“I remember a lot of things about my senior year,but tomorrow I’ll remember being here today.”
Valedictorian Matthew Csonka couldn’t have addressed his Griffith High School Class of 2014 with something more poignant. On June 1st, Griffith’s 90th Commencement Ceremony graduated the seniors of 2014.
Decked out in their school colors of black and gold, the students came into the gymnasium with a loud roar of applause until the students were instructed to take their seats.
The Griffith High School Chorale started the afternoon off with “The Star Spangled Banner” and their own rendition of Imagine Dragon’s “It’s Time”. After the chorale took their seats, newly admitted principal and former physical education teacher Bian Orkis addressed his first graduating class.
“I personally have a soft spot in my heart for the Class of 2014. Not because this is my first speech as your principal, but because of our journey of the last four years together. All those years ago you entered Griffith’s halls as ninth graders, unsure about this thing called high school. And at the time, I was finishing up my administration degree. I really didn’t know what this school had in store for me.”
He continued, “Fast forward four years to now I stand before you as your principal and seeing what I feel is the absolute best students in the state of Indiana.”
After the principal’s address, Salutatorian Emily Tuttle took the podium to state her farewell to the class.
“We stuck together as one, and that’s what we’ll remember the most. For some of us today is a sad day, you will say goodbye to the faces you’ve known for your whole life. You’ll once again be surrounded by new faces - but once we finally step out of those doors we will start our new beginning. Don’t be afraid; embrace the change. We have our entire lives ahead of us and this is just the beginning.”
Valedictorian Matthew Csonka took the microphone next to remind the graduates about the good times, bad times, good teachers, frightening teachers, and both his and the school’s most stressful moments. But it was class president Olivia Hamm who had the on-point summary of the commencement.
“Now I know we’ve had a few principals in the past few years, but I’m glad that we now have Mr. Orkis, because like all of us we started from the bottom, and now we’re here,” she stated.
From there, diplomas were handed out by Dr. Peter Morikis, Superintendent of Griffith Schools.
Of course after the ceremony was over family, relatives and friends all gathered into another gymnasium to get pictures and give balloons. Smiles, cheers, hugs, and congratulations were everywhere you turned - and it was justifiably so.
Congratulations Griffith’s Class of 2014, and here’s to your bright future!