RED OAK — Ninety-nine Red Oak High School seniors received diplomas Sunday afternoon during commencement ceremonies.
High School Principal Jedd Sherman welcomed the graduates, family, and friends who packed the gymnasium, while thanking the school board and district employees for helping the seniors achieve their goals.
He also set the tone for those graduates by reminding them this was more than the ending of their high school careers.
“I don’t want to just give you a warm welcome to the commencement ceremony today,” Sherman said. “I want to give you a warm welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life.”
Sherman then presented the Inman Awards to valedictorians Lauren Fellers and Jami Redel, and Salutatorian Rachel Jennings.
Fellers reminded her classmates their only limitations are self-imposed.
“Class of 2010, we are already great, so we must strive to be greater,” she said. “Believe in yourself and there is no limit to what you can do.”
Redel stressed the importance of striving for excellence, no matter the task.
“Always put your best effort at whatever you try to do so you don’t ever have to look back and wonder what you could have done,” Redel said.
Jennings, who moved back to the Red Oak area three years ago, discussed the value of friendships and lifelong memories.
“I know we all complain how boring Red Oak is and how we can’t wait to move away …[but] there are so many memories to look back on and I’m so glad I was able to make them with you.”
As is tradition at Red Oak High School, seniors voted for a classmate’s parent to deliver the commencement address. This year, longtime teacher and coach Darrell Berry delivered that address.
He urged the graduating class to remain confident in their abilities.
“Confidence is what makes a person succeed,” Berry said. “There is going to be a time to come where to succeed, you are going to have to believe in yourself.”
The following students received their diplomas:
Allison Adams; Heather Adams; Kelsey Allison; Dylan Anderson; Skylar Barker; Holly Beemer; Dylan Berry; Aaron Black; Beau Boeye; Kayla Borem; Dahlton Briggs; Michelle Burson; Zachery Coddington; Casey Connolly; Lizabeth Cooper; Maura Corliss; Rocio Cruz-Rodriguez; Dustin Danick; Gloria Davis; Sadie Day’ Shay Edie;
Hally Eggleston, Stephanie Farnum; Lauren Fellers; Sara Flick; Caleb Flowers;
Derek Fry; Amanda Gamble; Jessica Graham; Ryan Green; Michaela Griffen; Dylan Hambright; Kady Hardy; Shelby Harris; Beige Hawn; Ashton Helton; Jordan Herzog; Dalton Holbrook; Jessica Houtchens; Chauntel Hughes; Rachel Jennings; Kevin Jensen; Andrew Johnson; Cody Johnson; Joshua Kasubick; Travis Kester; Hilary Kesterson; Callie Klyn; Olivia Kruse; Kourtney Lamb; Codie Larsen; Jacob Larson; Anthony Lawson; Erik Lewis; Cayla Loew; Christopher Lombard; Zachary Lukehart; Brook McAlpin; Alexandria McFarland; Shelby Marsden; Jordan Matson; Katelynne Maynes; Ian Medeiros; Cheyenne Meek; John Mertz; Jackson Miller; Chelsee Morris; Joshua Nix; Rachel Norris; Brianna Nowels; Lucas Orme; Joshua Pappas; Lawrence Pearce; Tyler Penry; Kelsey Perdue; Kaely Piller; Hollie Platt; Elizabeth Pratt; Jose Ramos; Gilberto Saldana; Jami Redel; Jacob Reeve; Brooke Seering; Ingvild Skorpen; Alyssa Stoehr; Samantha Stoneking; Kaitlin Suchting; Drew Swanson; Bradey Telschow; Molly Thomas; Tasha Treat; Brian Tyner; Christpher Tyner; Alex Uhlenberg; Brianna Wagoner; Cody Walford; Cassandra Wardlow; Chandra Welbon; and Dustin Whitehill.
