Reader
Browse passages, annotate evidence, and export with full provenance for citation.
As time passes, it's easy to forget those moments. So, I want us all to see failure not as an end, but a redirection. In life, failure is guaranteed. But it's how we see the good in our bad times that shapes us, that makes us who we are. Every misstep, every hardship, and every battle we have ever faced has helped us grow. Now, that brings us to our reality. You know, graduation brings on pressure to have it all figured out. But it's okay if you don't. It's okay not to rush. Move at your own pace. Slowing down isn't falling behind because the most meaningful things in our lives take time. And being present isn't just for us graduates. It's for everyone here today. Whether you're starting your career, raising a family, or simply figuring things out. Take a moment to breathe. You know, our world moves fast and it forces us to keep moving.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
[Applause] Schmuki, Jack Christopher Shainac, Ellie Grace Shrub, Jeremy Michael Schwab, Dayton Richard Shrieve, Dylan Kenneth Sabbert, Carly Rose Simon, McKenzie Nicole Slusser, Jaden Kain Smith, [Applause] Bin Sophia Snider, Isabella Dian an Snyder, [Applause] Joshua David Stagner, Charlie Francis Steckler, [Applause] Dalon Andrew Stevens, [Applause] Jonah Michael [Applause] Stogsdale, Kayla May [Applause] Stumpf, Haley Marie Suri, [Applause] Allison Nicole Tutrin [Applause] James Glennon Thibo Jr. [Applause] Hayden K. Ty Haley Alicia Thomas, Lauren Ashley [Applause] Thorne, Sarah Rose Tutor, [Applause] L. Judith Van Bruigan, [Applause] Hayes Renee Van Bruigan, [Applause] Mason Lewis Vegley, [Applause] James Dylan Wiser, [Applause] Joseph James [Applause] Weiser, Reese Abigail Wolfful, [Applause] Emily June Clemens, Zola. [Applause] Just a couple quick reminders for the seniors. Remember to go over the concession stand to pick up your packet. At this time, I present to you the Columbia High School graduating class of 2025. Thank you for joining us [Applause] [Music] today.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
Any discussion? Really appreciate that. Vote. Doug, yes. Carol, yes. Vicki, yes. Yes. Motion carries. The consent agenda items. We will the separation of Brown County Middle School teacher Elise Cannon effective at the conclusion of the 2425 school year and run through the appointment of elementary school preschool teacher Rea Sugar 1706 per hour full time with benefits 183 days per year effective August 4th 2025 I get a motion to accept move to accept the consent agenda items a second I'll second any discussion I'll have my discussion at the end vote. Doug, yes. Carol, yes. Vicki, yes. Yes. Motion carries. Um, there's no transfers. Superintendent report. Yeah. Thank you. I, um, first and foremost, I want to welcome Josh Boltz to our team. It was kind of buried in the middle of the consent agenda item, so I didn't get to read your appointment out loud. Um, but I do want to officially say thank you.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
So soak in where you are right now because these little moments will soon become the memories we look back on and wish to relive. Now as we step into whatever life has in store for us, may we carry this lesson. Presence is powerful, uncertainty is okay, and failure isn't the end. And may we trust that the journey with all its ups and downs is exactly where we're meant to be. Finally, thank you to our teachers and the entire school community who didn't just shape our education but the people we are becoming. And especially thank you to my family, my parents whose love and support I will forever be grateful for. They have always made me feel like I am capable of anything even when I doubted myself. Love you all and thank you from the bottom of my heart. And again, congratulations to the class of 2025.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
I look forward to seeing all the great things class 25 will accomplish. Thank [Music] you. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
is um has gone through quite the uh process to become our new athletic director for the school district and um we're incredibly excited. Just as a reminder, we went through a 21 pan person interview panel for round one and then narrowed that down to um a few for just Gavin, Steve, and myself. And then um I got to meet with the top two final candidates. So, I want to congratulate you and welcome. Josh will be here on campus all day tomorrow um to meet kids and take a tour and do all the paperwork and coaches and staff and everything else we can fit in there. So, um Josh, Steve got you some eagle apparel. I would love for you to tell us who you are and Sure. So, first uh thank you to the board and Emily and Steve and Gavin and everybody that was involved in the process.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
[Applause] Thank you, Nita. On behalf of the student body, I would like to take a moment to honor staff members who are retiring this year. Please join me in congratulating the firing following retirees. Mr. Chris Guerreri, Miss Mary Hart, Mr. Michael [Applause] Hines, Mr. Thomas [Applause] Jagilo, and Miss Mary Beth Tam. [Applause] The class of 2025 is grateful for the guidance and support all of our faculty members have given us during the past four years, for their dedication to providing us with the best possible education, and for preparing us for the road ahead. I ask the faculty members who are here with us today to stand for recognition, including those who are seated with our graduates. Please join the students in giving our faculty members a round of applause. [Applause] Thank you, faculty. Thank you, Brinn. Graduates up here, you may return to your seats.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
I think um like Emily said, it was a it was a long process, but it was a good process. And the fact that you guys involved so many people, I think it's a good thing. Um so, just super excited to get started. Um, currently the athletic director at Decal High School just north of Fort Wayne, so about three hours away, but excited to get back to to southern Indiana and I'm originally from Southern Indiana. Went to a school very similar to this and this place feels like home. So I'm excited to be here. Excited to get to work. Excited to have you. Thank you. Um, so the other just a couple other that that I want to highlight. We just wrapped up our second um TED TEDex event on Saturday at the Brown County Music Center. Um I thought it was absolutely incredible on so many different levels and I just again want to express um deep gratitude, appreciation for all of the staff members that that either volunteered or just came to sit in the audience and support our kids.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
While here at North, Brin was a member of the golf team for two years and the cross country team for two years. She's been a varsity lacrosse player for all four years at North and a captain for the last two. Brin started the water safety club here at North and is also part of class board NHS sign language club snowball and PE leaders. Thank you Bin for leading us today and for being such a positive role model over your four years be thank you before I share a few thoughts with you. I would I first want to recognize and take a moment to hold space for those who aren't able to be with us today, but who are always in our hearts, particularly those we've lost this year, who are close to us. I am honored to have the opportunity to speak to the class of 2025 today.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
Um it it was a really really great day. So just really really proud of it. And then uh this is our last full week of school. Um graduation is May 31st. Uh this will be our second year at hosting it at the Brown County Music Center. So um we move from TED to graduation details pretty quickly today. Um so just excited about that and that's all I have. It starts at 11 o'clock I believe. So and what time do we suggest to get there? Well, I'll give you all the behind the scene logistics. Well, I'll just let somebody whip it right out. Emily has got those logistics. We're not We're not allowed to ask questions. Remember, ceremony will start probably at 11. I will let the board know when they need to be there. Kudos to you. TEDx was a whole lot of fun on Saturday.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
I would first like to recognize our 2025 graduates who are entering the US armed forces. Will the following students please stand to be recognized? Scott Schroeder, Weston Matthew, Molly Wills, and Alexa Luna. We are incredibly proud of you, and we thank you for your commitment to our country. I am truly honored to be with all of you here today. It is a joy to be your principal because I have the privilege of seeing all of you grow into the wonderful individuals sitting in front of me today who are ready to take a huge next step into your life. As I've shared with many of you prior to today, the class of 2025 is particularly special to me because you were my first class as the principal at North. I got to see you in this very stadium on your first day of school when we met together for the first time.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
Very cool to see all those school district. Reba Sugars is um our new preschool teacher. She'll be at Spernica. She graduated from draft high school last year. She is one of our own, right? This is what we This is the intent of the program. So, she took her CT classes with Jane Jones. She's actually subbing with Jenny now for one of our teachers who's out on maternity leave. And so, uh folks, you're you're growing your own and she's amazing. She's amazing. Yeah. She wants to be a my kindergarten teacher one day. So, you're helping her get started. Great. Uh, can I get a motion to accept claims? Okay. Second. Yes. Vicki, yes. Motion carried. Can I get a motion to adjourn the meeting? Absolutely. I'll second. We got a vote on that. All in favor? I please pass down the signs.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
You sat in those very bleachers right over there where your families sit today, waiting and wondering what would happen as we all entered this very large, newly renovated building, wearing masks and trying to learn what's what at DGN. It's fitting that you're sitting in almost the same spot you were four years ago. But none of you are the same, and you've spent the past four years growing into the young adults you are now. And as I reflected about these past four years, I realized many things are in fact not the same as they were. To mimic a popular feature in our student newspaper, The Omega, Hot or Not, you've experienced a lot of trends in your time as a Trojan. Just this year, the list of hots included Matt Eberloose being fired, Holding Space, Glenn Powell, and Pumpkin Spice. The knots included Blake Lively construction, maybe beeping from the cars over there, Black Friday scams, and frosted windshields.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
Perhaps you recall maybe the middle part or the alpaca hair becoming the popular hairstyle trend, the resurgence of the butterfly clip, the high-rise mom jean as the dominating pants style, Barbie core, and popular athleisure wear like Lululemon being on trend. In addition, you all walked into a brand new high school four years ago and navigated through new and old to find your way. The new was actually new for you and you were aed at the high school walls that were built and created just for you. You also transitioned into a new bell schedule with block periods and access and figured out how to navigate newfound freedoms in the commons. We also saw a revolution in technology over your four years here. You were just coming off of online learning at home and transitioned to in-person learning with people you didn't recognize or really know. Tik Tok gained huge popularity and some of you even tried a few of those trends in our bathrooms and you've seen the rise of artificial intelligence platforms like Chat GPT, Magic School, and Gemini that can be almost human and in many cases assist you with your schoolwork or even do it for you.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
When you think of yourself as a ninth grader and who you are now, the change is enormous. And as I'm sure you've noticed over the past four years, some of those trends live on and some don't. But they don't actually ever end. Instead, they all evolve into something else. And that, my senior class, is exactly where you sit today. I want to emphasize to you that while this seems like an ending, it's not. It's an evolution. You all began right over there in those bleachers as young ninth graders. And today, you've not ended. You've evolved into wonderful young people who get to go out as humans who know how to navigate through major evolutions and come out better for it. You may have abandoned that tick- tock dance trend. You might like Blake Lively again. Your skinny jeans might be in the back of your closet.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
Your overly ripped jeans, well, you might still be wearing those. But you've all taken those trends and evolved them into something else that fits who you are. And that's exactly what graduation means for all of you. You've spent the past four years figuring out who you are and how you evolve. You figured out what fits, what doesn't, and become confident young people along the way. As you prepare for whatever's next, I encourage you to think about how you will evolve next. You can leave here and be the exact same person, or you could take what you've learned and make it even better, as you've done at North for four years. You came here in 2021, looked at our athletic programs, and said, "I can make it better." and you did. Sitting in front of me are numerous state champions and highly specialized athletes in our senior class.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
You looked at our activities programs and said, "I can make it better." And you did. You looked you. We we have new clubs you created and you formed community among friends. And you gave us feedback to make our culture better. You looked at all of the courses you could choose and said, "I can be great." And you did. We have over half of your class with higher distinguished honors, advanced placement credits, national merit scholars, and hundreds and thousands of dollars in scholarships you earned to take comfortably into your future. You helped evolve Downer's Grove North High School and made it a better place for those coming in and made us as adults better for it. Evolution has its bumps for sure. You absolutely experienced losses and doubt and sometimes a lack for answers. But you managed to bring us back to the community we love by showing us how to evolve with you and telling us what you needed.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
You have officially completed high school, at least the academic portion for those of you still competing in spring sports. And you've made a decision about your next steps. You created a four-year foundation that will open any door you choose to walk through next. You are ready and you are prepared and you get to decide how you enter this world as a young adult because you know how to evolve and manage through change. You should have no doubt that you have the tools necessary to do it again and do it better. While sometimes trends try to sideline us or even make us look back with regret, you haven't let them. And I know you all have the tools to work through the change and ultimately evolve into people who possess the right amount of courage and character to keep trying until you've got it. To the class of 2025, please know that we have so much love in our hearts for all of you.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
And I personally am so incredibly grateful to have spent these past four years with you. You make our world a better place and we are lucky to have been a part of it with you. I look forward to seeing what's to come in your very bright futures. Congratulations, class of [Applause] 2025. And now, Miss Zakardi and members of the board of education, it is with great honor that I present to you the North High School class of 2025. As principal, I certify that the graduating class of 2025 has met all of the requirements as set forth by the state of Illinois and the board of education of district 99 and are hereby granted all of the rights and privileges that correspond accordingly. It is now my pleasure to introduce the associate superintendent of Community High School District 99, Miss Gina Zakardi. Good afternoon. I'd like to start by congratulating the class of 2025 on your accomplishments during your high school career, culminating in today's graduation ceremony.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above
District 99 is known as a legacy community, and many who have walked our halls return to offer their children the same experience here in District 99. Those of you here today that are alumni of the district, please stand and be [Applause] recognized. It takes three core groups to bring us to this moment. First, I'd like us to recognize all of the family members that have helped our graduates make it to this point in their [Applause] lives. Second, there's been a great number of teachers, coaches, and other trusted adults who have guided our students. Please take a moment to reflect, remember, and recognize all of those that have played a part in today's celebration. Finally, thank you graduates for the years of hard work here at North High and in our in your own lives to arrive at today. This marks the next step in your progression through life.
⚗ AI-reconstructed · cite from original above