By SALINA POST
The Salina South Class of 2023 participated in its graduation ceremony Sunday afternoon, and while every class has its defining moments, the Class of 2023 had some unexpected ones as well.
Denalyn Vasquez, president of the Salina South Class of 2023, spoke about how the class' high school career was out of the ordinary.
"Our high school career has got to be one of the craziest, most full-circle moments," she said.
Vasquez went on to recount how the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing the class' freshman year to be cut short.
"Sophomore year, our class was split completely in half, and we only saw half of each other at school," she said.
The class' junior year started with people wearing masks and then people starting "to come out of the COVID slump we had been in for the past two years."
"And finally, our senior year was mask free, no social distancing. Together again, just like we started," she said.
Vasquez also noted how involved the class was, ticking off a long list of activities and organizations in which class members participated. Plus, she noted, some class members also worked in addition to going to school and participating in activities.
"We have done something in our high school career that has gotten us involved," she said. "Something I've learned is that if there's an opportunity for you, go ahead and reach it because life is about making new possibilities happen every single day, and school gave us each a chance to get involved in something or even dabbling in being part of a team."
Vasquez said her mother has been the class' No. 1 supporter "since Day One."
"If you've ever stepped foot into my house or even been near it, which I know a lot of you have, the best part, and the best bet, is that my mom knows who you are and she will ask me how you've been or why you don't come to the house anymore," Vasquez said. "And, just like that, I adopted the same feeling, so happy Mother's Day, mom."
And despite telling her father that she would not quote him, Vasquez shared some advice from her father.
"It matters what you do, because we're individuals who are planting seeds in the ground every day. One day, those seeds will sprout, and we want to be proud of the fruit those seeds produce," she said. "I'm not going to make you analyze that, because we all know we've had enough of that, but what it means is don't do something that will leave a bad mark, because one day, it will come back to you."
This year's graduation speaker, selected by the class officers, was Josh Massey, a history and government teacher at Salina South.
"South High graduating Class of 2023, it was my honor to be asked to speak to you on this occasion, because this occasion is your transition from childhood to adulthood," Massey said.
"Today I want to acknowledge all of the people that helped get you here, starting with the most important person. Today, you need to thank your momma. Alright. Thank your momma today. They worked really hard to get you here, and their work is not done. They're going to worry about you, advise you, fight for you and with you for the rest of your lives. Despite all of the things I will talk to you about today, this will remain constant, so cherish your mom. Today you need to do something nice for your mom," Massey said.
He continued, "The truth is, and many of you have heard this before from me, that you are the work of your parents' lives. They will never dedicate more emotional, intellectual, or financial resources to anything than they do their children. So this is your momma's day. So celebrate Mother's Day right."
Massey said graduation speeches have "little conventions and rituals and we gloss over the truth of achievement in speeches like this."
"Achievement is not equal. Okay. For some of you this was a really fiercesome and perilous journey. And for others, you're kind of expected to be here to be acknowledged and move on to the next challenge," Massey said.
"We all know that this achievement is granted equally, but it is not earned equally. Right? Some of you put real sweat into your education. You prized the knowledge that you gained in your journey. Some of you have done this after sleeping in your car or couch surfing. Others after having suffered tremendous personal loss. And all of you have done this through a pandemic that disrupted the fabric of our society in ways that we fully do not understand yet, and yet, you made it, yet, you're here," he said.
Massey noted that he was breaking the graduation rule that the group has to be recognized as "a homogenous whole."
"You aren't. You're a large collection of individuals. You earned this honor individually, and you're going to go forward in the same way," he said.
The Salina South graduation was the first of the two Salina Public Schools graduation ceremonies in the arena of Tony's Pizza Events Center.
. . .
To see the video of the graduation ceremony, click here.