The West Liberty High School graduating class of 2022 has dealt with a lot in their time as high school students.
They dealt with a pandemic, taking classes online virtually at the end of sophomore year, choosing to return to class in person or stay with online learning junior year and the death of a staff member this past February.
“I want to thank friends, family members, administrators and teachers for being here on one of the most important days of our lives,” said Rachel Aird. “It is with your support that we are here ready to embark on our next chapter.”
Aird, daughter of Chris and Kristen Aird, was one of the students chosen to give a speech at graduation this year.
She reminded her classmates about elementary field day where the physical education teacher would pair up the last names beginning with a and w.
“For those of you not familiar with field day, tug of war was the big finale and highlight of the day where we with our matching T-shirts lined up on each side to cheer on our classmates,” Aird said. “And everyone cheered on their classmates like they were the Olympics or the world championships until that ribbon crossed that line signaling the end of that competition.”
This was one of her favorite memories over the years together with her classmates, she said. She found a quote from R.G. Allen she cited in her speech.
“Creating success is a tug of war between your mind and your heart,” Aird said. “Your fears and your dreams. If your fears win, you lose.”
She reminded to classmates to dream big, believe anything could be possible and remember what it felt like to be winners like they did when they were in elementary school.
“As Walt Disney said ‘all of your dreams can come true, if you have the courage to pursue them,’”Aird said.
Aird’s future plans are to attend Iowa State University this fall to study engineering.
The next student selected to speak was Mylei Henderson, daughter of Scott and Jackie Henderson. She started her speech in Spanish, then translated it into English.
“I can’t believe today is finally here,” Henderson said. “A day we’ve been waiting for, for our whole lives. I would like to start off with a quote from the well-known children’s author Dr. Seuss. ‘Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.’”
Henderson discussed some of her favorite memories throughout school.
“Some of the most memorable times in elementary school were the holidays,” she said.
Dressing up for Halloween, making Valentine’s Day and receiving Christmas cards, Henderson said. Field Day was the best day to her because they were able to miss school to see their friend’s compete in races.
During middle school, they were able to begin to compete in sports, start playing an instrument in band and swim in the city pool during gym class, she added.
“Then we came here,” Henderson said. “Where we studied classes for four years of our lives.”
The classes they studied and activities they participated in helped shaped them to be who they are today, she said.
Freshman year was a normal year and then sophomore year came.
“We survived our freshman year of high school and made it to sophomore year,” Henderson said. “We have band competitions, sporting event, FFA competition through the fall and winter and then we go on spring break. Little did we know it was a little bit more than a spring break.”
Students learned school was virtual and all activities were cancelled because of the pandemic, she said.
Junior year had the option of going back to school in person or virtually, Henderson said. Many students chose to do virtual learning.
“Thankfully this year we had it back to normal,” she said. “I think most of us were very thankful to be back with our class mates and back in the classroom. We got to experience all the fun things that seniors get to do.”
She asked her classmates to cherish everyone they’ve met and where they’ve come from. She also thanked the community, staff, teachers and administrators for helping the class of 2022 for being successful.
Henderson’s future plans are to attend Southern Methodist University to study Business and Spanish.
Principal Brenda Arthur-Miller thanked everyone for attending the 2022 presentation of graduates. She said the class had been through a lot with the pandemic but that wasn’t all they had to deal with.
She told everyone one of the student’s biggest cheerleader’s school nurse Angela Swift passed in February.
“She was one of my favorite people,” Arthur-Miller said.
Some of the student’s knew her personally and some knew her face around the hall, she added.
“If you had the chance to meet her, she sure made an impact,” Arthur-Miller said. “And now you all are headed out to the real world to make your own impact.”
Arthur-Miller wished all the graduating student’s luck and success.
“You will face challenges but you are resilient and will succeed at whatever you succeed as your next goal.”
The class colors were royal blue and white, the class flower was the white flower and the class moto was “every story’s ending is another story’s beginning” by unknown.
Aird was selected as the Valedictorian and Grant David was selected as the Salutatorian.
Students with 90 or more hours of volunteer work received Silver Cord honors at graduation were: Aird, Macy Daufeldt, Grace Evans, Sailor Hall, Alyssa Harned, Henderson, Cynthia Sanchez Sanchez, Jessica Stecker, Charles Thrasher and Daniel Zeman.
Students who were recognized for being National Honor Society Members at graduation included: Aird, Daufeldt, Evans, Hall, Harned, Reynolds Heath, Henderson and Thrasher.
Students who received a score of 29 or higher on their ACT were Thrasher and Zeman.
Students honored for being eligible for the seal of biliteracy, which will be finalized in July were: Aird, Cassandra Aleman, Luis Aranday, Ashton Burroughs, Daufeldt, Issac Dominguez, Julizza Espinoza, Brenda Estrada Martinez, Evans, Leonardo Garcia, Adrianna Garcia-Vargas, Gabriel Gardenier-Vargas, Harned, Benjamin Haskell, Heath, Henderson, Christopher Hernandez, Kaylee Hurtado, Joel Jacobo, Avery Jacques, David Lara, Evany Lopez, Jazbeck Lopez, Sebastian Lovell, Valeria Madrigal, Jack Mahoney, Elli Martin, David Martinez, Gabriel Martinez, Jessica Martinez, Felipe Molina, Aisha Murguia, Alexia Murguia, Asael Negrete, Paola Palma, Alina Perdue, Joshua Perez Echevarria, Jofrael Rodriguez-Agosto, Jose Rojo, Victor Romoero, Sanchez Sanchez, Bianca Sanchez, Yulisa Sanchez, Nedim Sasmazer, Thrasher, Vanessa Vargas, Caleb Wulf and Zeman.
Those receiving academic excellence with a grade point average of 4.0 and above were: Aird, David, Daufeldt, Evans, Hall, Heath, Henderson, Aaron Mendez, Negrete, Thrasher, Kendall Toro and Zeman.
The 2022 West Liberty High School graduates were: Aird, Casandra Aleman, Madison, Alke, Luis Aranday, Eion Bardell, Joseph Barten, Bristol Bartenhagen, Samantha Berg, Dustin Bevans, Ashton Burroughs, Daniel Camancho, Domenic Campbell-Garner, Bouny Cavanh, Daufeldt, David, Dora De La Cruz-Martinez, Issac Dominguez, Espinoza, Julio Estrada Martinez, Evans, Raquel Even, Adrian Frausto, Jahsiah Galvan-Batie, Adrianna Garcia-Vargas, Leonardo Garcia, Luis Garcia, Gabriel Gardenier, Luis Gonzalez Reyes, Logan Grandstaff, Hall, Harned, Haskell, Heath, Henderson, Christopher Hernandez, Andra Hoang, Kaylee Hurtado, Joel Jacobo, Avery Jacques, Erick Jacques, David Lara, Camden Latimer, Kyara Lieb, Evany Lopez, Jazbeck Lopez, Jessica Lopez-Martinez, Sebastian Lovell, Valeria Madrigal, Jack Mahoney, Elli Martin, Bryan Martinez-Zavala, David Martinez, Ethan Martinez, Gabriel Martinez, Jessica Martinez, Elsa McIntosh, Carlos Medrano, Aaron Mendez, Yoanna Mendoza Agustin, Felipe Molina, Aisha Murguia, Alexia Murguia, Asael Negrete, Benjamin O’ Donnell, Paola Palma, Carter Parker, Alina Perdue, Joshua Perez Echevarria, Arlet Quiroz, Desiree Reinhardt, Jovel Rocha, Jofrael Rodrigruez-Agosto, Jorge Rodriguez, Natalie Rodriguez, Yavielys Rodriguez Velez, Fabian Rojas, Jose Rojo, Victor Romero, Journey Rud, Terrance Salinas, Bianca Sanchez, Cynthia Sanchez Sanchez, Yulisa Sanchez, Nedim Sasmazer, Jacobo Saucedo, Olivia Schaffer, Madison Sherer, Jayla Solis, Jessica Stecker, Thrasher, Kendall Toro, Vanessa Vargas, Saul Vazquez, Trenten Vileta, Mallory Wisman, Wulf and Zeman.
There were 98 students who graduated this year.