Bath high school graduates 66 By Amanda Isley • Staff writer
WARM SPRINGS - The indomitable spirit of Bath County High School's class of 2007 soared and refused to be doused by the driving sheets of rain and rattling thunder outside last Saturday. Diplomas were awarded to 66 seniors by BCHS principal Pete Pitard, and valedictorian Austin "Gus" Deeds and salutatorian Jordan Thompson drove on through their speeches despite pounding drops on the rooftop.
Wayne Winebriner played the processional as the seniors took their places on stage. Senior Jessica Hiner led the Pledge of Allegiance, and class president Haley Woodzell sang the National Anthem to kick off the ceremony.
Class historian Beth Vincent read a memoriam in honor of deceased classmate Josh Hurt. A table was set up to the right of the seniors, displaying a cap, gown and Hurt's picture. In addition, Vincent said a dogwood tree would be planted on school grounds in his honor.
Both the salutatory and valedictory addresses rang optimism and perseverance. Although the speakers' tones differed, both delivered strong messages to their fellow classmates. Deeds added humor to his speech, and chuckles issued forth from a packed auditorium throughout his address.
He urged the senior class to pursue its goals, whatever they may be. "Your life is your own and yours only - don't let anyone else tell you what to do with it. If you are perfectly happy shoveling horse manure then, by God, shovel horse manure until the day you die; but if your dream is to be a multi-millionaire stockbroker, then don't rest until that dream has been achieved," he said.
Thompson decided to focus more on the present in his speech. While he encouraged his classmates to continue toward their goals, he asked them not to forget to live in the present. Just as apathy can be a danger, so too can over-achievement, he said.
"We end up being more worried about what we are going to do in five years rather than five minutes." He added it was fine to dream big, but noted living in the future meant missing out on a lot of little pleasures in the here and now.
"So don't be afraid to smile more often - be more spontaneous and laugh more often … continue to live your life to the fullest," he said.
Guest speaker Chris Skinner followed up on pursuing dreams with a personal account of how he lost focus while attending college at Radford University. He became a partying fraternity brother, and in 2000, he was involved in a car crash that paralyzed him from the collarbone down, changing his life forever, he said.
Skinner is a motivational speaker and talks to various age groups on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. He wrote a book on his trials, "The Ultimate Learning Experience," and continues to share his story.
He started by sharing some of his favorite quotes and making a few jokes, but his message was: stay focused on goals and remember what's truly important. "I was pulled away from my goals by a keg of beer," he said. "Be the real deal - all of you have a life and your lives really matter. I want you to go out there and make your life count - get ââ¬Ëem Bath County High School."
Before Pitard distributed diplomas, he shared statistics about this year's graduating class - 32 percent are already enrolled in a four-year college; 38 percent will attend a two-year college; 14 percent of the seniors will attend technical schools; and 15 are gainfully employed, he said. "I hope each and every one of them comes back to enrich our community - this really is a fantastic class with a lot of personality," he said.
His comments did not, however, exempt him from the Silly String war that has become tradition at BCHS over the years. Senior Cory Jessee made sure Pitard didn't feel left out.
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