Kylee Laughlin

Valedictorian Speech

Good afternoon students and family members. If you could please join me for a moment of silence to remember the loved ones we have lost in our district, as well as, those that have been lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic during the 2019-2020 school year.

Thank you to everyone who is joining us today, either via vehicle or via Facebook, we're glad you could be with us in any way you could.

A very wise man by the name of Admiral William McRaven once said "If I can't make this memorable, I'm at least going to make it short."

I'm going to be completely honest with you when I say I thought I'd never see the day that we would be gathered together in caps and gowns. In fact, the day school got cancelled for the rest of the year was the day I received my letter informing me that I had been named the Class of 2020 valedictorian.

This year has been full of tragedies and setbacks. When it seemed that there was no hope for us, our community simply refused to let us go by silently. I am incredibly thankful for the efforts of the community members and D.H.S. staff members to come together in such a difficult time to honor the Class of 2020 and make a graduation ceremony happen.

It means the world to us.

I strive to show the resilience and determination that I have seen in this community. I'd like to give a special thank you to Scott Kirk, Bette Lou and everyone who donated to make the senior banners possible. They look amazing and serve as a wonderful memory through such a dark time.

I'd also like to take this time to thank my teachers and parents for constantly pushing me to do my absolute best. I am standing where I am today because of them. Speaking of standing here today, I am so incredibly grateful that it is with you, my fellow class members.

Looking around I see nothing but caring individuals that are full of endless potential. With whom I share some of my most precious memories. From multiple car wrecks (Some I'm not sure how we survived), hella jokes, multiple breakdowns, and to our unexpected last day of school.

We've had a monumental effect on this school and this town. I highly doubt that we will be forgotten for years to come.

Although parting is such sweet sorrow, I am proud to be the one to bid you farewell and wish you the best in whatever lies ahead of you.

Good luck, Class of 2020.

Kira Boggs

Salutatorian Speech

Hello everyone and welcome. I would like to begin with some thank yous. First, I want to say how thankful I am to my parents for helping me become the person that I am and for helping me succeed. I also want to say I'm thankful for all of our teachers. They pushed each of us to succeed. When we were tired and moody and didn't want to do our work, they wouldn't take no for an answer, and because of them we are standing here today. Lastly, I want to thank our amazing community for all of the support they have given our class. We are forever grateful.

When I found out we were going to be able to have a ceremony, I was ecstatic. We may not be inside the gym over there, but, hey, that just means we don't have to be cramped and sweaty. I'm not going to lie, just a few months ago I was scared that we weren't going to get to graduate at all together. That thought was crushing.

We have been through a lot together. Some of us went through daycare and even potty training together. So, to think that we weren't going to get to go through the one thing we have been talking about since Sixth Grade together was so scary, but look at us. We are here. We missed out on the last three and a half months of our last year together, but we are here today. 

Over the last few months, I have been looking back and thinking about our last 12 years together and I've come to the conclusion that we weren't just classmates, we are family. Our class was more like family than any other class. We were always there for each other: whether it was Kenzie warning Kylee that there was a test tomorrow because she had been sick the day before, or Tayven lending Carlos his history notes because he missed class, or even Jurnee bringing Kiya food because she was stuck at school studying during her lunch–we always had each other's backs.

Not only did we care for each other like family, but we sure did fight like family, too. We could argue and scream at each other and tell each other we hated each other. I honestly think we argued more than we talked, but if anything happened to us we knew we could count on each other for support. 

Our last year of high school has really prepared us for the real world. Whether we like it or not, stuff is going to happen unexpectedly in life and we are going to have to go with it.

-Chronicle photo by Loyal Baker

Salutatorian Kira Boggs

You guys are amazing people and you are strong and you are resilient. Those are the skills that are going to help each and every one of you succeed throughout the next stages of your lives.

I believe that whatever life throws at you, you will be able to not only handle it, but handle it successfully. I can't wait to see what amazing things you all bring to the world.

Thank you.