001e e e [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] second [Music] w [Music] [Applause] [Music] n [Music] w [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] w [Music] [Applause] [Music] come [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yeah w [Music] welcome to Columbus East High School the commencement ceremony of 2024 for our graduates [Applause] we are grateful you are here before we begin we'd like to take an opportunity on this Memorial Day weekend to honor all those who have served in our US military and we' love for if you have served in our military if you could stand so we could please honor you appropriately [Applause] we have the unique privilege to have a high school of this nature and to have this celebration because of our US military
002and those who have served and we thank you I have the distinct honor and privilege to serve as the principal of Columbus High School and I'm and I'm excited that you are my first graduating class and I'm grateful that you are here and I'm grateful that I here on the east side with each of you I further as this is my first graduating class it is also humbling to know and to share the stage with a mentor of mine and our leader of BCS Dr Jim Roberts as he will be giving his last graduation speech of his illustrious career and we are deeply grateful for his service [Applause] and a few things I would like to share with each of you sitting there today incredible success is around the corner for each of you each
003of you have a vision of what you want to accomplish with your life and I have no doubt that it is awesome and something that fits your gifts and abilities perfectly but each of you will eventually come to realization that nothing you accomplish or the amount of money you make or the type of house you live in or the title after your name has any true impact on the timeline of your life no one lays on their deathbed wishing they had more money wishing they had a bigger house or drove a nicer car although there is nothing wrong with having those things and more I want to encourage you to not wait for your deathbed to realize that the true purpose of life is how you choose to love others and the time you choose
004to spend with others and those around you however each of you will experience incredible difficulties and pain in your life that is coming to each of you and I've experienced those pains and difficulties at the highest level but no money no house no job or any of it got me through my darkest pain it was those who loved me unconditionally it was those who held me let me cry it was those who sat quietly at my side and never judged me it was those who prayed for me and was those who loved me for simply being me and for me there is No Greater Joy than looking into the eyes of someone you love and being completely satisfied in their love There Is No Greater Joy than genuine laughter with those who love you more
005than they love their own self There Is No Greater Joy than holding your child across your chest There Is No Greater Joy than watching your child walk across a graduation stage There Is No Greater Joy than loving others more than yourself I will choose my I will by encouraging you to live a life where you choose to forgive to drink deep in relationships with others and love others without finding the faults in them don't insist on your rights or your truth don't judge and seek to condemn others but accept others for who they are through love and grace if you choose to love those around you more than yourself then you will create joy for everyone around you and you will also create a new and profound unparalleled joy that you had not experienced before
006I love this school I love this school community and I love the east side of Columbus and I love each of you and I have no doubt that you have every opportunity to be successful I just want to encourage you to go do it welcome I want to start by saying thank you thank you to the teachers whose classrooms I've passed through thank you to the counselors who've helped me navigate the complicated and confusing Journey that we call high school thank you to the friends who worked with me on group projects or who all worked together to understand that one problem that no one could quite get thank you to those who smiled at me in the hallway even though I was just a passing face and thank you to the ones who I've made
007core memories with you know who you are but most importantly thank you to my parents those were the ones who stayed up with me on those late nights or who told me we love you whether you get an A or an F to remind me that I'm always enough I'm honored to be up here in front of you today but I would be crazy to say I didn't it myself when we started High School our world was in the midst of the worst Global pandemic this generation has ever seen but look at us we still made it to this stage you made it to this stage so I want to say congratulations High School is a time when we are trying to find ourselves trying to determine our future and on top of that we
008started it all from behind a computer screen and in medical masks no one warned us about that but how could they no one knew that a small outbreak of covid-19 on the other side of the world would impact us here in Columbus Indiana but still no one warned us I want you to hear it again no one warns you but if you think about it how could they not a single person here knows exactly how the rest of our lives will go whether we get the dream job we applied for or whether we will watch our own kids walk across this stage someday that's one of the scary yet wonderful things about life the great unknown as we go on to the workforce College trades or whatever else our paths may be it's important to
009remember that life is going to throw everything it can at you but persevere persevere like you did through High School persevere like you did through all the hardships that life has already put in front of you I see a successful future in every single one of you and when life is throwing those 100 m hour fast balls at you it won't be easy to overcome and you won't be prepared for everything but you at least have to try trying is the key to everything it's like when Mom and Dad set that plate full of yucky green stuff in front of you growing up and while disgusted filled your face they say you won't know you hate it till you dry it so you take the bite and discover wow these vegetables aren't that bad but
010the hardest part was taking the first bite because we didn't know what the outcome would be the first step towards the unknown is always the scariest but all of us have made it to that second step thus far I don't know about you guys but the first day that we could come to school without masks was nerve-wracking what if people thought I was ugly what if my friends don't want to be my friend anymore what if others judge me guess what I was totally fine and I learned something in the end who cares what others think of you I feel like sometimes this world makes us think we have to be a certain way or be liked by our peers in order to fit in but that's wrong be you there is a reason that
011you are the way that you are you're unique you're smart you're fun you are exactly how you're supposed to be Never Lose Yourself to gain because in the end you won't be happy and isn't that what we're all striving for to be happy and to be successful I can guarantee you that the happiness and the success is going to look different for every single one of you happiness isn't about love or the friends you make or the house you live in and success isn't about money or status or even possessions happiness is something that you you control you decide it's something that you have to wake up and choose and success is never going to be the same for anyone either my idea of success will be different than your idea because it's an intrinsic
012goal it's when you wake up feeling fulfilled and proud of the life that you're living and the people you surrounded yourself with when you have persevered through all life is thrown at you and when you look back at your life and can connect back to where it started so before I conclude I want to share an an analogy high school has merely been a chapter in the book of our lives so don't think of today as the end but rather the start of chapter 2 as you go forward and take on this giant world full of unknowns that no one warns you about remember to persevere because as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings once said even the smallest person can change the course of the future thank you I'm acutely aware of the
013weight of the tradition that accompanies the role of B Alec Victorian I don't know what to say that hasn't been said in the millions of speeches just like this one that happen everywhere every year I'm not here to reite cliches or wax poetic about the past I'm simply going to keep this one short and sweet let let's be frank the notion that these are the best days of our lives is overr overrated and quite utterly ridiculous sure High School had its highlights but it's just one chapter in a much larger story I have learned a lot through my years of bcse BCS has taught me how to be competitive resilient and adapt to change teachers have taught me how to stay curious Embrace failure and take initiative teachers like Mrs hamling Mr Chastain and Mrs
014Porter have shaped me into the individual I am today through their own Dedication that is something I truly cannot thank them enough for the friends that I've made along the way have provided me with memories that I will certainly treasure forever their continuous support advice and laughter is something to truly be grateful for however to fully Relish in the things that we have learned during our time at East and truly be grateful we simply have to move on we are desent for greater things for new adventures and for experiences that will shape Us in ways we can't yet imagine moving on doesn't mean forgetting where we come from or the people who have shaped us into who we are today it does not diminish the significance of our time here at East our experiences and
015memories at East have only laid out the foundation to build our futures upon moving on allows us to break free from the constraints of the past and to embrace them Endless Possibilities that AIT us it means embracing change embracing growth and embracing the endless opportunities that lie ahead it means Having the courage to step out of our comfort zones to challenge ourselves and to taste our dreams relentlessly moving forward allows you to know that The Best Is Yet To Come embrace the uncertainty of tomorrow as it may just yield the very best for you so congratulations to the graduating class of 2024 I wish you all the best on your future deers now if you would please join me in moving on and continuing to look forward the best days are still yet to come
016filled with the endless possibilities and successes now in the words we used to hear because we will always be Olympians at heart carry on [Applause] those it has been a pleasure to serve as your team 2024 principal at this time I am delighted to present Columbus East High School's class of 2024 to Dr Jim Roberts superintendent of schools in doing so I certify they have met all the necessary requirements for graduation Dr Roberts good afternoon family members friends faculty and staff thank you for all you have done to support our senior students as they navigated their individual paths to be here this afternoon as graduates of Columbus East High School graduates congratulations to you for the resilience you have displayed during your entire School career as you work diligently to achieve the necessary requirements set
017forth by our school corporation and the state of Indiana to be here this afternoon at this moment as you sit in your chair in your gown and prepare to come to this stage and receive your diploma a couple of questions do you have a dream for tomorrow if so do you have a plan to in one way or another accomplish that dream I I pose these questions because today marks not only the culmination of your high school education but more importantly the beginning the commencement of a lifelong journey of dreams and discoveries as you stand ready to travel your different roads I urge you to embrace a simple strategy that could Aid your future write a letter to your future self dear successful future self or how however else you wish to address that letter
018in the letter include your dreams your plans imagine where you hope to be in a year five years a decade longer this letter will serve as a time capsule a snapshot of who and where you are at this pivotal moment revisit this letter annually to reflect on your journey to celebrate your achievements and realign your course as dreams evolve and come into sharper Focus I urge you to utilize this strategy write a letter to yourself as I want you to see that it's important to understand that dreaming is not just an act of Hope but a call to action dreams shape our reality they are the blueprints of our Ambitions and the Heart of our motivation they are not static they grow they adapt and they thrive on the nourishment of our experiences and the
019strength of our resolve perhaps most importantly dreams keep us focused even in the midst of very tough times in 1968 our country was in the midst of chaos civil rights battles the Vietnam War a tumultuous political environment in this trying time and within two months of each other Martin Luther King Jr and Bobby Kennedy a candidate for president of the United States of America were assassinated but also in 1968 Elvis Presley returned a live performances after nearly a decade of movies and delivered the song If I Can Dream If I Can Dream was written to demonstrate that sometimes things aren't good they might be really bad but our ability to dream to keep believing in what is right and good is directly aligned with our strength to take action to make things better deep in
020my heart there's a trembling question still I am sure that the answer the answer is going to come somehow out there in the dark there's a beckoning candle and while I can think while I can talk while I can stand and while I can walk I Can Dream you can think you can talk you can stand you can walk you can dream you can dream so as you step away from our schools this afternoon hold your aspirations close and Dare To Dream boldly dream with the knowledge the path will not always be smooth but every step every challenge is a part of your journey a journey that shapes not just your destiny but the destiny of those you love and those who love you so as I close courtesy of Steven Tyler of Aerosmith class
021of 2024 Dream On Dream On Dream On and dream until your dreams come true [Applause] ladies and gentlemen are the power vested to me by the state of Indiana and our barthy Consolidated School Corporation Board of Trustees I hereby certify you as graduates of Columbus East High School congratulations Greta and hemmerlin Aaron Elizabeth Walters Victoria nazla shuar Kylie Morgan Hatcher Caitlyn Elizabeth stter Ruth Alexis federly conat meline Lane Armen Ian Alberto Aral Joe Kyle James Allen Lara Karin Alman Nathan Bradley Anderson Jer Ariano Ferrer Charles J arnhold lilan Emma arnhold Keegan Elliot AR Arnold Anna Jesse Asher Lily Danielle Asher Conor Lee axom McKenzie Cheyenne Bailey Evan Kenneth balser Maximus Ron shim banack a Riley bar Slater cash barrier Carson a Bartholomew Ava barol Montoya kala Grace Bowman Derek Matthew beagle Julia K Becker where
022Ben yunes Chase binder Chloe binder Benjamin Matthew Bland Alex James Bloom oh sorry okay so who am I starting with Chase Bender okay Chase going back Chase Bender Chloe Bender Benjamin Matthew Bland Alex James Bloom Blake Charles borhart Travis Michael Brock Bowen Christopher Ryan [Music] bowling Caln bazelle [Applause] Jaye Renee Brandon Molly Caroline Bray Phoebe brigh Irvin Rino August John brockhouse Michaela Michelle Brown Caitlyn Maya n Andrew Lee berett Emma Christine [Applause] Burkin Kira May Bernett Sierra Larie Burns Faith McKenzie Burns Oliver Cole bush Austin Jeffrey Campbell Bryce Owen Campbell Sky Lorraine Campbell McKenzie Lynn caps Oliver Coburn Carr Tyler Dean Cathcart Cheyenne Marie Chad [Applause] [Music] Kayla Maria Chesire Gabriel Mason Chumley Faith Colleen clap Lesley an clap Abigail Joy CLA Andrew Christopher comr par Steven Conrad Claire Olivia Cooper Gage Alexander Copus Micah
023Aaron corer Blake Casas Cowan Malia ryel Cox Riley Fay Cate Bo West haer Crow Kane Owen Cruz Josiah Neil Diego Dalton Derek Edward Davis Eli Jackson Davis Trinity May Elizabeth [Music] Davis Ginger Louise Davis hunt Jonathan Ismael De La Cruz Elijah Ray Denny Jacob Lee Detmer muhamadu Salu doof Lauren Margaret Dixon Lindsay Dominguez Marquez Sarah Elizabeth dernal Malia graceanne diet Benjamin Bryce ikenberry Cody Ford eisener Jackson James Ethridge Tara Leah yudy Dominic M Fe Rachel Grace FIP Jackson Dean fishbo aren Marie Fleming Gavin James Foley Julian Phillip for Di K Foster Caroline Elizabeth Frost Willow Grace gamble Marissa an Garett Kaden Michael G Jacob David Gilbert Chloe Grace Gilly Hannah Grace gladen Brian Daniel Gonzalez maaba Ava Claire good Elijah Xavier Daniel good Pastor Donald Eugene gorbet [Music] Jr Christian Allen Graham Sawyer Danielle Green
024Tiana Rose [Music] Grider Jenna Elizabeth Goose Jonathan Guzman Grace Autumn hail Mason Miller Hall Parker James hammock Karen Diana Harden conations Joshua Steven Harden Nadia may Harris Justice Kendall Harold taen Grace [Applause] Harris Emily Denise Harrison Coleman Gregory haruk Cole Anthony Harvey Lillian Avery Hatton Cooper a Hawkins Sydney e Hawkins quillin zavier Julian [Applause] Henderson Avalon Michelle henriksson Mason Xavier Henry Preston Lane Hensley Allison an Harold Mia Leilani hes Chloe Jane hayatt Betsy Ella Haney Zachary Tyler hoffi Bladen Matthew Hopkins Tyler Scott Hower Malia Suzanne hubard Evan Matthew Huckabee Anette C Hughes Ambrosia J Hughes Jerry Lee Hughes Jr Nolan G Hughes Jesse Lee isacs yor alexovich ivanenko Madison Keeley Jackson Zara Jade Jackson Angelica James Ortiz Emma Rose [Applause] James Michaela Erica Jeff Abigail A [Music] Jones Elijah James Jones Harmony Nia relle Jones
025Jace Fleetwood Jones Olivia Lynn Jordan mallerie Paige Kaiser Shel Shelby an Kendrick Evan Nicholas [Applause] King miles Joseph Coker Rachel Diane kman Lillian Grace [Applause] Lacy Jorge Luis Lagos Mendoza Tyler Matthew Lake Laura Marie lanberg Gizelle landero Gonzalez [Applause] Seth Albert lankey Garrett Michael laser Brook Elizabeth Lesley May Nicole [Music] Lloyd Kaden Allen [Music] Lobdell re yoseline Lopez Santiago Nancy Lorenzo Brianna Nicole Lucas Ryland Lee Lucas Cheyenne Rose Lun Grace Charlene lykans Jana Nicole Lykens Elena Marie major Christian M malagon Evan Carlos Martinez Kate Elizabeth ma Barbara Adele maid Camila Medina Gabrielle Marie Meyer di Jabari men [Music] taen James mene Olivia B Middendorf Caris Clementine [Applause] Miller Kaden Steven [Music] michler Jack r moisa yenia Esmeralda Mong Miranda Diego Andre Monon [Music] idalgo Sebastian Andre Monon idalgo Sarah Carolina Moran mendz rosalin Moreno aparis
026Emily Faith moer Macy Lee mud Cameron Lee Naylor Cavin R Nickerson Judah James nickel Chase Michael nce Molly Caroline oconor Trey William [Music] Ogle Clara Olen Carly Elaine AI Gren Abbott oeta Megan Morgan osban Cherokee Lyn Marie peton Tobias Ray Paige [Applause] Derek Alexander patet CI Nesh Patel Gabrielle Lynn Patrick Derek James Patterson Jenna Julia Patton Jacob Earl peoples Cordell Z pennx Hunter Ray Perez good pastor Sierra Alexandra Perkinson Lily may [Music] Perry Jazelle McKai Perry Nathan D fan Abigail Grace Phillips princess bayani paneda cadenas princess meline Drew po Jamie Jolie Porter Riley Renee posy chrisy short price Keith Allen prior [Applause] Anthony Prior Maria D Ramirez Osmar Ramirez Warez Brady Christian redelman Destiny Joe Gale OC [Applause] Reeves Brandon Evan raylander [Music] Ashlin K Ruth Richards Payton Elizabeth Richardson Amaria Elizabeth Lynn Robinson Haley
027Elizabeth Robinson Hermione Jane Robinson [Applause] yis May Rodriguez Tristan M [Music] [Applause] Rogers Cohen David Rooney Ryan McKenna Rose Addison Renee Nicole [Music] Ross Joseph Christopher Ross Zachary Steven Ross Kaden William Roth Ur uro Rueda de Leon Castillo Dominic Cesar Ruiz Parker Evan Routan Roland James Ryan Joshua Michael [Applause] saver Monica Guadalupe Santana McKenna Ray schnap Joselyn Ray shmer August Michael shano Kiren Loren Scott [Applause] renan boura [Applause] Scott Taylor Scott kred Veronica schaer Evan Matthew [Music] chatau Ryland Addison Shaw Donovan Jacob Lee Shelton Brooklyn Jean Shrum Henry Dale Sims Noah Scott Sims Audrey an cmore Clayton James Smith to Heavenly star Renee Smith Colton William spear Cole Grayson [Music] Stags Taylor Dawn Stater Addie Ray States Lillian Kate Stein wettle Olive hope Stevens Amara lenee Stevenson [Music] [Applause] lar Dean stum Jamie sow Cavin
028Michael Stillson Jonathan Andrew streetel me Demarcus jayen [Applause] study Jordan Grace Sullivan Savannah Michaela Sullivan Alexander NS swinny Justin Allan [Applause] Silva Samuel Steven staba Eric Hideki Takahashi Anthony Anthony Lewis Taylor Maxwell death Thomas Natalie anahi Torres Jade Adora Torres Stewart Messiah Ami [Music] trap Ali True Blood Elijah Jean Tyrie Henry Adam ol [Applause] Colton Ray [Music] Utterback Angel Gabriel vodka abreo Charlie Eugenia Vil Madison Elise Valentine Owen Matthew Vance Braden Michael vanderver Ellum James vaness Matt Natalie Joe vanest Christian Allan vanle Kira Elizabeth Van valkenberg Vincent Valentin Vel mag Maggie Clara Wagner Samantha relle Walker Chazy Lynn Ward Jackson David Warren Tyler Jeffrey Weller Vicky Wang Lincoln Michael West Merck slave white Maya Christine Whitlock tavin Ward wicker Trenton Wayne wicker Carson Andrew Williams Michael Arlon Wayne Williams V Robert Williams [Applause] Ian Edward
029Wharton Zion mazad jazar Rags brenlin Alexander York Aubrey M young Emily Zoo [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] each year the graduating class leaves a gift for the benefit of Columbus East High School the class of 2024 student assembly has chosen to partner with Administration to create a more welcoming environment by enhancing the main entryway when students return to campus in the Paul they will be welcomed by brand new window Graphics symbolizing East Pride our Collective goal is to make each student feel a sense of pride in their high school and who they are as an Olympian as the years go on this gift will be a reminder to every graduating class that they aren't just an Olympian for the four years in these hallways but an Olympian for life [Applause] today we ring the senior Bell
030to symbolize four fundamental VT virtues loyalty honesty respect and unselfishness these honorable qualities should be guiding principles as we encounter obstacles in our future the first of these is loyalty loyalty is devotion whether to yourself your friends or your country President Wilson reminds us that Loyalty means nothing unless it has its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice out of loyalty flows honesty respect and unselfishness the second is honesty it has been said that honesty is the Cornerstone of all success without which confidence ability to perform shall cease to exist today signifies a Cornerstone in our lives without honesty we cannot move from this Cornerstone to the next with confidence in the ability to perform honesty is also a necessary component to gaining [Music] respect respect is a virtue we hope to gain in our lifetime
031but as Albert Einstein points out it is not until we respect ourselves that we gain the esteem of others or rather only then will it come in its own accord we must learn to respect ourselves for who we are so that we may Inspire others to do the [Music] same to put another's life in front of of your own is to excel in the only game that matters The Game of Life it has been said that the true Measure of a Man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good unselfishness is the virtue that ties human character together today we have reached the stage in our lives that allows us to enter the real world with a good conscience we signify the completion of this stage in our lives by the
032Turning of our tassels which represents a movement from childhood to adulthood from high school to a world Beyond so will you please all join me in the Turning of the tassel [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] w e [Music] e e [Music] e