001[Music] so [Music] so [Music] you [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] good morning and welcome to our first outdoor graduation at columbus east again i am principal mark neal we're here to celebrate and honor not only our graduates but also you the community and your efforts with supporting all of our graduates i have the pleasure of reducing our first speaker of the morning our salutatorian jaylen nelson so good morning ladies and gentlemen and fellow graduates it is my honor today to deliver the commencement address for this incredible class of 2021 i am proud to say that we finally did it these last four years at columbus east have been full of great memories even within the last year things have certainly been interesting a year and a half ago if you asked me what
002i was worried most about for my senior year i probably would have said the switch to block scheduling however in light of the global pandemic i'm sure all of our priorities have altered for those of you who don't know me my name is jalen nelson before my freshman year none of you knew me because i hadn't gone to school in this county before that certainly made for a nerve-wracking first few weeks of school i thought for sure that the odds were sacked against me when i first came here but then i met all of you this class was welcoming funny outgoing and looked entirely different than we do today some of us started out with braces glasses or a fashion sense that probably only made sense to ourselves with a rough start we soon found
003our way as every class does making some amazing friends and meeting great teachers along the way sophomore year was the year to get your license all of us as sophomores doing our sur driver's ed and our parents being terrified to let us touch their cars ever again eventually we passed our test and we were allowed to finally roam the parking lot on our own we all know how crazy that parking lot can be but we eventually got the hang of it sophomore year may have been a blur of still being underclassmen but we found our way through as juniors that's when the fun really began we were finally upperclassmen giving us a lot more power and our college adventures began we started taking more ap classes we took on more responsibilities in our sports and
004some of us started to really find what we were interested in we were finally able to go to prom all we needed to do was get through spring break a three week spring break i sounded like then we all know how that ended up after last year's seniors missed the end of their high school careers many of us were unsure what our own final year would look like we didn't even know if we would be in school again or a virtual would become the new normal then we realized we would be coming back granted things would be different but we would have a chance for some normalcy many of us even had to change our entire senior project plans but it is important to remember that change can often bring about great success gentile franklin
005said that impossible odds set the stage for amazing miracles with the projects being more personalized this year some great feats were accomplished to name a few elena dwinger earned her pilot license gloria wrote an entire novel with 40 plus chapters and monica even ran a half marathon those are just a few of the more amazing senior projects although we missed some of the most basic high school traditions like a student section we didn't let that stop us the odds are definitely against us in our crosstown rivalry game as we face columbus north after three years of continued losses during our high school years this year though things were different the rest of us may not have been able to watch or support them in person but we could cheer them on from home as we
006finally won i still remember the moment sitting at home watching the game on tv and jumping off the couch when the game was over i took a picture of the tv screen with a final score which was 35 to 31 and i still have it on my phone if anyone needs proof along with the physical aspect there are numerous records broken this year by our class i found a space in the weight room where i gained relationships but also broke of our few of our school weightlifting records for girls sean ryan claimed two records himself breaking the squad just last week and jesse miller among others had amazing triumphs in the weight room reaching numbers that many including myself could only dream of even chris bergman broke our school long jump record during this track
007season with a whopping 23 feet eight and a half inches [Laughter] since the very beginning of high school our class was training even without knowing it to push the limits in our later years before we continue i'd like to say a few words of gratitude to the people that brought us to where we are today to the administration and staff thank you for putting together this graduation so we could have a final moment where we are all together one last time to our parents and those who raised us thank you for putting up with our teen moodiness and rebellions all while nurturing us into the young adults we are today to our teachers a few of whom i would like to call out personally that helped me to coach fersen even though i only met
008you last year you have helped me gain many skills that i will use throughout my life one of the most useful being confidence not only in the weight room but in myself to mr chastain thank you for your enthusiasm and passion for teaching us despite how difficult it may have been to engage tired teens during the first mod into the late mr potorf your kindness touched every student that came through your classroom you were the example of a fighter in every way and you taught us how to be positive even in our darkest moments and to all of our teachers who helped us along each of our journeys and finally to our friends and classmates thank you for being there with us to create the memories that we will talk about for decades and for
009being there even during the toughest times i would like to leave you with one final thought do not lose this determination to defy the odds that our class of 2021 has so greatly exemplified as you go off into college or the workforce or the military or wherever life may take you do not forget that change can bring about great prosperity change can sometimes be scary but there's so much more to look forward to when you think of the anxious moments instead think of the happiness and excitement that is bound to be on your way as you continue through life be thankful for our past as we can look back on it with fond memories after all our past brought us to where we are today graduating here on the football field together when you're met
010with expectations set the bar and exceed it we've done that many times as a class and as individuals so let us continue to do so as we go on after high school after all life is a journey day by day we learn more and this is just the beginning of our journey thank you [Applause] thank you jalen for your words of wisdom and advice before i introduce the class of dr roberts i'd like to make a few comments first to community we're all working together to support each student you see us graduating today this has certainly been a year of challenges and we thank you for your teamwork and support in helping your student achieve this milestone the celebration not only for our graduates but also the community takes all of us working together to
011get our students to this point and secondly to our graduates one of my favorite parts of education is getting those students and their stories each and every one of you has your own unique success story that now includes challenge of coven you persevered you stepped up met the challenge and we're here to celebrate your story you've invested the hard work time energy along having supported your families friends and teachers to be in the position you are now as you get ready to take this next step in life i would encourage you to be true to yourself appreciate people who they are you are an individual and you are valued for who you are believe in yourself stay persistent there will be ups and downs in life stay focused on your goals do not be afraid
012to reach out and ask for help we are stronger together take the time to listen to others and be there for them it's something we can all do it's a great way to take care of others it will help make the world a better place for all you all have a bank blank page before you to begin this next chapter in your life story make the most your opportunities as you are the author of your life i'm sad excited at same times i'll miss seeing the hallways of east i'm also happy to start a new adventure i'm looking forward to see where those adventures lead you i'd also encourage you to take a page from jaylen's speech be inspired to continue writing your own unique success story we're all watching and excited for you we're
013here to support you as you take the next step into the world of the opportunities that lie before you it's been my privilege to serve as your principal for the past four years and i'll leave you the fact that you always be an olympian to take care and carry on o's dr roberts gives me great pride and pleasure to present to you the class of 2021 greetings one year ago we held a historic graduation ceremony for the class of 2020. due to the impact of coven 19 we held the first virtual graduation ceremony in school corporation history today we hold another historic graduation ceremony one that can also be attributed to the impact of coven 19. an outdoor celebration that if not the first for this school corporation ever is the first in a very
014very long time family members friends and staff members thank you for the unwavering support you have provided to our graduating seniors as they navigated the unpredictable path of this school year graduates congratulations to you for your patience flexibility and resilience as you manage the many obstacles in your way stayed on course and completed this race a race that became a little more complicated when on friday march 13th 2020 over 14 months ago our school corporation made the announcement that due to covet we would not immediately return to school following spring break as we all now know that tap on the pause button became a full stop as governor holcomb eventually closed schools for the remainder of your junior year during that time in verbal and written statements to our staff members i ask that they
015do whatever it takes yes i was referring to the imagine dragon song whatever it takes to get us successfully through the school year as we work through the summer to prepare for what we hoped would be a somewhat normal start to this school year your final one your senior year i announced to our staff numbers perhaps to some chagrin that this was the year of yes yes we can yes we are yes we will we would again do whatever it takes to make this the best year possible given the unusual circumstances to ensure that each of our students each of you could have a productive school year [Music] as i look out at you i am filled with pride with what our staff members and you have been able to accomplish you have endured quite
016the tumultuous time you have persevered you have arrived at this time this place prepare to start this next race of your life the race that takes you into the real world you have done whatever it takes you know my wife and i have two grandkids easton and ivy and when ivy who is nearly two years old does something whether good or bad she quickly thrusts her arm in the air and proudly proclaims i did it smears pink toothpaste all over a door i did it throws toys all across the floor i did it cleans toys up and puts them away i did it brushes her teeth to end the day i did it i smile when i think about ivy i did it i also smile thinking about you you did it you have gotten
017to this day this moment you have had some help along the way but as comedian carol burnett once said only i can change my life no one can do it for me putting yourself today in the chair on which you currently sit is about you so like ivy it is very appropriate for you to thrust your arm in the air and proudly proclaim i did it because you did and the door to your dreams has been opened because of it members of the columbus east high school class of 2021 by the power vested in me by the state of indiana and our bartholomew consolidated school corporation board of trustees i hereby certify you as graduates of our school system [Applause] congratulations jalen may nelson pranav kumar marin may winikey elise madeline lacelle allison lynn pietkowski
018mckenna ann pietkowski katherine elizabeth wolfe lindsay r akers asa carlton allman caroline r andrus christian ray arbuckle alexander ariano ferrer kalyn rose atkins nathan e baird olivia p balzer thomas j barkheimer alexandra nicole barnett casey a bartholomew hunter don isabel bateman kate olivia baugh sierra ann bennett grace graham bergman avery lee james bird eve jane blair tyrell d bowers tyler boyer jacob dale box tyler boyer vanessa evelyn brooks kylie evelyn brooks xander rhys brotsman jason brown caitlin g brummett zachary brunimer margaret g brunner josie ann burbrink dylan lee burgess chelsea renee burton monica burton malachi demetrius cahill lane brian callaway lexia lauren capes madai carmen matilda ann carr [Applause] davey carvalho karen sema jacob mel clap olivia grace clark charles melvin clay camp logan william klein emily danielle coburn skyler k collins anna grace combs
019gretchen may comer charlotte r conrad grant evan cooper brody lane copas allison haley cordis devin isaiah michael cox emily rachelle clark craig alexander kreider mason b curry shaylee g derringer chamar tyree latrell davis connor andrew davis isabelle shalini davis alexa day chloe a delgado matisse denu christopher gage dixon scott m dornquist larry dowden isaac tyrell downing levi doyle hope arlene durnell elena louise dwenger haven edelman kieran m erickson tamaya elizabeth escalante jordan lynn felician carlos nabil fernandez espinosa micah colin farrell lillian jordan fields trista r fields zachary forest jairus a foster brennan j frazee mckay michaela j frenzel nathan anthony fulford gilberto garcia leslie garcia zachary l gladden ethan m glade chloe louise good savannah gordon garrett edward graham alexis nicole grider katie may hagin scotty w hall bailey l harden jasmine elise harris james
020m james thomas harrison parker m harrison riley and nicole hartwell carpenter matthew havard hannah grace hemmerline linna muriel hendershot apprentice joel henderson iii gloria gene henriksen trenton henry david david christopher hensley gabriella lynn heredia cameron hess emily elise haney hunter hoffman taylor robert holland hope lynn horniak braden hughes charles hughes blaine a humphrey corey j hunt matthew f hutchison dylan emily mckenna renee jackson christopher jean gillis athena jenkins reagan sabrina jesse keon m jesse nolan jewell thessalonica micia johnson amelia elizabeth jones chase c jones ray kedrowitz chad michael kelly ethan kissinger elliott david koopman taylon christine lane caitlin marie lashley cassie cassie colleen savannah lawson katarina zee lee savannah nicole lewis sophie alexandra liz army elijah troy love caitlyn r lucas pace lucas sierra d lund reagan tracy lykins [Music] benjamin j major [Music] emily
021e malagon jose e martinez abigail rosalinda martinez bautista taylor j mathers samuel a matthews catalina rose mccarty chloe jane mcdonald mark mcdonald jamie cape mcgahey braden c mcintosh aaron taylor mcintyre mason james mckim abby colleen miller chloe addison miller jesse keith miller madison elizabeth miller emma claire mills sarah sophia montenez hidalgo abriana montgomery ira r montgomery iv samuel a moral corbin mitchell morris morgan hope morrow shelby morrow daniel o'connis murphy john david myers ernie l neal iii alexia renee niece hunter e nicholson emma grace nalting ayano namura treyton j nungester margaret c o'connor eric dane olsen malachi d o'rourke brittany and pagles malachi andrew parks erica may patterson maxwell e pedraja rona penrise nathan phillips jacob dale pierce reese lynn pruitt [Music] jared l reckers connor allen reed preston scott sheffel racquetball alton christopher rep
022colson reynolds cody thomas reynolds alexis rice georgia f richards shailen nicole richards jacob elliott richardson isaiah michael riley elia ritter luis rivera cruz genesis y rivera sanchez john w roberts chloe joe roberts [Music] heather isabel rodriguez kia michelle rodriguez madeleine rose romanski benjamin allen romig eric medina roses shawn michael ryan alejandro rubin saldivar raymond k sanchez jessica santana naman set sanji sierra christine saylor cole brian schaefer cassidy christine schner mckenna j scott jacob christopher schaefer ariana elizabeth lynn schrum andrew gage seifert peyton seeker dylan m seiler grace elaine simpson haley sinks hayley jade smith hayley elizabeth snyder kate diane spurgeon cameron stattenfield benjamin richard stenner brooke kalyn stevens gavin a stevenson kai james stidham caroline stott mckenzie luann streevil john p strong eli sweet clayton d taylor caleb a thomas alex j thomas kyle matthew
023thomas tyler andrew thompson cj ballard lorenz tillett ethan tucker sydney capri alls madison m up house daniel vaca abrego andres valencia elias e van kieran alex james van nest chasity lynn van hoosier megan hannah vetter bridger cole wagner emily walker [Music] hannah grace warner donovan p warren adam and where hayden michael wayne miller allison in wykeman nathaniel scott wells emily marie wessel emma nicole westerfeld emily nicole whipker erima e white courtney sue williams morgan sue williams samuel levi williams tyler j williams kaden wise mackenzie e wood abigail n woodruff carson rudolph ziegler selena zoo [Music] um [Music] each year the graduating class leaves a gift for the benefit of columbus east high school the class of 2021 student assembly has chosen to work alongside art national honor society to design a mural that will memorialize
024our teacher mr tony potty despite his passing in december of last year mr podorf's strong impact continues to shine through the halls of east we hope that this gift will not only commemorate our teacher's life but also encourage a legacy of kindness understanding and bravery in his arm let us take a moment of silence to reflect on his influence on columbus east [Applause] today we ring the senior bell to symbolize four fundamental 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 at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice out of loyalty flows honesty respect and unselfishness
025[Music] it has been said that honesty is the cornerstone of all success without which confidence and 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 and the ability to perform honesty is also a necessary component to gaining respect respect is a virtue we hope to gain in our lifetime but 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 inspire others to do the same to put another's life in front of your own is to excel in the only game that matters the game of
026life 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 conscious we signify the completion of the stage in our lives by the turning of our tassels which represents a movement from childhood to adulthood from high school to a world beyond will you join me in the turning of the tassel congratulations east graduates [Applause] [Music] you