Rain or shine

EPHRATA — Ephrata High School graduates and their families braved the rain Friday night as they held the 108th commencement of the school.

“This year came with a lot of endings and goodbyes, some harder than others. Throughout this year we've had to learn how to say goodbye. It is something that I have not enjoyed, but it's definitely something that has made me realize how much High School has rewarded us, challenged us and how lucky we are to have made the memories we did with the people we did,” said 2021-22 Associated Student Body Vice-President Samantha MacNeil. “We may not know it but these are the moments and the people that are shaping us and preparing us for the rest of our lives.”

MacNeil and ASB President Rashann Olsen spoke during the opening ceremony.

MacNeil said a friend mentioned the Dr. Seuss quote, “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened,” to her and she thought it was a perfect way to describe high school and her final year.

The next person to take the podium was Maricela Pineda, the Migrant Graduation Specialist. She gave her speech first in Spanish and then English. She spoke about how much the class meant to her and taught her over the last five years at Ephrata. She noted that this class was her first class when she began working with students at Ephrata Middle School in 2017.

Student speaker Anna Pugh, who took the podium next, had a challenge for her fellow graduates.

“I challenge my peers to take the understanding that they have gained from those around them and apply this to their future pathways,” said Pugh. “Increase your empathy for those around you as you will continue to encounter people with wider world experiences outside of Ephrata that you could not have imagined. Acknowledge the differences around you and celebrate them. Recognize the perspective that you do not have and ask, ‘What can I learn from this person?’”

She wrapped up her speech, thanking those who had supported and influenced her class along the way and encouraged her peers to be the best version of themselves.

Due to the rain, the class was unable to perform their musical piece ‘Uncharted’ for the crowd.

Student speaker Alejandro Ramirez had the class and crowd smiling and laughing with his pop culture references and utter honesty of his senior class.

“From walking into the high school with the height of an elementary student to exiting those same halls with the growth spurt of Justin Billingsley,” said Ramirez. “I don't know what your parents fed you, Justin.”

Ramirez’s speech included advice to his classmates.

“We have to understand that it is a privilege to be standing here because millions of people wish to be in this very same place where we can love, where we can live our love. So be thankful for the opportunities that were given to you and take this opportunity to impact someone else's life,” said Ramirez.

During the ceremony, Superintendent Tim Payne gave the first diploma to a graduate who could not be there in person, Billy Rhodes. Payne said Rhodes has been fighting cancer since January and was preparing for a stem cell transplant so he could not be there in person but was attending through watching the live broadcast. Classmates set off confetti cannons when they called Rhode’s name.

Marla Allsopp gave the faculty farewell with a playlist of five important songs for the graduates' lives. They were “What a Wonderful World”, “True Colors”, “Leave Out All the Rest”, “Resilient” and, “The Eye of the Tiger.”

For each of the songs in the playlist, she quoted lyrics and explained what each of the graduates could take from the songs to apply to their own lives to guide them.

“Yeah, you might make some mistakes,” said Allsopp. “And those mistakes create opportunities for you to become a better human. Those mistakes are part of the fabric of who you're becoming just as much as your successes.”

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.