,” Wilkerson said.
“If I tried to explain the inside jokes, random nicknames and questionable decisions of the class 2024 we'd be here all day,” Gipple said. “Ever since elementary school the last day of school was a celebratory occasion. We knew we were guaranteed to see our friends in the classroom fall in catch up with our teachers and our summer activities. This year, there is no first day back. Instead, we all go in different directions creating our own paths without the help of the teachers, coaches and mentors we always known. … All we want since the beginning of preschool was to grow up, but what we didn't realize was that something we were wishing so hard for something that was already happening. Years of waiting turned into just a few short months, then weeks then days. The days of waiting have now come to an end as we stand before you graduating high school on our own. There have been many ups and downs of product high school years, but we still need to hear today.”
Both Gipple and Wilkerson thanked those that helped the class of 2024 make it to this day of celebration, and Wilkerson offered some advice to the classmates she grew up alongside.
“A quote we should remember as we move on to the next chapter of our lives is from Mean Girls, ‘Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you,’” Wilkerson addressed her classmates. “As we embark on this next chapter remember these wise words from Ellen DeGeneres ‘Follow your passion, stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path, then by all means, you should follow that.’ And as El Woods would say, Congratulations class of 2024, we made it.”
While the class of 2024 did indeed make it to the completion of their secondary educational careers, the end of this chapter did not come without some desires to look back at all they had experienced together, like Wilkerson said.
Graduate and music student Gabe Hemsworth shared his perspective on these memories as he performed a song he created and dedicated to the WMU class of 2024.
“I want to run through these hallways one more time,” Hemsworth sang as he accompanied himself on an acoustic guitar. “So, I can feel how it was when we were young. I want to hold on a little longer. I know we make each other stronger.”
Moments of levity like quotes from Mean Girls were sprinkled throughout the commencement ceremony, including Keynote Speaker and WMU High School Principal Gaige Gill’s comments to the graduates. Before getting to the meat of his advice to the graduates, Gill jokingly did a short rapping performance and even threw in a dad joke.
Considering the weight of the next chapter for the young adults before him, though, Gill did not leave them simply with a couple laughs. He shared his own story of failure after graduation and encouraged the students to, “dream big, shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll land somewhere between the stars and flat on your face,” with assurance that if they land flat on their face “the people in this gym today will be there to pick you up.”
As the graduates prepare to move forward from this moment, Gill gave them some additional perspective sprinkled with advice and encouragement.
“You’re now in a transition period in your life where you make mistakes on your own, now,” Gill told the graduating class. “You have more responsibility. So, take what you’ve learned during your time here not just educationally but as people.”
“Not all of you have the same background and same situation,” he continued. “You all have the ability to go out in the world and to do positive things. Stay in this town, leave forever, leave and come back. Do what you need to do. We'll be celebrating your successes. And we'll be here to pick you up when you fall. So, take chances, allow failures, but continue to shape yourself into the best people you can be.”
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
